Ice Warriors tells the story of the Western Hockey League (known as the Pacific Coast Hockey League before 1952), a determined, ambitious league that at its height aspired to establish itself as a second major league, a western counterpart to the eastern NHL. Between 1948 and 1974, more than 2,500 minor-league professional hockey players skated for the 23 teams that made up the Western Hockey League. A small percentage of these players went on to enjoy substantial careers in the National Hockey League; others were former NHLers who chose to end their pro careers in the minors. Most of them, however, were minor-league lifers who played many seasons in the WHL and other minor pro leagues. Ice Warriors traces the leagues origins, rise and fall. The author analyzes off-ice influences on the WHLs development and portrays the on-ice highlights of each season, including interviews with players, coaches and fans, and statistical records and pictures from the era. The leagues aspirations ended...