TBC: Two Minutes For Talking To Myself

By my count, there are four days left in the 2022 calendar year, and I have to say it was a fairly busy year on a number of fronts. One thing I always regret not doing more of is reading, but that seems to be how the puck bounces in my world. With a couple of days off from work thanks to the holidays, I figured I needed to use the down time to get some more reading in so let's get that documents here and now! Teebz's Book Club us proud to review Two Minutes for Talking to Myself, written by Curt Keilback and published by Friesen Press, as we dive into a former play-by-play radio announcer's look at his time with the Winnipeg Jets, the Arizona Coyotes, and being in and around the NHL for two decades! Having grown up listening to Kielback call Jets games on the radio, I figured this would be a good read about some of the behind-the-scenes stuff that went on in the Jets' world, and Two Minutes did not disappoint in that aspect as Kielback revealed a number of interesting things in his stories and experiences!

Before we get into the book's content, Curt Keilback's story should be told as he's still heralded as "the voice of the Jets" in Winnipeg. From his Friesen Press biography, "Curt Keilback is a retired NHL broadcaster. He was there when the Winnipeg Jets joined the NHL. He was around for the birth of the Coyotes franchise in Phoenix, and the rise of many great names in hockey. He was a constant around the league for twenty-seven seasons and called over 2400 games on TV and radio. His voice is synonymous with what was named the greatest goal of the 21st century, Alexander Ovechkin’s 2006 masterpiece: 'Just when it looked like it was no longer possible.' You can connect with him via email at curtsbook@mail.com. In his spare time, you can find him on the golf course perfecting his swing. He lives in Winnipeg with his wife Linda of forty-eight years and counting." It should be noted that Keilback also had roles in Goon and Goon 2 among his credited movie appearances, and is a member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in the media category.

I'll start this review of Two Minutes by saying that the book was written in an anecdotal style of writing - that is, there are multiple stories in each section as opposed to chapters about specific moments or experiences in Keilback's life. In saying that, the stories are short, succinct, and often felt as though I was listening to Curt Keilback speak about these moments as if he were sitting in front of me. Nothing is long-winded nor is there a ton of background on the subject at hand as seen with some storytellers. Instead, you get Keilback's thoughts on everything in Two Minutes in one paragraph or, at the most, two pages.

Because of this writing style, I found Two Minutes to be very easy to read. Thanks to knowing his distinctive voice, it felt more like sitting with Keilback and listening to him tell stories about his career in hockey broadcasting as I read the words. That's not a knock on Two Minutes in any way, shape, or form; rather, I found this style of writing to feel more like Keilback's delivery on the radio when he was calling games - to the point and with purpose.

His list of topics range from his humble beginnings in Saskatchewan to finding his way into an NHL broadcast booth, working for both the Jets and Coyotes, some of the people and places he came across while with those teams, and insight on some of the lesser-known stories from the two NHL clubs and the NHL itself that people may or may not know. Some of these stories admittedly may upset the people about whom Keilback talks, but that's the risk in treating people with contempt and disrespect when they have mediums on which they can tell their stories. If you want some spicy stories, Two Minutes has a few!

One of the more mind-blowing stories that Curt Keilback reveals in Two Minutes for Talking to Myself had to do with a couple of potential trades that never materialized. He writes,

"Some of the best and wrost deals are the ones that aren't made. The Stars nearly traded Mike Modano to the Jets for Phil Housley. The Jets nearly drafted Cam Neely, then at the last moment opted for Andrew McBain. The Coyotes nearly got Joe Thornton from Boston; when they hesitated, he went to San Jose."

The opportunity to draft Cam Neely in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft is a bit of a surprise as I wasn't aware the Jets had ever wanted him, but McBain was take eighth-overall by the Jets before Neely was selected by Vancouver one selection later. The bigger story here, though, is the never-made-trade involving Housley and Modano.

In 1990-91, Phil Housley led the Jets in scoring with 76 points while Modano was fifth in North Stars' scoring with 64 points. Both players upped their totals in 1991-92 - Housley had 86 points compared to Modano's 77 points - before Housley had the best season of his career in 1992-93 when he had 97 points, but was on the verge of becoming a Group 2 free agent before being traded to St. Louis. It seems the Minnesota/Dallas Stars were kicking tires on the offensive defender and dangling the 93-point centerman in 1992-93 as the return before they opted not to make the deal. That might have been the Stars' best non-deal in history as Modano led the Stars to the 1999 Stanley Cup while Housley's game faded considerably in the same time.

That blockbuster news aside, these are the kinds of behind-the-scenes stories you'll find in Two Minutes for Talking to Myself. Keilback did a great job at making this book extremely easy to read as I tore through its 204 pages from cover to cover in one day. The stories, as stated above, are short and concise - great for moments when a few pages of reading is all you can manage - and you won't need to re-read the previous few pages to get back on track if you put the book down for a few days. Knowing Keilback's voice brought a lot of these stories to life for me and that might not be something you can rely on as a reader, but I'm quite certain you don't need his voice in your head to enjoy Two Minutes for Talking to Myself. Because of its easy-to-read style and the great stories Curt Keilback told, Two Minutes for Talking to Myself absolutely deserves the the Teebz's Book Club Seal of Approval!

Two Minutes for Talking to Myself is available at most book stores and libraries, and the material contained within the covers is, as mentioned, pretty easy to read. There isn't any terrible language in Two Minutes as Keilback edited the stories to make them fan-friendly, but he does allude to a few words being said that can't be printed here. That being said, I'd say Two Minutes is geared more towards the older reader who knew Keilback's work with the Jets and Coyotes, but the information on the pages is certainly acceptable for all ages. Pick up a copy of Two Minutes for Talking to Myself for your Jets or Coyotes fan, and enjoy the stories from the voice of those two teams for two decades as Curt Keilback walks you through his experiences working in and around the Jets, Coyotes, and the NHL!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!