Iron Mike

My Life Behind the Bench

By: Mike Keenan, Scott Morrison

Narrated by: Wayne Ward

AN INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER

The must-read memoir of one of the NHL's most controversial and successful coaches—winner of the 1994 Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers.

In the fraternity of NHL coaches, some stand out for their winning records, some for their big personalities and some for their unprecedented methods. Mike Keenan stands out on all these counts, and more.
Breaking into the NHL as head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers in 1984, Keenan got instant results, leading them to the Stanley Cup final in his first year. In 1987, he coached Team Canada to victory in the Canada Cup using his intuitive bench management, putting superstars Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux together on a line at key times to great, winning results.
Keenan’s teams succeeded at every level. With championships in university athletics, the OHL and AHL, it seemed only a matter of time before his resumé would include the ultimate prize. One of the NHL’s most valuable franchises, the New York Rangers, hadn’t won a Cup in fifty-four years—the league’s longest championship drought at the time. But with five-time Stanley Cup champion Mark Messier as captain of the star-studded Rangers lineup, there was only one thing missing for a championship run on Broadway: a coach who could focus all the talent and desire on victory. After a season of much controversy, in 1994 the Stanley Cup finally returned to Madison Square Garden, considered by many to be one of the greatest Cup wins by a US-based NHL team.
In the hands of veteran sports journalist and bestselling author Scott Morrison, Iron Mike takes readers behind the scenes of one of the most explosive runs to the Cup in NHL history, one that Keenan shares at long last. There is only one Iron Mike in hockey, and love him or hate him, his memoir is an essential read for any fan of the game.

Turns Out Iron Isn't Always Hard

Going in I had some idea of what to expect. Iron Mike, one of the toughest known coaches, fierce with players and unapologetic in an unmatched desire to win. And there is that. But there is also a human there you don't see on TV, one with feelings and flaws, rough edges and soft ones.

To be a successful coach, you have to be authentic. Players have to buy in to you. They have to know that you believe in them. And they have to believe that winning is possible. Mike Keenan is nothing if not authentic. But one of my big takeaways is that the best see winning as a predetermined result. They set a plan in place to make it happen and then execute. Mike Keenan may be the best example of this.

Hearing first hand the successes while sharing and acknowledging mistakes and regrets really resonated with me. Thanks, Mike Keenan, for sharing your story.

Iron Mike!

A brilliant and honest book. A great look into a taskmaster coach. A must read for any hockey fan.

Fun Biography on One of Hockey’s Biggest Personalities

The book moved with good pace and depth, never seeming to drag on. It gave a good overview of his career, and gave a glimpse into Iron Mike. Seemed like a nice guy, and you got to see why he had short stops throughout his tenure (with some not always being his fault, in my opinion). If you enjoy hockey and watched during the 80s, 90s, and 2000s, I would recommend this book as a good walk down memory lane. As hard of a reputation he had, he certainly got the job done at most times along the way, and won.