Going postal

It's all Kimmo Timonen's fault. Really, it is. If he hadn't been the first player to autograph cards and send them back to me, I probably never would have started on a three-season-long, 1,000-request through-the-mail project.

Once that envelope arrived on Oct. 3, 1999 (it was sent Sept. 21, 1999), though, bearing these two cards from his days with the Nashville Predators, it was just a beginning. The project, basically the result of daytime boredom brought about by a nighttime work schedule, ran through the 2001-02 season.

Of the 1,000 mailed requests, which included some cards sent to a handful of the same players (Marian Hossa and Marian Gaborik come to mind) every season, I received 653 successes, for an acceptable 65.3 percent success rate. Only 24 players sent cards back unsigned.

I'm raising this memory because I'm starting another through-the-mail project, though it won't be as significant or as cumbersome as my introduction to this method of collecting autographs. Later today, the first five requests for this campaign, which will take place on a monthly basis, will head out in the mail. The letters will be addressed to:

~ Jonathan Bernier, Los Angeles Kings No. 1 pick in the 2007 NHL draft, at his junior team, the QMJHL's Lewiston Maineiacs;
~ St. Louis' Brad Boyes, seeking Blues cards to go along with the Bruins cards;
~ Dallas' Loui Eriksson, including a 2006-07 O-Pee-Chee Rookie/Sophomore Showdown card with Jussi Jokinen;
~ Danny Gare, my all-time favorite Buffalo Sabres player turned Columbus Blue Jackets color analyst for FSN Ohio; and
~ Chicago's Tuomo Ruutu, simply because I've yet to get his autograph.

All requests will be made through each current/former player's team. I'm hoping, too, that I enjoy an even better success rate.

For a very good tutorial on through-the-mail autographs, check out Drew Pelto's spot-on advice.

Here are some highlights of my 1,000-request project:

1999-00
416 requests, 253 responses, 60.8 percent success rate, 22 unsigned
Notable signers:
~ Buffalo's Mike Peca, (2/2) 12/21/99-7/13/00;
~ Carolina's Ron Francis (2/2) 11/28/99-1/7/00;
~ Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom (2/2) 10/9/99-11/22/99;
~ Phoenix's Daniel Briere (2/2) 10/7/99-11/23/99; and
~ Tampa Bay's Vinny Lecavalier (2/2) 9/21/99-11/12/99.

2000-01
470 requests, 328 responses, 69.8 percent success rate, 1 unsigned
Notable signers:
~ Buffalo's Doug Gilmour (2/2) 9/19/00-11/8/00;
~ Dallas' Marty Turco, (2/2) 2/7/01-3/12/01;
~ Minnesota's Marian Gaborik (2/2) 2/7/01-8/28/01;
~ Philadelphia's Bobby Clarke (2/2) 2/20/01-3/1/01; and
~ Tampa Bay's Brad Richards (2/2) 3/7/01-3/29/01.

2001-02
114 requests 72 responses, 63.2 percent success rate, 1 unsigned
Notable signers:
~ Anaheim J-S Giguere (2/2) 10/12/01-11/26/01;
~ Atlanta's Dany Heatley (2/2) 9/24/01-10/26/01;
~ Boston's Mike Knuble (2/2) 11/7/01-12/29/01;
~ Ottawa's Marian Hossa (2/2) 10/16/01-12/4/01; and
~ Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis (2/2) 9/24/01-11/24/01

I am still waiting, though, for then-New Jersey prospect Mike Jefferson (now known as Mike Danton) to send back the two cards I sent to him on Oct. 11, 2001. With all the free time he has on his hands these days, I can't imagine what could be keeping them.

Get well soon, Patrice

As soon as Colin heard the news about Boston's Patrice Bergeron getting hurt, he knew what he had to do. So, we headed out after school Monday and bought his best Bruins buddy a get-well card.

It's going out in today's mail.

If you'd like to match Colin's efforts, send your get-well card to:

Patrice Bergeron
c/o Boston Bruins
TD Banknorth Garden
100 Legends Way
Boston, MA 02114

Name this logo XI

A double tip of the hockey helmet goes out to Joel and Brett for knowing that last week's logo belonged to the Chicago Bluesmen of the now-defunct Roller Hockey International.

This week's ferocious logo, which might make for a cool Halloween mask, promises to be a little less obscure.

As always, the answer can be found at Chris Creamer's sports logo site.

Rhyme time

Just a friendly reminder, Sabres fans: "Let’s Go Buffalo," especially when shouted repeatedly following a road victory, rhymes with a biting retort: "Go home, shovel snow."

A sobering thought

What is it about Buffalo Sabres fans and alcohol? For the second game in a row down here in Tampa, I’ve seen Sabres fans staggering through an arena before the puck was even dropped.

Granted, it was a Saturday night game, affording plenty of time for pregame warm-ups, if you will. And, I’d never begrudge anyone’s choice of beverages during a game, though I have yet to taste any beer worth $7 a glass. But, to show up at a game stinking drunk, weaving carelessly through crowds and sliding down walls is, in a word, stupid.

Not only does it embarrass themselves (though, in that condition, they probably are incapable of noticing), but it also embarrasses other Sabres fans, as well as the team, city and region. It’s one thing to exult over an overtime road victory, but to be drunk and crass, especially in front of younger fans, does little to disassociate the loser tag that’s unfairly bestowed upon Buffalo.

If memory serves me correct, I remember an incident in Columbus, Ohio, last season when a handful of Sabres fans also perpetuated the negative image. Unfortunately, alcohol was a contributing factor. At that time, too, it was the actions of a few that, unfortunately, led to a wide brush of condemnation being applied to all Sabres fans.

As a native of western New York, specifically the dot-on-a-map town of Machias in Cattaraugus County, I won’t do that here. I know too many good-hearted, hard-working Sabres fans, back home and down here in Florida, who share in my embarrassment.

