It's always good

It would be nothing short of an understatement to say that I get jacked up for hounding whenever the Boston Bruins come to Tampa to play the Lightning.

Having spent nearly six years in and around Boston, every visit by the Black and Gold is like Old Home Days. For the most part, I get to renew acquaintances, see familiar faces and, more importantly, have a good time hounding.

In essence, it's making a connection to a region and people we miss.

This morning's effort for the Bruins, though difficult under the cloud of Patrice Bergeron's injury, worked wonders. Not only did I get to catch up with a few Bruins, but I broke out of a mini-slump in terms of hounding. Between pucks and cards, as well as a helmet and goalie stick, the collection grew by another 30 autographs.

Even better, we'll all try our luck Saturday afternoon before the Bruins meet the Lightning at the St. Pete Times Forum. Until then, though, I'm quite happy to add these items:

Pucks, shown above, are, from left, Andrew Alberts, Boston College; John Bucyk, Detroit Red Wings; and Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins. Others signing pucks were Phil Kessel and Tuuka Rask.

On my winter projects, so to speak, Marco Sturm signed the 1999 NHL All Star Game helmet and Tim Thomas signed the American-born goalie stick.

Cards, shown above, are, from left, P.J. Axelsson, Chuck Kobasew, Mark Stuart and Dennis Wideman. Others who signed cards were Bobby Allen, Doug Houda, Glen Metropolit, Jeremy Reich and Peter Schaefer.

Rookies Matt Hunwick and Vladimir Slobotka signed homemade cards, too.

Don't worry, either. I'll let you know Sunday how we do on Saturday. Like I wrote before, we're loaded for bear.

Two from Tuukka

My most reliable source in New England has told me many times that Boston's rookie goaltender Tuukka Rask is very approachable for autographs. I found out myself earlier this morning, when he signed this pair of pucks.

These are perfect

It's unrealistic to think that you'll have a card for every player that travels with an NHL team. When it come to quick call-ups and rookies, there's nothing better than homemade cards, like this one for Boston's Matt Hunwick.

I have others, too, for Boston's Milan Lucic, Petteri Nokelainen and Tuuka Rask. Hopefully, I'll get those signed Saturday afternoon.

More than a scribble

Can you guess what Boston Bruins player signed this puck this morning before the team headed out to practice?

Here's a hint. It's on one of two pucks that Bruins players gave to Colin after pregame warm-ups of a Bruins-Bolts game last season.

If you look close enough, you'll see a faint outline of an old National Hockey League logo on the puck.

Just in case . . .

. . . you're stumped for holiday gifts for your favorite hockey fan, feel free to visit Hound Central's new online store, Thank Canada for Hockey, at cafepress.com.

There, you'll find all sorts of items, from T-shirts to hoodies to messenger bags, that show our appreciation for Canada's contribution to hockey.

Happy holidays!

TTM: Round 2

Once a month, throughout the 2007-08 NHL regular season, Hound Central 3.0 will send out five through-the-mail, or TTM, autograph requests.

This month's requests, which go out in this afternoon's mail, will carry four cards each for the following players:

~ Chicago's Duncan Keith;
~ Los Angeles' Anze Kopitar;
~ Nashville's Shea Weber;
~ Phoenix's Keith Ballard; and
~ San Jose's Steve Bernier.

The first batch, sent Oct. 31, has yielded these successes:

~ Lewiston Maineiacs goalie Jonathan Bernier, the Kings' No. 1 pick in the 2006 Draft, who signed three of three cards; and
~ Chicago's Tuomo Ruuttu, who signed four of four cards.

Hound Central 3.0 is patiently waiting to hear back from Columbus Blue Jackets TV analyst Danny Gare, Dallas' Loui Eriksson and St. Louis' Brad Boyes.

Loaded for bear

Though we'll be limited in our time to "visit" with the Bruins this Saturday afternoon, it's not deterring me from assembling a diverse collection of items for the Boston players:

~ at least 10 pucks, including an updated logo one for Tuukka Rask;
~ more than 70 cards;
~ this 8x10 sheet showing Colin and Boston goalie Tim Thomas, taken more than two years ago when the Goofy Dude served as a "bench assistant" before a Bruins game;
~ the American-born goalie stick for Thomas;
~ not one, but two game-dated Bruins team sheets for Colin to get signed;
~ the 1999 NHL All Star Game helmet for Marco Sturm;
~ a 1978-79 Buffalo Sabres calendar for Craig Ramsay; and
~ if he travels with the team, a big, but gentle, get-well hug from Colin for his buddy, Patrice Bergeron.

