In-game action photography and fun illustrations show kids ages 8 and up (and adults, too!) how the gear, players, strategy and fans have changed since long before the NHL dropped the first puck in 1917! Hockey: Then to WOW! shows readers how the coolest sport has evolved from simple stick-and-ball games to the fast- paced, physical sport it is today. Using NHL action photographs, illustrations, stories, and trivia, the book is a journey through time both for hockey fans and those new to the game. Kids will learn how basic equipment has changed from wooden disks to hard rubber pucks, from bare heads to full facemasks and more. Skaters throughout history are stacked up against each other in every position so fans can dream up the perfect fantasy team with Gordie Howe playing alongside The Great One and Connor McDavid. A fun-filled section of the book explores everything fan culture-from the perfect arena snack poutine to the importance of video games and pond hockey in popularizing the sport.