It’s just a shame, though, that there are people who don’t take enough pride in themselves, their teams and their hometown.

Hometown heroes

On a day when quality took precedence over quantity and diversity was an objective, it was a tad surprising to learn that Saturday’s pregame hounding of my hometown Buffalo Sabres produced another 42 autographs for the collection. Wanna know something funny, too? Of that total, only two came on pucks.

For the record, here was our haul:

~ Sabres Street sign: 18 players, including Maxim Afinogenov, Brian Campbell, Tim Connolly, Ryan Miller, Jason Pominville and Drew Stafford;
~ Cards: 15, including four from Ales Kotalik;
~ Pucks: 2, one each for Jochen Hecht and Adam Mair;
~ Team Canada goalie mask: Jocelyn Thibault;
~ 1999 NHL All Star Game helmet: Lindy Ruff;
~ American-born goalies stick: Ryan Miller; and
~ Young Guns stick: Ales Kotalik, Drew Stafford and Thomas Vanek.

Would have I liked to knock out more pucks and cards? You bet. And, yes, it would have been nice to see Rip Simonick. But, it’s hard to argue with the caliber and variety of items signed before Sabres’ 4-3 overtime victory.

Cards, shown above, are:
Top row, from left: Maxim Afinogenov, Jochen Hecht and Ales Kotalik;
Bottom row, from left: Adam Mair, Ryan Miller and Andrew Peters.

Here’s Thomas Vanek, left, and Ales Kotalik on the Young Guns stick.

Enjoying Miller Time

It’s always a good day when you add a couple of autographs from Buffalo’s Ryan Miller. The Sabres’ top-shelf goaltender has always been pleasant to fans and hounds, taking the time to sign multiples for anyone who asked.

Not only did I get him on our American-born goalies stick (both at left) and a Sabres mini goalie mask, but he also signed a Sabres Street sign (above, on the Sabres’ logo) for Colin and a couple of cards for Lisa.

It’s understandable that some NHL stars, especially goalies within hours of a start, might avoid a crowd. Miller is proving to be the exception – he seems to like it.

Pulling a Paetsch?

Every so often, a player shows an attitude that, to me, is simply puzzling. Buffalo’s Nathan Paetsch, who, outside of western New York, is not a hockey household name, pulled a "Gretzky" on Saturday, signing just one card out of four for us.

Now, I seldom complain about getting an autograph, but Paetsch’s one-per attitude was something I’d expect from, say, Tampa Bay’s Vinny Lecavalier or Martin St. Louis, St. Louis’ Paul Kariya, the Rangers’ Jaromir Jagr or, deservedly so, God’s Gift to Hockey -- Wayne Gretzky.

When bigger-name Sabres teammates, such as Ryan Miller, Ales Kotalik and Thomas Vanek, are willing to sign multiples, it makes you wonder where Paetsch believes he fits in the pecking order.

Sorry, Nathan, but a goal and assist in Saturday’s win over the Lightning might have been nice, but you still have a long way before you deserve to have that type of attitude.

Thank you, Red Sox!

At a time when I could blather all day long, here's all I have to say: For the second time this century, the Boston Red Sox are the World Series champions.

Sunday morning homily V

It wasn't until after last night's game, when my hometown Sabres beat the Lightning 4-3 in overtime, did I learn of the news. And when I finally listened to a series of urgent messages from a friend back in New England, I was sick to my stomach.

Patrice Bergeron, the Bruins' star and one of Colin's best buds (that's them together, last October, in Tampa), had been hurt, driven head-first into the boards by Philadelphia's Randy Jones. Patrice had been knocked unconscious and had to be taken off the ice, his head and neck immobilized, on a stretcher.

Fortunately, and I say that with a great amount of dismay, Patrice suffered only a concussion and a broken nose. Until I read that information, though, I had feared the worst. That's why, for the first time in a very long time, I prayed for a long, long time.

Most of all, I prayed that he would survive. Then, I prayed that his injuries wouldn't be severe. But, if they were, I prayed that he would have the strength and faith to cope. I prayed for his family.

I worried, too, as we drove across a dark Tampa Bay, that I might have to explain something that our 6-year-old, soon embarking on his own hockey journey, would be better off not knowing about.

Now, I'm a firm believer that we all have guardian angels. There have been too many instances in my life where some form of unrequested intervention has arrived in the nick of time. And, for that, I thank my mother, grandparents and cousin, Suzanne. They're no longer with me here on earth, but I've always felt their presence.

Given our family's thoughts for Patrice, who we first met during his rookie season in Beantown, I'd like to believe that my angels, as well as a few others, watched over Patrice in those critical moments of injury and afterward. By doing so, they answered everyone's prayers.

Please keep Patrice, his family and the Bruins in your prayers.

Cool tie, great cause

Last night's game between the Sabres and Lightning was billed as a "Pink Out Night." Fans were encouraged to wear pink in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and as part of the 10th anniversary of Hockey Fights Cancer.

Though I'm quite comfortable with my masculinity, I have very little pink in my wardrobe. As a result, I felt as though I wasn't doing my bit.

That changed, though, when I ponied up $50 for this tie. Granted, I probably could have found four to five ties for that amount, but the money is headed to a good cause. Besides, Halloween is a few days away and, because I'm a journalist with a literal bent, I plan on getting "dressed up" at work for the occasion.

5 Big Sigs

Though I didn't have the best week of hounding, I won't let it deter me from trying to add these to the collection, as only the Atlanta Thrashers come to town:

1.) Bobby Holik, finally, on the 1999 NHL All-Star Game helmet;
2.) Ilya Kovalchuk on the Young Guns stick;
3.) Marian Hossa on a McFarlane SportsPick base;
4.) Garnet Exelby, finally, on a Regina Pats puck; and
5.) Should the planets realign, and I remember to carry a Boston Bruins puck with me, hockey legend Phil Esposito, who works as a analyst/color commentator during radio broadcasts of Lightning games, as he walks out of one of the many side doors at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Hey, Rip! Two pucks?