We'll also have our tickets (a birthday present from my wife and son), first row of the upper deck, as well as our Bruins gear.

What's This? 2.2

I knew I made last Friday's What's This? too easy when Colin, my 6-year-old son, walked past the computer and asked whether the photo was a Detroit Red Wings logo.

Smart kid or not (and I like to think he is smart -- wicked smart), I figure that if a first-grader can figure it out, so should most everyone else.

This installment, though not a major head-scratcher, might take a few moments to recognize. It's not about stumping visitors, it's about seeing the detail within hockey.

Name this logo XV

To be honest, it comes as no surprise that Brett continued his string of knowing last week's logo. It was a pleasant surprise, however, that old friend Tracy stopped by, too, with the correct answer and Thanksgiving wishes.

Fans of New England-based teams should have known that the logo belonged to the defunct Maine Mariners of the American Hockey League. The Mariners, who won the AHL's Calder Cup in 1978, 1979 and 1984, now play as the Providence Bruins.

This week's logo might be a little more difficult. Then again, it might not be all that hard.

Stumped? Find the answer at Chris Creamer's sports logo site.

Tricks of the Trade: Recognizing players

Now that you know how to find NHL teams in your city, it's time to learn how to identify the players. While some dealers and hounds, quite often the laziest individuals I've ever met, don't feel this is necessary, I believe it's an obligation to know who you're hounding.

For the most part, if you're willing to make an effort, that effort will be rewarded. Rather than stumbling around, asking "Who's that?" to anyone who'll listen, knowing their identities can help you get more autographs.

Besides, the research is easy:

~ Simply put, watch games on television, be it on Versus, NHL Centre Ice or whatever, that feature the teams coming to town. Forget the jerseys and numbers, though. Concentrate on the players' faces.

~ If you have access to a computer, visit a team's Web site and check out the roster. Most link to a player's bio where you'll find a crisp, clean photograph to download and study.

~ If you're handy with design programs (Believe it or not, I use Microsoft Word for mine), you can create individual player cards, or cheaps skates, like the ones we'll use this weekend for the Bruins, that also double as identification tools.

~ You'll also see that I used the same sheet to create a cheat-sheet strip of headshots for the players I might not immediately recognize. These serve as a handy field guide.

~ If you're simply too lazy to put forth this type of effort (and, if you are, you really should stay home), you can always work a team item.

Many of Tampa's know-nothing dealers, as well as a handful of collectors, use jerseys, sticks, helmets, arena photos or painted canvases for their goods.

Often, when Colin is hounding with me, I'll create a team sheet, like the one shown above for Saturday's visit to the Bruins, for him.

Nearly caught up

For the longest time, I seemed to always miss getting autographs from New Jersey's Jamie Langenbrunner and John Madden. For some reason or another, namely having someone else sign an item, I could only chide myself as I watched them walk past.

Beginning with the 2006-07 quarterfinals, when the Devils dispatched the Lightning in six, I'm beginning to believe my luck has changed. Since then, we've added cards and pucks in nearly every visit, nearly completing each player's collection. About the only item left is a Team USA puck for Langenbrunner. I could use a Michigan hockey puck for Madden, too.

Either way, the two NHL veterans were among the Devils who signed at game time Saturday before New Jersey's 3-2 victory over Tampa Bay. All told, we added another 20 autographs, plus a nearly team-signed New Jersey Devils teddy bear.

By design, we did much better with cards than pucks. Defensemen Paul Martin and Colin White (yes, an official introduction was made between the Colins) signed four cards each. Travis Zajac added another three. Sergei Brylin, as always, was good for two. Brian Gionta and Zach Parise signed pucks, too.

The team bear (pictures and posting soon) went over well. Colin was one of the first to have each player sign it. It still needs some big names, but he did get, among others, Brylin, Langenbrunner, Madden, Martin, Parise, White and Zajac. Maybe next time, eh?

