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The guys behind it all...

Alain Haché (author)

I’m a physicist but my lifelong passion is hockey. I know this when I catch myself sitting on the edge of the couch watching the Canadiens during the playoffs. So it won’t surprise you to know that combining my two passions into one book, The Physics of Hockey, came naturally.

My interest for hockey has never died down over time, even during the years when hooking and grabbing became prevalent in the NHL and when money spoke louder than fans. Coming from a part of the world where every village has a store, a church and a hockey rink -- not necessarily in the same order of importance -- makes hockey become part a of you.

I work at Université de Moncton, Canada, my undergraduate alma mater. My research fields include optics, photonics and nanostructures. I hold a Canada Research Chair since 2003. My physics website contains all that information; more can be found by googling my name.

I’m always happy to answer questions about the science of hockey. With a few other hockey-fan/scientists/friends, I’m continually on the lookout for new ideas and new ways to explore this wonderful sport.



Pierre P. Ferguson (contributor, webmaster and statistician)

Hockey as been a big passion ever since Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr and Kevin Stevens won the Stanley Cup back in the early 90's. Just like Alain, I'm currently starting to make my carreer as a physicist. I'm currently starting my Ph.D. at Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS. My research field is currently on lithium rechargeable batteries and I also worked on organic LED during my masters at the Université de Moncton.

I've been applying my knowledge of physics on the ice while playing 4 times a week at pickup hockey and also on outdoor rinks during winter. Although I've only started skating when I was 20, I've been playing ball hockey since grade 4. Different physics because of the use of a ball instead of a puck, but same passion.

When I don't want to study, I check the latest hockey news to inform better myself on stats of players for hockey pools. My job with "The Physics of Hockey" is to work as a webmaster, work on stats and contribute with Alain on differents topics. Hockey, like most sports is a game of inches, we'll prove to you that it's also a playground for science.



Need a speaker ?
Alain Haché is occasionally available to give talks (French or English) to general or specialized audiences. He has given The Physics of Hockey talk a few dozen times in places as varied as high schools, universities and librarian conventions. His talks use lots of pictures and humor and don’t require a physics background. If you need someone to give a different kind of talk about hockey, don't be shy to contact us.


The Physics of Hockey | La physique du hockey (2008)