With the Buffalo Sabres coming to town, I'll have another chance, though highly unlikely, to snag a couple autographs from the ever elusive Rip Simonick, the team's legendary head equipment manager.

In fact, I'm hoping he signs these two pucks.

Longtime readers will know my motivation for wanting these autographs. Being a Buffalo kid, I know his importance and stature within the organization.

I doubt, though, that I'll catch Rip this trip. I have to work Saturday morning and won't likely make it over to Tampa until he's left for the St. Pete Times Forum. Chances are, I'll have to wait until Jan. 29.

I'd asked for the day off on Saturday, wanting to use, get this, my leftover Labor Day holiday. But, for understandable scheduling issues, that request was denied.

I'll get to use that day off soon, though, when the Calgary Flames come to town.

Addendum (10/28/07): Of the 42 autographs we added to the collection on Saturday, the two pucks shown above were not included. As expected, we never even saw him.

Pheeling like I Phailed

As I drove home from hounding the Philadelphia Flyers in Tampa this morning, I kept repeating my mantra: Some are better than none. Some are better than none. Some are better than none.

Still, though, it's hard to imagine adding 15 autographs to the collection, including nine pucks from seven new players (as far as The Vault is concerned), being anything but a disappointing day.

My reason for feeling like Eeyore today? I came home without fulfilling my primary objective as well as not scoring any autographs from the top of my Flyers wish list: Martin Biron, Daniel Briere and Simon Gagne. Thanks to an optional morning skate, granted even after the Flyers dropped a 4-3 decision to the Florida Panthers last night, the trio apparently decided to skip it.

That's not to say, though, that I came home empty-handed and wasted what turned out to be a pretty gorgeous morning down here in Florida.

Besides the pucks, I was able to get Antero Niittymaki to sign (yeah, that's his scribble there) this mini goalie mask, have Jeff Carter finish off the blade of the Young Guns stick and got a grand total of four cards signed, including three from Lasse Kukonen.

Part of the problem, I suppose, was that I came in with high expectations. The team stayed at a fairly easy hotel to hound (Sorry, that's a trade secret), the players had been pretty approachable in the past and I was carrying my heaviest bag, so far, of the season.

For the most part, all I saw was a bunch of mostly grumpy (save for announcer Keith Jones and Kimmo Timonen, who seemed fairly pleasant) single-item-signing players. Maybe I've been spoiled by the other teams (Atlanta, Florida and New Jersey) that have played Tampa Bay this year, but I'm hoping that the Flyers' next visit, on Dec. 29, proves more fruitful.

Pucks, show above, are:
Top row, from left: Braydon Coburn, Philadelphia Flyers; Scott Hartnell, Nashville Predators; and Paul Holmgren, Flyers.
Bottom row, from left: Joffrey Lupul, Medicine Hat Tigers; Kimmo Timonen, Flyers; and Scottie Upshall, Flyers.

He likes the Red Sox, too

I was a bit surprised to see Keith Jones, the former Philadelphia Flyers player turned Versus broadcaster, pop out of the hotel this morning. Enough so that I called an audible, so to speak, and had him sign this puck.

I was watching Versus' postgame show on Monday and had to chuckle when the announcers offered their World Series, as in Major League Baseball's championship, picks. He must be a member of Red Sox Nation -- he picked Boston in six games.

A thank-you note

Most times, when I make the trek over to Tampa, my sole goal is to add to the collection. Tomorrow, though, will be different.

Sure, I'll have two dozen pucks, a mini goalie mask, a stick and cards for the Philadelphia Flyers. Still, the one thing I want to come home with won't involve ink on anything.

What I hope to do before the Flyers' morning skate is to thank Danny Briere for what he brought to the Sabres during his time in Buffalo. While Chris Drury may have provided some grit and leadership, Briere brought hope and inspiration to a team and a city that needs it.

For the longest time, very few hockey minds believed Briere would amount to nothing more than a third- or fourth liner. He was too small. He didn't have the complete skills. He lacked the proper motivation.

What a bunch of hooey.

Given the Sabres' success last season (and the start they're slogging through now) as well as the Flyers' start this season (which, by the way, does not surprise me), I believe that Briere has proven those critics wrong.

Name this logo X

Once again, congratulations are in order for Brett for knowing that last week's logo belonged the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Let's see how Brett, as well as anyone else who's willing to venture a guess (educated or not), does with this week's logo.

And, yes, the answer is at Chris Creamer's sports logo site.

Let's go Red Sox!

If I seem a bit distracted this week, there's one simple reason: The Red Sox are in the World Series.

My pick, straight from the heart: Red Sox in six.

Sunday morning homily IV

Our latest adventure, if you want to call it that, took its first step last night. Between the pleadings of our 6-year-old and the generosity of his heart-of-gold "uncle," we officially, so to speak, became a hockey family.

You must know, though, that we've been fans a long time, going back to the early dates at the Snively Arena in Durham, N.H., in a courtship between my wife, Lisa, and I that has spanned 15-plus years. Since then, we've been to hundreds of games, collected thousands of hockey cards and built a fairly respectable (if I do say so myself) assortment of autographed hockey items.

What event has intensified our commitment to hockey? Last night, Colin got his first "official" pair of hockey skates. Thanks to good timing and overtime, our son, the Goofy Dude, is now the proud owner of a pair of Bauer Vapor XXII skates.

After adding another 54 autographs to the collection, thanks to the mostly friendly Atlanta Thrashers, we drove over to the Tampa Bay Lightning's practice facility and visited the pro shop. Colin got fitted for his skates, and upon learning that they wouldn't break the bank, the deal was sealed.

Our next step will be Hockey 101 skating lessons and hockey school. Rather than rush him out to the ice, all sloppy-ankled and weak-kneed, we're going to do this right. Those classes start in November.