The morning skate, from what I heard repeatedly, was nothing short of a horror show for Martin Brodeur. The team drew a larger-than-normal crowd, so that likely added to the commotion. Neither Brodeur nor Patrik Elias signed at game time.

I wouldn't blame Brodeur

From what I’ve heard, through well-placed sources, it’s no surprise that New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur walked straight to the bus before last night’s 3-2 victory over Tampa Bay.

On his way to the Devils’ morning skate, a crush of more than 30 collectors quickly engulfed the future Hall of Famer. And after hearing a couple stories, the use of "engulfed," I'm afraid, may be too soft of a word.

Dramatic re-enactments by my sources of requests to Brodeur left mere inches between noses. Reportedly, he rolled his eyes and sighed heavily upon acceptance of his plight. He signed for some, but not everyone. Even those lucky enough to have him sign complained at the quantity or quality of their signatures.

Knowing the Tampa crowd, of which I do contribute (as passively as I can), I have no doubts that these recounts are true. And, after a morning like that, I certainly don’t blame him. Brodeur, one of the NHL’s more gracious superstars, has been too generous over the past to warrant even the slightest quibble.

Relevance

Some pucks carry certain significance. In this case, it’s New Jersey’s Zach Parise.

Want to know why? This past spring, in the first round of the playoffs, Parise scored six goals against Tampa Bay, as the Devils booted the Bolts in six games.

With this, Parise has signed seven pucks for us. We saw him play with the Albany River Rats, the Devils’ former AHL affiliate.

Pretty good timing

Just last Sunday, I ordered four pucks from the Hockey East online store. They arrived Wednesday.

New Jersey’s Brian Gionta put this Boston College to good use. Hopefully, Boston’s Andrew Alberts will sign the other BC puck this Saturday.

The others? A pair of University of Maine pucks for Tampa Bay’s Doug Janik and Mike Lundin.

Sunday morning homily IX

After a recent bit of bad luck (the timing belt busting on my wife's car and, on Thanksgiving morning, a clogged kitchen sink because of too many potato peelings), I'm certainly looking forward to this week.

It's not because a hefty paycheck, thanks to holiday pay and six hours of overtime, will come in handy. It's not because Colin goes back to school Monday, after a week off for the Thanksgiving holiday. In fact, I'll miss having him around during the day. Nor is it that I'll be on vacation, though I do have a long weekend coming up.

Nope, the reason for my optimism is twofold:

~ Colin starts his hockey/skating lessons this Saturday. I know it's just the beginning, but this marks what I hope will become a deepening bond between father and son. It means future hockey games, whether he's playing or we're all watching, will take on a new meaning; and

~ The Bruins, one of our favorite teams, are coming to Tampa Bay. Though Colin's buddy Patrice Bergeron will be back in Boston, it will be nice to see the team again. Colin and I got spoiled a few years back, attending way too many practices, but getting to "know" some of the players. While some have moved on (Brad Boyes and Hannu Toivonen), there are still a couple (Andrew Alberts and Tim Thomas) who remind us of the good times we had in New England.

Oh, yeah, there's something else. I'll turn 46 this week, on the day when Colin starts skating and the B's play the Bolts. To be honest, I couldn't ask for two better presents.

Witnessing greatness

Normally, when a goalie stymies the Tampa Bay Lightning, I'll chalk it up to the player having a great night. Last night, against the Devils, it was simply watching a great player.

After giving up a five-hole goal (in which he tried to catch the puck between his legs) to give the Lightning a 1-0 lead, New Jersey's Martin Brodeur showed why he's the best active goalie in the game.

Time after time, I could only smile as yet another improbable save frustrated the streaky Lightning. Though I believe Patrick Roy is the best goalie of his generation, I'll likely revisit that opinion on the sad day when Brodeur hangs up his skates.

5 Big Sigs

With only the Bruins coming to town this week, we're hoping to add these to our and, if we're lucky, someone else's collection:

~ Johnny Bucyk on a Detroit Red Wings puck;
~ Cam Neely, if he travels, on a Cam Neely Night puck for Tampa Bay's Andre Roy (his Lightning bio says Cam is a favorite);
~ Phil Kessel and Andrew Ference on warmup-used pucks that they tossed to Colin last season before a Bruins-Lightning game;
~ Tim Thomas on the American-born goalie stick; and
~ Marco Sturm on the 1999 NHL All Star Game helmet.

