The Winnipeg Falcons are called Canada’s Golden Boys for a reason. In the pantheon of ice hockey, they are unknown superstars, but to their fans, no one was surprised. They lived and breathed hockey, playing with a joyful menace as they took title after title and defeated team after team. Comprised of players of Icelandic descent, the Falcons suffered indignities and prejudice, and were denied access to the senior league. So, undaunted, they formed their own and played so well that they were finally invited to play in the big leagues.

In 1920, the Olympic Games took place in Antwerp, Belgium. Teams across Canada played for the privilege to represent their country. In the end, one team remained standing—the Winnipeg Falcons. This was both vindication for their suffering and recognition of their talent. The Falcons faced little competition and won the Olympic gold, handily. Canada became the first country in Olympic history to win a gold medal in hockey. Upon their return, the Falcons were celebrated from coast to coast. From humble beginnings, a pure love for hockey catapulted the team to global prominence. Read now!

Join author and hockey historian Eric Zweig, along with Brian Johannesson—son of Falcons player Konnie Johannesson—as they discuss Winnipeg from the 1890s to 1911. The Winnipeg Falcons, a hockey team of first-generation Icelandic Canadians, faced discrimination in a predominantly Anglo-Saxon city. Despite this, they overcame adversity to represent Canada in the first Olympic hockey tournament—an underappreciated but remarkable Canadian story. After dominating the 1919–1920 Manitoba playoffs, the Falcons captured the Allan Cup in Toronto, earning the honour of representing Canada at the first Olympic hockey tournament. Through long travels and personal sacrifice, they brought home gold and secured their legacy as hockey’s unsung heroes. Zweig and Johannesson also explore what hockey was like in 1920, from the gear to the number of players on the ice.

This novel comes with curriculum-connected lesson plans, paving the way for classroom implementation. The content is recommended for students in Grades 6-12.