I must admit, too, that I've been waiting for this moment a long, long time. Like most fathers, I have great plans for my son. And while I wouldn't mind him earning a full ride to a Division I school, based on academics and hockey abilities, or, even better, hearing his name called very early in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, my hopes go far beyond that.

By having him learn to skate and play the game that his daddy so dearly loves (and, in moments of weakness, wonders whether learning to skate at an age much earlier than 15 might have changed our fortunes), it's my dream, more than anything else, that Colin's playing of hockey will only strengthen the bond he has with us.

Godspeed, kiddo

Though we haven't seen eye-to-eye very much lately, please join me in sending best wishes to Wicked Bruins Fan Jaci as she prepares for surgery on one of her hands. To some, it might be considered minor surgery, but it's surgery nonetheless. Add her to your prayers, please.

5 Big Sigs

With the Philadelphia Flyers and Buffalo Sabres coming to town over the next week, I'm having a hard time limiting my picks to five. But, after careful consideration, I'm hoping that I'll add these to the collection:

1.) Philly's Daniel Briere on Flyers and 2007 All Star Game pucks;
2.) Philly's Simon Gagne on Quebec Remparts and 2004 World Cup of Hockey - Canada pucks;
3.) Philly's Martin Biron and Antero Niittymaki on a Flyers mini goalie mask;
4.) Buffalo's Ryan Miller on a Sabres mini goalie mask; and
5.) Buffalo's Thomas Vanek on the Young Guns stick.

I'd would have added Buffalo's head equipment manager Rip Simonick, who's become my Holy Grail of hockey hounding, to the list. Unfortunately, there's a little thing called work that will limit my hounding efforts Saturday to only a game-time session.

I suppose I'll have to wait until Jan. 29, 2008, to continue my pursuit of his signing a Buffalo Sabres and Bisons pucks.

We didn't need tickets

Even though we didn't have tickets for Saturday's game between the Atlanta and Tampa Bay, it didn't stop us from making the trip to Tampa to hound the Thrashers. And, after adding another 54 autographs to the collection, it looks like it was a pretty smart call.

And, yes, it was a family affair. Colin had his favorite -- team sheets (at left) -- and got 17 players, including Johan Hedberg, Marian Hossa and Slava Kozlov, to sign for him. Lisa was on her game, too, getting 28 cards signed, including four each from Pascal Dupuis, Johan Hedberg, Mark Popovic, Jim Slater, Todd White and Alexei Zhitnik.

Me? Well, I just cherry-picked, identifying players while focusing on pucks (I got seven out of eight, missing only Garnet Exelby), a University of New Hampshire jersey and the Young Guns stick.

Unfortunately, but somewhat expected, Ilya Kovalchuk and Bobby Holik played hard to get. Thankfully, though, Atlanta will be back in town two more times. Still, you won't hear any complaints from us.

Pucks, shown above, are Johan Hedberg, Pittsburgh Penguins; Bryan Little, Atlanta Thrashers; and Alexei Zhitnik, Atlanta Thrashers.

Cards, shown below, are, from left, Slava Kozlov, Johan Hedberg, Jim Slater and Alexei Zhitnik.

A real class act

Though I wanted to add Atlanta's Marian Hossa and Ilya Kovalchuk to the Young Guns stick, I had to settle for just Big Poppa Pump (the hockey player, not the make-believe pro wrestler). Kovalchuk, it seems, was suffering from hearing problems. Hossa, meanwhile, continues to show why he's considered by hounds as one of the NHL's classiest players.

A long way from Durham, N.H.

To most hockey fans, Atlanta's Darren Haydar would be a relative unknown. To fans of University of New Hampshire hockey, though, Haydar is a huge deal.

The former Hockey East player of the year (2002) was called up by the Thrashers recently and is making a concerted bid to stick around, scoring his first NHL goal last week against none other than New Jersey's Martin Brodeur.

Before Saturday's 6-2 loss to Tampa Bay, Haydar, the 248th pick of the 1998 NHL Draft (by Nashville) and a former Hobey Baker Award finalist, seemed a bit surprised when I called out his name. When we showed him the UNH jersey (top photo), he figured out that we were fans. Dropping the right names, such as Durham, N.H., the Lively Snively Arena and the Rusty Hammer in downtown Portsmouth, N.H., helped, too.

Though I was happy that Haydar signed the Milwaukee Admirals and UNH pucks (shown above), I was also a tad embarrassed, though, that I didn't have a Chicago Wolves puck for him to sign.

As a member of the Wolves, he was named the American Hockey League's MVP last season, after leading the league with 122 points (41 goals, 81 assists) in 73 games and posted an AHL record 39-game point streak (24 goals, 56 assists).

Just like Dad

You don't have to be an Ottawa Senators fan to gain a mile-wide grin after watching rookie Nick Foligno, son of former NHL player and former Buffalo Sabre Mike Foligno, score his first NHL goal.

After scoring in red-hot Ottawa's 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens last night, Nick celebrated with a dead-on imitation of his father's well-known exultation.

I'm sure other hockey dads, even those who haven't played in the NHL, got a little teary-eyed with the son's tribute to his old man.

Tricks of the Trade: Finding teams

When it comes to hounding a visiting hockey team, the first rule of order is finding them. If you don't know where they are staying, you'll never get an autograph.

With that in mind, follow these tips:

~ When considering what hotels that a team might stay at, look for those that are within walking distance or a 15-minute ride of the home team's arena. There will be exceptions, but this should narrow down the field.

~ When calling a hotel, don't ask for the team's superstars. Instead, ask for third or fourth-liners, or the sixth or seventh defenseman. I've even found teams by asking for a team's equipment manager or trainer. Also, call around shift-change times -- 7 a.m., 3 p.m. or 11 p.m. Calling at these times of transition often catch a normally vigilant front-desk clerk or hotel operator off-guard.

~ If all else fails, park near the player's entrance at the home arena and wait for the visiting team's bus to leave. After that, simply follow the bus back to the hotel.

