An electrifying collection of rarely seen hockey photos highlighting the greatest heroes of the Original 6 era.

The hockey stars of the fifties and sixties—Rocket Richard, Gordie Howe, Dave Keon, Bobby Hull, Jean Béliveau, Terry Sawchuk, Tim Horton, and others—were some of the most passionate players in NHL history. These skilful and often colourful athletes played exhilarating hockey and were national heroes in a time when only six hockey teams and 120 players battled for the Stanley Cup.

Hockey’s Original 6 celebrates the most dynamic players and exciting moments of the era in more than 100 photographs from the legendary Harold Barkley Archives, including a number of never—or rarely—seen images. From 1942 until the early seventies, Barkley was the Toronto Star’s leading sports photographer, pioneering the use of electronic flash to capture stop-action hockey. This book is the most complete collection of pre-expansion-era colour action hockey photographs available in print.

Relive the thrill of the era with images capturing the first NHL teams—The Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, and New York Rangers—in their prime.

Two informative essays by Mike Leonetti—prolific hockey writer and historian—set Barkley and the photos in context, and short image captions illuminate the players and their feats. Jean Béliveau—hockey legend and elder statesman—provides a personal and insightful foreword. Combining iconic images and hockey lore, Hockey’s Original 6 is the perfect gift for sports fans, history buffs, and art collectors.