The hockey commentator, former coach and team executive Doug MacLean discusses his new book Game Day: The Uncensored Life of an NHL GM (Simon & Schuster, 2026), with Joseph Planta.

Game Day: The Uncensored Life of an NHL GM by Doug MacLean with Greg Oliver (Simon & Schuster, 2026). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Game Day

Text of an introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.  

Doug MacLean joins me again. He’s got a new book out today, Game Day: The Uncensored Life of an NHL GM, co-written with Greg Oliver. His gift of storytelling is throughout as he takes the reader into the job of general manager in the National Hockey League. From managing the hockey operations, the players, scouts, coaches and trainers; to the management of the facility, concessions, sponsors; to the ownership, where there might be one wealthy investor in the community where the team is to these large conglomerates that own multiple franchises over different sports altogether. In between all this, there’s managing the fans expectations, whether through relations with the media, or season ticket holders. There’s also relationships with agents, referees, other GMs, the league itself. Mr. MacLean in this new book takes us through all these unique interpersonal and business relationships providing an insiders look at the business and entertainment of the sport of hockey. I’ll ask Doug about what it was like getting fired from a coach’s job (he was the head coach for the Florida Panthers), and calling up the owner of what would become the Columbus Blue Jackets about the job of GM. He had to build not just the franchise from the ground up, but the arena too. The book provides marvelous insight as to the job, his experience, as well as his family’s experience through his life in hockey. Doug MacLean is a former professional hockey coach, general manager, and team executive. He was president and general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets, he also coached them for a spell when had to fire the coach, and he was also the head coach of the Florida Panthers, taking them to the Stanley Cup Final in 1996. He became a broadcaster for Sportsnet, eventually co-hosting their popular Hockey Central at Noon on the radio, as well as a panelist on television’s Hockey Central. He was on with his first book Draft Day: How Hockey Teams Pick Winners or Get Left Behind, which was a national bestseller. That book, like this new one, is published by Simon & Schuster. We spoke last week with Doug joining me from Delray Beach, Florida, where he divides his time with his native Prince Edward Island. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Doug MacLean; Mr. MacLean, good morning.

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