I don't mind these

Between bills, circulars and items addressed to previous occupants, there's little that I look forward to when our mail carrier makes his appointed rounds. Unless, of course, it's four autographed cards from Chicago's Tuomo Ruutu.

These four cards, mailed on Halloween, arrived in Friday's mail.

What's This? 2.1

By far, this is the easiest contest in Hound Central history.

If you don't recognize this, there's little reason for you to be here.

It's that simple.

All things considered

Going into this season, one of my goals was to have more fun. I remembered that hockey hounding was a hobby, not a business, and success can be defined many ways.

When nearly 40 people -- from collectors to dealers to fans (the biggest crowd of the season) -- showed up for the New York Rangers on Wednesday morning, I knew it could have been a frustrating morning. Instead, with Colin in tow thanks to a week off for Thanksgiving, it turned out to be a pretty fun morning.

All told, Colin and I came home after the Blueshirts' morning skate with another 20 autographs, including nine on his team sheet.

Big names, if you want to call them that, to sign Colin's team sheet (made with Microsoft's Word program) were Peter Prucha, Michal Rozsival, Jim Schoenfeld and Fedor Tyutin.

Among other players who signed for us that morning, the cards shown above are, from left, Marek Malik, Prucha and Rozsival. Others signing cards were Marcel Hossa and Paul Mara.

Granted, we missed out on the big names -- Jaromir Jagr, Henrik Lundqvist and Brendan Shanahan. But it certainly wasn't for the lack of effort. In fact, for about five seconds, Colin and I had Jagr all to ourselves.

With a clutch of people surrounding Lundqvist, we peeled off when I spied Jagr trying to sneak out of the hotel. I asked whether he'd sign Colin's team sheet, but he motioned to his coffee. When I offered to hold the uncapped cup of Joe, I sensed Jagr was willing to sign.

Unfortunately, the crowd joined the hunt and began to engulf Jagr. Knowing that our moment had passed, we stepped away from the crush of people. From what I heard, too, someone bumped into Jagr, spilling that cup of coffee on him. After that, it's my guess he was done signing for the day.

Would it have been sweet to snag autographs from Jagr, Lundqvist and Shanny? Certainly. But, more importantly, it was more about spending some time with my son, doing something that we enjoy. I'll take that over three hastily written scribbles any day.

As for the only puck I got that day, keeping alive a three-season-long streak, it belonged to New York's Daniel Girardi, and not Jagr. More than one person, though, commented that Girardi's signature looks like Jagr's scribble from a few years ago.

One down ...

Sure, it would have been nice to get New York's Marc Staal to sign a few cards and a couple pucks when the Rangers came calling to Tampa earlier this week.

Still, though, I was pretty happy to add this card to the collection.

Even at one-per, we'll have plenty of time to add to our collections.

Don't go emptyhanded

One of the last things I do before heading out to hound a team is to check the American Hockey League transactions. It's a good way to find out whether some prospect has been sent down or called up.

And rather than pass on an opportunity to get an autograph on something other than an index card, I take the time to create cards like this one, for New York's Ivan Baranka, for the players to sign. Even better, the card, made using Microsoft's Word program (yes, that's right, Word) serves as a visual cheat-sheet for players I might not readily recognize.

Bottom line, kids, is that preparation and perspiration go a long way when it comes to hounding. It's all part of making an effort.

Maybe, maybe not

Can you guess who signed this New York Rangers puck, the only one I got signed Wednesday morning, before the team headed to its morning skate?

The answer, which can be found at The Vault, isn't as simple as it may look.

Given the holiday (Happy Thanksgiving, by the way), I'll provide the Rangers' hounding reports on Friday.

What do you think?

Anyone else see a young Larry Robinson in Panthers defenseman Jay Bouwmeester? Think about it and get back to me. Please?

Nice touch, too, by the Habs raising Big Bird's No. 19 to the rafters of Montreal's Bell Centre.

My All Star picks

In case you've been stuck behind a puck for the past few days, fan balloting has begun for the 2007-08 NHL All Star Game.

