Hockey's Best Books sells books published by Dan Diamond and Associates, Inc. (DDA) of Toronto. Established in
1984, DDA publishes and packages books and data as well as providing information and publishing services to clients
in sports and other fields. For 26 years, DDA has been the National Hockey League's consulting publisher, producing
hockey's statistical bible, the annual NHL Official Guide & Record Book. DDA's redesign and marketing plan for the NHL
Guide has turned it into the leading statistical annual in sports.
DDA has also produced Total Hockey, a comprehensive 1,984-page encyclopedia published in October, 1998 and
revised in October, 2000. Two related books, Total Stanley Cup (2000) and Total NHL (2003), have also been released.
In 1999 DDA designed, edited and manufactured two important sports books: 99: My Life In Pictures, a pictorial
autobiography of Wayne Gretzky with John Davidson, and Maple Leaf Gardens: Memories and Dreams, a deluxe book
of Toronto sports and entertainment history published to mark the departure of the Toronto Maple Leafs from the oldest
arena in the National Hockey League. In 2001, DDA produced The Toronto Blue Jays 25th Anniversary
Commemorative Book and, in 2002, Champions of Ice: Twenty-Five Years of the World’s Finest Figure Skaters.
DDA participated in the planning of the NHL's 75th anniversary season (1991-92), and produced two deluxe best-selling
books: The NHL Stanley Cup Centennial Book (M&S 1992) and The Official NHL 75th Anniversary Commemorative
Book (1991 M&S). The company also was hired to write the script for a one-hour TV documentary entitled The Stanley
Cup, A Century of Magic Moments broadcast on ESPN in the U.S. and Global TV in Canada. Other books about the
sport produced by DDA include Forever Rivals - Leafs vs. Canadiens (Random House 1996) and Hockey: The Illustrated
History (Doubleday, 1986).
DDA worked closely with Canada Post in the production of a 32-page booklet and three postage stamps to mark the
NHL's 75th Anniversary. In addition, DDA provided research and copywriting in support of stamps issued to celebrate
the 25th anniversary of the 1972 Canada-Russia series as well as various NHL All-Star players.
The company was also contracted to edit all display copy that appears in the internationally acclaimed Hockey Hall of
Fame that opened in downtown Toronto in June of 1993.
From 1990 to 1996, DDA worked under contract to the Upper Deck Company of Carlsbad, California, writing
biographical notes and compiling statistics for the backs of hockey trading cards.
DDA has also provided consulting publisher's services to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Philadelphia Flyers, the Hockey
Hall of Fame and the World Cup of Hockey. DDA produced a detailed World Cup of Hockey Media Guide in 1996 and 2004 and produced a deluxe guide to NHL players participating in the Winter Olympics in 2002 and 2006.
Outside of hockey, The company has produced the Toronto Blue Jays Official Guide annually since 1986 and the Major
Indoor Soccer League's annual stats guide since 2000.
DDA's president is Dan Diamond whose involvement with sports began in his hometown of Winnipeg in the late 1950s
and early 1960s. He produced an English-language telecast of the Japanese major-league baseball all-star game for
ESPN in 1987. He was named to The Hockey News list of 100 People of Power and Influence in Hockey for the year
2000.
Working closely with Dan Diamond are Ralph Dinger (director of research), Eric Zweig
(managing editor), and Paul Bontje (managing editor). Dinger came to DDA from the staff of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Zweig is the author of
a novel titled Hockey Night in the Dominion of Canada. All have gained considerable experience working on the various
books and projects produced by DDA.
For more information, contact Dan Diamond at dda.nhl@sympatico.ca
