'One Goal Achieved,' newest Blackhawks book raises the collectibles bar

A must-have for any fan!

The absolute perfect stocking stuffer!

A coffee table book Kramer would endorse!

Yeah, yeah, you've heard it all before about sports books from the Davey Rosello story to Jack Haley's season on the brink but when it comes to the newly released “One Goal Achieved,” which chronicles the Chicago Blackhawks historic run to the Stanley Cup, all those exclamation marks are well deserved.

Seriously, how can you not like a book that contains prose like this:

“The Nashville Predators are like your in-laws. You haven't seen them since Christmas, and you haven't thought about them much, so you forget how annoying they can be.”

That gem was penned by the legendary Bob Verdi, currently the Blackhawks' team historian. Verdi carries most of the writing load in “One Goal Achieved,” but others chip in with key assists, including the Daily Herald's veteran hockey writer, Tim Sassone, who has covered the Hawks since 1988.

Hawks chairman Rocky Wirtz, president John McDonough, the team's radio and television play-by-play men and analysts even Mayor Richard M. Daley also add their thoughts on the season that fills this colorful 224-page turner.

In addition to the often stellar writing, “One Goal Achieved” contains more pictures than your neighbors' slide show of their trip to the Grand Canyon.

Every step of the Blackhawks' run, from the season opener in Finland to the Vancouver Olympics to the Game 6 clincher in Philadelphia, the parade downtown and the summer of fun and beyond is chronicled brilliantly in shots that keep you from turning the page for that extra second or two they're that good.

It doesn't hurt that a lot of the pictures are of the never-before-seen variety, taken in the locker room, the players' lounges and during off-day excursions.

Heck, the cover shot alone, taken from behind Patrick Kane as he holds Stanley aloft in front of hundreds of thousands of fans lining the`streets downtown as the El roars by, is almost worth the cost of the book alone.

But while a majority of the photos in this book are of the feel-good variety, here's a warning: many of the photos in “One Goal Achieved” may induce sighs or cause eyes to water because they are of key players from last season who have since departed, players such as Andrew Ladd, Dustin Byfuglien and Kris Versteeg.

Don't let that deter you, though; this is a first-class book. But what else would you expect from an organization that strives to do everything first class?

Added bonuses to the book include a DVD that features behind-the-scenes footage of the locker room celebration in Philadelphia, the parade and rally, select player days with the Stanley Cup, and an inside look at team bonding throughout the regular season and the playoffs.

A Stanley Cup Final replica ticket to Game 1, a hardware booklet showcasing the team and individual honors collected in 2010 and a Jonathan Toews scouting report from the 2006 Draft are also among the additions to the book.

Published by the Blackhawks and distributed by Triumph Books, “One Goal Achieved” lists for $39.95 and goes on sale at retail outlets beginning Tuesday.