Look familiar?

Other than some missing signage in the background, there's no other difference in the photos used for these two cards of Los Angeles' Patrick O'Sullivan. The card on the left is from the 2007-08 Upper Deck MVP Hockey. The card on the right is from the 2007-08 Fleer Ultra Hockey.

C'mon, now, does Upper Deck think hockey card collectors are that stupid? Or that we won't care? Or we won't complain?

Makes you wish these cards came with money-back guarantees, doesn't it? I'd certainly like mine returned. How about you?

Let's try this again

When I left for work today, the most recent Hound Central 3.0 poll, which asked whether Upper Deck/Fleer needed more competition, showed that eight people had taken the time to vote. When I got home tonight, though, those votes had been erased.

Sorry, folks, but I don't know what happened. It's my guess, though, that it was some sort of technical glitch.

Given that all eight votes were in favor of increased competition, I'd like to blame Upper Deck for it. The company's recent hockey card efforts, however, suggest that very few employees there have enough gumption to do more than breathe.

Oh, well, I've restarted the clock on the poll. Feel free to vote.

Try these on

Have a few moments to spare? This hat trick of goalie mask galleries should wile away your idle time. Just make sure, though, you're boss isn't watching:

~ Want to know who designed Jocelyn Thibault's new Buffalo Sabres mask? Check out Acme Art Co./Coveted Mask's galleries.

Make sure you visit the "From Concept to Paint Gallery," too.

~ You won't see any NHL masks at LeBlanc Designs, but artist Duane LeBlanc does show off some pretty nifty artwork. Team Canada and Harvard hockey fans might recognize some masks, though.

~ Airbrush artist Rob Schlitter has painted more than 200 goalie masks. You can check out some of his work at RS Dezines.

If you know of any goalie mask galleries I've missed, excluding those listed in the blog's sidebar, please drop me a line. Thanks.

Deep pockets, big heart

A tip of the Hound Central 3.0 hockey helmet goes out to Tampa Bay's Vinny Lecavalier for his $3 million pledge to All Children's Hospital here in St. Petersburg. Lecavalier's gift will go toward the Vincent Lecavalier Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Center.

Name this logo IX

Sorry, folks, but I didn't believe that last week's logo, of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Saint John Sea Dogs, was all that difficult.

Obviously, it was. No one dared to venture even a guess. Maybe this week's offering will be a little easier.

All it takes, though, is a little effort at Chris Creamer's sports logo site and you should be able to find the answer.

Now that was sweet

I hope the pugnacious Toronto Maple Leafs fans who polluted the HSBC Arena in Buffalo tonight enjoy the ride back up the QEW. They'll certainly have plenty to think about.

To watch their chronic underachievers lose with only 3.7 seconds remaining in overtime, especially after taking a 2-0 lead into the third period, has got to sting. Probably not as bad as giving up seven unanswered goals to Carolina last week, but still, pretty woeful.

Now, I'm not going to say that one victory, this early in the season, will prove to be a turning point for my Sabres. But when Ales Kotalik (really, it was the Loafs' Bryan McCabe) gave Buffalo a 5-4 victory, on a night when Buffalo's Ryan Miller was a spectator, it had to raise the team's confidence level.

By the way, the third was a pretty darn exciting period of hockey, wasn't it? I didn't know that the edge of my overstuffed recliner was that comfortable.

Choices abound

Some parents might call it making a sacrifice. But, given my entertainment options for the evening -- the Falling Loafs against the Sabres on Versus, the Red Sox vs. the Indians in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series or a Northeast Little League Fall Ball Minors B matchup, pitting the undefeated Yankees (Colin's team) vs. the Indians -- it really is a no-brainer.

If I'm lucky, the video camera's battery will last all game tonight, rather than just an inning. I'm such a Daddy, aren't I?

Addendum: Not only did Colin and his Yankees remain undefeated, but the video camera battery outlasted the tape. And, yes, I know the Red Sox lost. Two out of three? Meatloaf knows that answer.

Sunday morning homily III

I always get a twinge of homesickness every time the Tampa Bay Lightning meet the Boston Bruins. Given that Thursday's game will be in Beantown makes it especially acute.

With family and friends remaining in New England, it's easy to understand why. Birthdays are a little quieter. Holidays don't seem as warm. And it's hard for a little boy to hug his Nana, who just had a hip replaced, over the phone.

The homesickness, though, extends beyond the family and friends. We miss walking through the Boston Commons and Public Gardens, checking out the Frog Pond and the Make Way for Ducklings statues. We miss the palpable excitement of the Red Sox, where we hang on nearly every pitch during the playoffs. And we miss Maine's rugged, but gorgeous, coastline.

While living down here in the apty-named Sunshine (and High Humidity) State has its benefits (I'd likely be raking leaves in the next week or so and I've yet to shovel a single snowflake down here), we're all still waiting, even after 15 months, for that "at-home feeling" to finally sink in.

Still, though, our future will be in Florida. We've hooked up with old friends and made a bunch of new ones. Going to the beach, especially during the winter months, never gets old. And, we have the Lightning, our favorite team until the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins come to town.

Thankfully, there are some constants within the calendar, such as Halloween, to keep our minds off of New England. We'll spend most of the day decorating the house and front yard for Halloween, creating both the whimsical (an inflatable Snoopy atop a pumpkin, from It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown) and the spooky (a cemetery, complete with rolling fog, thunder, lightning and, apparently, someone looking to leave).

Any connection?

I can't help but wonder if the impending release of the blood-and-guts Saw IV will play any role in the $200 million sale of the Tampa Bay Lightning. The gorefest, set to hit theaters on Oct. 26, is produced by Oren Koules, one of the public faces behind Absolute Hockey's bid to buy the Bolts.

