Dreamer - by Nazem Kadri (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

An outspoken, inspirational memoir from a charismatic athlete in the spotlight, Dreamer is the moving story of the first Muslim hockey player to win the Stanley Cup, and the impossible dreams he made a reality.

No one who knows the game is unfamiliar with the story of the NHL's first Muslim Stanley Cup winner, Nazem Kadri, nor does anyone doubt his warmth and openness in front of a microphone, or his eagerness to challenge the next generation of Muslim athletes. He is a league All-Star, a highlight-reel player, and someone who has been called upon to be the face of his community from the moment he put on skates.

Nazem Kadri was a top-ten draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs, chosen not only for his elite skills but because he would reflect Toronto's immense diversity and huge Muslim population. And he was soon a fan favourite, not only with a new generation of diverse fans, but with traditionalists too, who admired his willingness to play the game with old-school toughness.

In the end, he was traded to Colorado as management sought to shake up the team. But it was the Avalanche, not the Leafs, who benefitted most, and Toronto fans missed him. When Colorado won the Stanley Cup in 2022, Kadri (by then a fan favourite in Denver) was a clutch player in high-pressure games. Today he is a veteran leader with the Calgary Flames, and still making the highlight reels.

But the core of Kadri's story is what happened off the ice--both shocking and heartwarming. Kadri faced brutal anti-Muslim harassment during Colorado's Cup run from Blues fans and received incredible support from Denver fans. When a controversy arose about an uncalled penalty on the championship-winning goal, this founding member of the league's Hockey Diversity Alliance used the opportunity to make humorous t-shirts, which raised over $250,000 for the Kadri Foundation.

And when he had his traditional day with the Stanley Cup, he took it to the mosque in his hometown of London, Ontario, along with the message that the highest success, not just in hockey but in life, is a destiny any of us can choose.

Review Quotes

"Nazem Kadri epitomizes the heart, grit, and skill it takes to be a leader on and off the ice. This is a story of determination and perseverance in the face of doubt. The lessons shared through Kadri's memoir, from his family's remarkable journey to his unrelenting belief in himself, are an inspiration for anyone who dares to dream."
--Doug Gilmour, member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and former captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs

"In this book, Nazem doesn't shy away from addressing the tough topics throughout his NHL career, on and off the ice--including experiencing death threats and Islamophobia to a degree that would make many quit their jobs, or worse, fear for their lives. Nazem meets every peak and valley with thoughtful and honest reflection. Mashallah!"
--Arda Öcal, ESPN broadcaster

"A must-read book about one of the best team players to play the game. A lion of a competitor."
--Lou Lamoriello, longtime NHL and Team USA executive

"Naz is the kind of teammate you know will always stand beside you. He's a warrior on the ice and a leader in the locker room. His memoir is one of hockey's great stories."
--Mitch Marner, NHL All-Star

"A fascinating look at the unique experience of not only trying to make the Toronto Maple Leafs, but doing it while navigating a sport that hasn't always welcomed ethnic minorities. It's hard not to appreciate Kadri more after going behind the scenes of some of his biggest moments and really feeling what he and his teams were going through."
--Justin Bourne, Sportsnet broadcaster and bestselling author of Down and Back

"Whenever a player like Kadri comes along, the game wants him to change. Maybe it's the game that needs to change. When it does, we will have more players like him--strong mindset, strong family, strong will to win. Kadri's book shows us what we need in the game."
--Ted Nolan, former NHL player and coach, and bestselling author of Life in Two Worlds

"We all fight a fight no one knows about. It takes a real man to find the courage to be vulnerable in a sport where men don't dare to air their laundry. Kadri speaks to the truth that our society so desperately needs. A must read."
--Jordin Tootoo, former NHL player and bestselling author of All the Way and Mind Over Matter

"If you're a Maple Leafs fan with a weakness for juicy dressing-room drama, there haven't been many better sources than Nazem Kadri's new memoir."
--Toronto Star

About the Author

DAN ROBSON is a senior enterprise writer for The Athletic. He is the author of the national bestseller Quinn: The Life of a Hockey Legend, Bower: A Legendary Life, and Measuring Up: A Memoir of Fathers and Sons. He co-authored no. 1 national bestsellers Crossroads with Kaleb Dahlgren and Killer with Doug Gilmour--as well as The Crazy Game with Clint Malarchuk, Change Up with Buck Martinez, and Ignite with Andre De Grasse.