5 Big Sigs

With only the Atlanta Thrashers coming to town on Saturday, my pickings are pretty slim. Still, I wouldn't mind adding these to the collection:

No. 1) Bobby Holik on the 1999 NHL All Star Game helmet;
No. 2) Garnet Exelby on a Regina Pats puck;
No. 3) Darren Haydar, who scored his first NHL goal last night against New Jersey's Martin Brodeur, on a University of New Hampshire jersey, Milwaukee Admirals and UNH pucks and, if he's up for it, three cards;
No. 4) Johan Hedberg on Dallas Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins pucks; and
No. 5) Alexei Zhitnik on Atlanta Thrashers and Philadelphia Flyers pucks.

As a bonus, I might try to get Marian Hossa and Ilya Kovalchuk to sign the Young Guns stick.

Uh, I'm confused

Let's see if I got this right. A Dominic Moore jersey card, pulled from a 2007-08 Fleer Ultra Hockey 12-pack retail box, says he plays for the Minnesota Wild (which he does), but shows him playing for the Penguins. The two-color swatch? Well, that's from a Rangers jersey; with whom Moore, a Harvard grad, broke into the league.

How quickly things change

You think the card editors at Fleer might be a little red-faced over this card? As much as I agree with Gerry Cheevers as the past of this Bruins Generations card, I'm not so sure about the others.

With no disrespect meant to Tim Thomas, I'm fairly certain Manny Fernandez might have something to say about who's the Bruins' present. Most troubling, though, is Hannu Toivonen. How can someone traded to St. Louis on July 23 represent the Bruins' future?

The card, which is a pretty cool concept, came out of a 2007-08 Fleer Ultra Hockey 12-pack retail box I was talked into buying.

Sneak peeks

Given his immense popularity, it's no surprise that hockey retailers all want a piece of Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby. Just look at McFarlane's Sports Picks. Come November, it'll release its second version of The Next One as part of its NHL Series 16.

I suspect, too, that demand will be high. While some Sports Picks sit on shelves for weeks on end, I made sure I picked up my Crosby Sports Pick rookie the moment I saw it. Two days later, they were gone and I haven't seen any more since then.

Another item hockey collectors, especially those in Canada, should keep an eye out for will be the 2007-08 O-Pee-Chee Hockey release, also expected out in November. Though I've yet to find much information about the 600-card set, one of my sources (and, as a veteran journalist, I can say that) gave me an Evgeni Malkin promotional card from it.

A closer look at the back of the card shows that it is, indeed, a 2007-08 release. That much is certain.

However, my source also told me that the cards, which used to be a Canada-only product, are expected to return to that format. Granted, I've yet to confirm this, but, if that's the case, it's another reason why Upper Deck needs more competition.

Last year's release, which featured monster team sets, remains one of my favorites. From a hound's standpoint, the set's ample array of third- and fourth-liners, as well as fourth and fifth defensemen, meant an extra 50 to 60 autographed cards.

This is one instance where I hope my source will be proven wrong. And, as a journalist, I hate to be wrong.

Review: 2007-08 MVP Hockey

I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised by my disappointment in Upper Deck's 2007-08 MVP Hockey product. Here it is, nearly mid-October, and, yet again, we're offered a product that is outdated.

Just take a look at the cards shown above. Not only do the pictures show Ruslan Fedotenko and Viktor Kozlov in their old uniforms, but the cards also incorrectly state that they're still with those teams.

To me, that's pretty sad. Fedotenko signed with the New York Islanders on July 4th. Kozlov joined the Washington Capitals even earlier, on July 1st. I find it hard to believe -- outrageous, even -- that Upper Deck failed to take the time to update each player's new team, let alone show the players in their new uniforms.

Unacceptable, I tell you. Sheer laziness, too.

And while this 300-card base set, including checklists, comes with a moderate price point, I still can't help but think that it's nothing but a waste of money for most NHL card collectors.

Though I'll never know the exact reason for Upper Deck's continued lack of effort, it's my guess that the lack of competition within the industry plays a major role.

Granted, the heydays of the late 1980s and early 1990s are long gone, but it would be nice to know that Upper Deck, and the other companies hiding under its corporate umbrella, had some competition. If it did, I'm sure the kind of nonsense shown with this MVP release wouldn't exist.

So, for now, the only thing I can do is severely limit my spending on their products. I'll commit to buying a couple boxes each of Upper Deck Hockey Series I and II, but beyond that, it's going to take something pretty special, such as a low-priced, non-glossy 700-card set, to pry any more dollars out of my wallet.

Won't you please join me?

Box Buster: 2007-08 MVP Hockey
Vital stats: 24 packs, eight cards per pack (192 total)
Price paid: $47.04 (including tax)
Purchased at: Water Wonder, Pinellas Park, Fla.
Set completion: 165 of 300 base cards (55 percent)
Duplicates: None
MVP Rookies (1:2 packs): David Clarkson, Matt Ellis, Jameson Hunt, Jack Johnson (shown), Patrick Kaleta, Martin Lojek, Frans Nielsen, Pierre Parenteau, Aaron Rome, Rob Schremp, Jeff Schultz and Jonathan Sigalet.
Total: 12 out of 50 (24 percent)
MVP Rookie Redemption cards (1:24): One
One on One Jerseys dual memorabilia (1:24): St. Louis Paul Kariya and Columbus' Rick Nash
One on One Autographs dual autographs (1:288): None

Superstar inserts (1:2): Game Faces (2) - Jaromir Jagr and Ilya Kovalchuk; Hart Candidates (2) - Martin Brodeur and Vinny Lecavalier; Monumental Moments (4) - Daniel Briere, Vinny Lecavalier, Scott Niedermayer and Mats Sundin; and New World Order (4) - Kari Lehtonen, Evgeni Malkin, Alexander Ovechkin and Thomas Vanek.
Parallel - Gold Scripts (numbered to 100): Rick Dipietro (045/100)
Parallel - Super Scripts (numbered to 25): Fredrik Modin (24/25) (shown above)
Puckhound's Grade: 1 puck out of 5

A puck for Johnny Boy

Usually, when a family member, friend or co-worker asks if I can get them an autograph, the request is made for players like Tampa Bay's Vinny Lecavalier, Brad Richards or Marty St. Louis.

Mostly, I tell these folks that my hounding efforts, as selfish as they are, are limited to our collection. Furthermore, these autographs are difficult to come by.

Every once in a while, though, a request comes along that's easily filled, such as this puck signed earlier this week by Tampa Bay coach John Tortorella.

A close friend and fellow hound, now living in New Hampshire, said he wanted a puck from the coach simply because Tortorella was a fellow native of Massachusetts.

Pretty cool, if you ask me.

As for the "Johnny Boy" inscription, well, that's an inside joke. It seems that during a conversation following a Boston Bruins practice a couple years ago, one in which my son Colin was present, I referred to my buddy as "Johnny Boy."

Colin instantly picked up on it, even adding a vocal emphasis that, to this day, elicits chuckles. Though Colin now calls him "Uncle Johnny," I couldn't resist the friendly dig and was wicked psyched when Tortorella was willing to play along.

Now, all I have to do is get it in the mail.

Apparently, I'm not alone

Well, well, well. I asked the question and you responded. Overwhelmingly, too.

Though hardly scientific and sorely lacking a wide sample, 65 percent of respondents to the latest Hound Central 3.0 poll believe that NHL players should, indeed, care about dealers selling their autographs.

To be honest, I couldn't be more pleased. Those within my circle of trusted friends know the high level of disdain I have for autograph dealers of any ilk. But to see such a majority, nearly double the dissenting opinions, that agrees with my point of view is remarkable.

Granted, I have no standing to question a person's choice of occupation. What I can take issue with, and it seems I may have some backing on this, is how these dealers, who inhabit every NHL city, have severely affected my hobby.

Far too many times, I've had to explain that I was a collector, not a dealer. And, even then, I've been met with skepticism. It's to the point that I'll probably spring for some business cards, just so I can offer players an opportunity to check out my family of blogs.

Sure, some people will say that the players are only being greedy. How dare mere mortals, such as dealers, profit from a player's hurried scribble on a card, puck, picture, jersey or stick? Yes, there's a twinge of truth to that. It's hard to believe that some players can be that petty.

But here, at Hound Central 3.0, I try to go beyond just mere rants. It's wicked easy to point out problems. Coming up with solutions, well, that's the tricky dribble here. Still, though, I have a suggestion, one that's based on a simple economic principle.

Given that scarcity of an item only increases its value, I suggest that NHL players, from a Hart Trophy candidate right on down to a team's seventh defenseman, sign as many items as they possibly can. By flooding the market with free autographs, demand will be satisfied, thus causing prices to plummet.

If you take away the profit margin, the dealers won't make as much money. And maybe, just maybe, they'll join the rest of us and get real jobs.

Is this unrealistic? Certainly. But we all can hope, can't we?

Here are the results:

Question: Should NHL players care that dealers sell their autographs?

Yes: 17 votes out of 26 cast (65 percent)
No: 9 out of 26 (34 percent)

On the prowl

When it comes to the Florida Panthers, you certainly won't hear any complaints from me. Year after year, this team has been one of the best in the league when it comes to signing autographs.

Yesterday's trip to Tampa to hound the Panthers only reinforces this point. Aside from Nathan Horton, who apparently found an alternative route to the St. Pete Times Forum, the only time a player didn't stop yesterday morning was when he wasn't asked.

Bottom line, kids: It's teams like Florida that make collecting fun. Granted, the Panthers may not be the best team in the league (yet), but they sure know how to gain fans.

As usual, my primary focus was to add pucks to the collection. And, at morning's end, another dozen joined the club. This season, though, I'm trying to build upon the diversity of items within the collection.

Florida's Craig Anderson helped this effort, becoming the first American-born goalie to sign the stick shown above. With any luck, I'll add Boston's Tim Thomas, Buffalo's Ryan Miller and the Islanders' Rick Dipietro, among others, this season.

Florida's Olli Jokinen and Jay Bouwmeester also pitched in, adding to this working Young Guns (for the lack of a better term) stick, a well-used Easton Synergy bought a few years ago from the AHL's Manchester Monarchs. Boston's Patrice Bergeron and Carolina's Eric Staal were the first to sign this item, back during the NHL lockout when they were playing in the AHL.

Please know, too, that I'll update these stick pictures in the days ahead. It's hard to get good scans of curved surfaces.

Pucks, shown at top: Top row - Bryan Allen, David Booth and Radek Dvorak; Bottom row - Mike Van Ryn (now, that's a letter-perfect autograph, if you ask me), Noah Welch and Richard Zednik (who signed an Islanders puck over a Panthers puck).

Hitting 50

It's not that I'm comparing myself to the league's elite goal scorers, but when Florida's Tomas Vokoun, the Panthers top offseason free-agent signing, signed the Nashville Predators official game puck yesterday, it marked the 50th autographed puck I've scored this season. Not bad, eh?

Honesty is a virtue

Want to meet a down-to-earth hockey player who's refreshingly candid? Check out Florida's Stephen Weiss the next time the Panthers come to town.

After exchanging pleasantries, which focused primarily on the young center spending the summer in Toronto, our conversation turned to the Panthers' season.

I'm among the few who believe the team, given its talent level and mutual maturation process among the younger players, could start making some noise in the years ahead. Weiss agreed.

"Yeah, it would be nice to finally play in a playoff game," he said.

P.S.: Sorry, folks, but this scan, one of several I tried, doesn't do justice for Weiss' autograph. The silver paint really does pop, even on the gray background.

What do you think?

Maybe I made a cardinal sin of hounding. Then again, maybe I respected someone's wishes. Whatever the case, though, I missed out on getting an autograph (or two) from Hall of Famer Denis Potvin yesterday.

As the Florida Panthers and media made their way over to the St. Pete Times Forum yesterday for a morning skate, Potvin, who serves as a TV analyst, was among the last to make the trek. And, of course, the four of us waiting wanted him to sign.

As we approached Potvin, he asked that we all wait until after the morning skate for him to sign. Though I wasn't thrilled at the prospect of waiting, I could understand his request. Apparently, I was alone in my thinking.

The three other hounds kept pestering Potvin until he relented. One said he was on his lunch break and wouldn't be around later. The other two, well, they seemed to be tagging along.

Though I've heard that "Catch me later" line before, I seldom see the need to keep pestering someone. Sure, any hound worth his or her salt will go to extreme lengths to get an autograph from a Hall of Famer. But, with the Panthers coming back to town three more times, I felt that it was better to respect the man's wishes, rather than be more of a nuisance.

I'd be interested in hearing from other hounds and/or collectors. Did I do the right thing? Or did I drop the puck? Let me know, okay?

Editor's note: This is the 100th post of the season.

Here's a keeper

In all honesty, the biggest reason I hounded the Tampa Bay Lightning yesterday is because I'm a doting daddy.

Before last Saturday's game against Atlanta, Colin made his usual stop at the Arts Center's Art on Ice program, designing a new goalie mask for Tampa Bay's Johan Holmqvist. Because it turned out pretty good (thanks to help from Kathy, one of Colin's many aunties) and survived the game, I figured it would make for an excellent and unique addition to the collection.

I wasn't disappointed.

Though Colin's mask wouldn't offer adequate protection, the affable Holmqvist was more than willing to sign it. Now, if I could just get NHL goalies to stop misspelling Colin's name (I do spell it out for them), my world would be perfect.

Besides the mask, Tampa Bay's Vinny Prospal signed this puck, and Jan Hlavac and Filip Kuba signed some cards. Other than Vinny Lecavalier and Brad Richards, who disappointed a small "crowd" (all six of us), most every other Lightning player, except Marc Denis, stopped to sign.

Given that I'm running out of items, my next trip for the Bolts will likely come Dec. 13, when the Calgary Flames, the team the Lighting beat to win the 2004 Stanley Cup, visit Tampa. By then, I should have accrued enough cards, pucks, etc., to warrant another visit.

No ill effects

Tampa Bay's Dan Boyle might be on the sidelines recovering from surgery to repair tendons sliced by a falling skate, but it didn't keep him from signing these two pucks.

Guess who?

Do you know what Florida Panthers player signed this puck for us earlier today before the team's morning skate?

It was among the 15 pucks and seven cards added to the collection from a bit of double-dipping between the Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Florida's Jay Bouwmeester and Olli Jokinen signed a Young Guns stick. Panthers goalie Craig Anderson was the first to sign a U.S.-born-goalie stick.

Tampa Bay goalie Johan Holmqvist also signed a paper goalie mask that Colin decorated before last Saturday's game. Though the design doesn't resemble his mask, Colin did add his number (40) to it.

You'll see complete hounding reports from both teams on Thursday.

Not exactly PBS

One of the perks that comes with being a Daddy is that you get to watch cartoons. Imagine my surprise, then, when a recent afternoon of watching cartoons produced a hockey-related version of Scooby-Doo.

Called Diamonds Are a Ghoul's Best Friend, the hockey mystery, part of What's New Scooby-Doo? Volume 5 Sports Spooktacular, features all the original members of Scooby Doo's gang -- Shaggy Rogers, Velma Dinkley, Daphne Blake and Frederick Herman "Freddie" Jones -- trying to catch the Frozen Fiend.

But did you know that Brett Hull, the ex-NHL star, also plays a major role in the cartoon? And, no, the former TV blowhard doesn't take a shot at some kid goalie's head.

Name this logo VIII

Congratulations are in order for Brett for knowing that last week's logo belonged to the New Jersey Knights of the original World Hockey Association.

As always, you'll find the answer at Chris Creamer's sports logo site.

Three from Dupuis

Just in case you hadn't figured it out yet, it was Atlanta's Pascal Dupuis who signed three pucks, shown above, before last Saturday's 5-2 loss to Tampa Bay.

Grounded, in a good way

There's a line of thinking among hockey hounding circles that the weakest NHL teams were among the most friendly to fans and hounds. At one time, the Atlanta Thrashers were one of those teams. Most of them, save for the hound-pounded Ilya Kovalchuk and, for some reason, Andy Sutton, were willing signers.

Now that the Thrashers are the defending Southeast champs, it will be interesting to see whether the team is more interested in its swagger (really, it should be, don't you think?) than its signing habits. Given yesterday's outing, before Tampa Bay's 5-2 victory, success has yet to go their their heads. Well, most of them anyways.

Given my experience with the team, I knew that some players would be more difficult than others. Bobby Holik, a strict one-per, ignored two polite requests. Slava Kozlov looked straight ahead and walked as though he was in some form of international competition. My old buddy. Brad Larsen, well, I have his autograph and, trust me, one's plenty.

Other than that, though, most everyone else stopped, including Atlanta's Big Three -- Marian Hossa, Kari Lehtonen and Kovalchuk. Even tough-guy-turned-personality Jeff Odgers stopped to sign, wondering whether Florida's high temperatures and humidity ever subside.

Veteran defenseman Alexei Zhitnik became the first player to sign the 1999 All Star Game helmet. Had Holik stopped, I would have had him sign it as well.

One minor disappointment was that we missed Johan Hedberg. Normally a most-willing signer, only after learning that he would start against the Lightning did I understand his surprising denial.

Given that this team could have had a bit more swagger in its step, the Thrashers only improved their reputation as one of the more hound-friendlier teams in the league.

And, as always, the proof is in the pudding:

Pucks, shown above: Top row - Ken Klee and Kari Lehtonen; Bottom row - Steve McCarthy and Eric Perrin.

Cards, shown below: Niclas Havelid, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jeff Odgers and Todd White.