Here are my Southeast Division-heavy picks:

Eastern Conference
Forward: Vinny Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lightning
Forward: Danny Briere, Philadelphia Flyers
Forward: Eric Staal, Carolina Hurricanes
Defense: Jay Bouwmeester, Florida Panthers
Defense: Paul Ranger, Tampa Bay Lightning (write-in)
Goalie: Cam Ward, Carolina Hurricanes

Western Conference
Forward: Joey Thornton, San Jose Sharks
Forward: Brad Boyes, St. Louis Blues (write-in)
Forward: Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks
Defense: Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings
Defense: Robyn Regehr, Calgary Flames
Goalie: Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks

P.S. No voting, please, for Rory Fitzpatrick this season.

Name this logo XIV

In further cementing his elite status within hockey logo knowledge, Brett extended his winning streak to four straight weeks by correctly identifying last week's logo.

It's easy to appreciate people who do their homework and make an effort. In this case, it was a documentary on the early days of the NHL that provided the knowledge.

For the record, it belonged to the Montreal Wanderers of the National Hockey Association, a precursor of today's NHL.

Seeing that the holiday season begins this week, this week's logo should be easy. Think of it, if you will, as an early Christmas present.

If you need help, though, you'll find your answer at Chris Creamer's sports logo site.

Keep an eye out, too, for another installment of What's This?

Review: 2007-08 UD Hockey Series I

In past hockey card reviews, I've taken the time to go into great detail to describe a release. In the case of Upper Deck's 2007-08 Hockey Series I, all it takes is one word: junk.

Aside from what I believe to be a lack of value within the boxes I bought, Upper Deck continues its frustrating habit of not updating players who have moved on to new teams. Though one of the lures of this release -- the hobby standard of rookie cards, Young Guns -- shows the players from early season games, several cards show free-agent signings in their old uniforms.

Dustin Penner, shown in his Anaheim duds, signed with Edmonton on Aug. 2. The cards came out in early November. C'mon, now. You're telling me that Upper Deck can't update these looks. If not, how come the Young Guns cards show players from this season?

I know this is redundant, but as someone who has worked, in some form, in the publishing industry since 1980, I know that technological advances allow for images to go from camera to printing plates in under an hour. Why Upper Deck is selective in its efforts is hard to understand.

To me, it's yet another instance of Upper Deck showing more concern for cash than in satisfying its customers. One would think, too, that this line of thinking will eventually come back to haunt them. If you keep disappointing customers, don't you risk turning them away?

It's like I told the owner of the hobby store where I buy my cards. As much as I rely upon cards to continue my hockey-hounding hobby, I have too many other choices -- from pucks to pictures to memorabilia to even homemade team sheets -- to keep wasting my money on Upper Deck products.

Something tells me, too, that I'm not alone.

Product snapshot: Upper Deck Hockey Series I
Something nice: Young Guns cards of Phoenix's Peter Mueller and Montreal's Carey Price (shown above) and a game-used jersey card of Carolina's Eric Staal, which I had him sign. Nice photography, too.
Something not so nice: This product, despite the Young Guns, isn't worth the money.
Puckhound's grade: 0 out of 5 pucks

Testing our patience

In what turned out to be a battle within the Empire State, fans of the Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers tied in their beliefs that their teams have, indeed, had the most disappointing start to the 2007-08 season. Both received four votes out of the 15 cast.

For the Rangers fans, it's easy to understand. Given the team's star-studded lineup (The Rangers, I believe, are the NHL's version of their deep-pocketed MLB neighbors, the New York Yankees), the Blueshirts were expected to make some serious noise. The Rangers' slow start, suddenly becoming a distant memory as of late thanks to the play of Henrik Lundqvist, severely tested their fans' patience.

As for the Sabres, I guess I wasn't surprised. In fact, I shouldn't be. They were my vote, too. Though I knew the departures of Danny Briere and Chris Drury would be felt, I also believed, relying more on my heart than any intellect I may possess, that some of Buffalo's younger players would step up to fill the void. Sadly, I was wrong.

It's also easy to comprehend the discontent shown toward the Thrashers, who received three votes out of the 15. After winning the Southeast Division last season, the team and its fans came in with higher expectations. I'm sure the injury-related shelving of highly regarded, but tender-groined, goaltender Kari Lehtonen has played a major role in the team's sluggish start.

Here in Tampa, the Lightning are enjoying a five-game winning streak. Before that, they lost five in a row. To me, it sounds a lot like last season, when streaks, both winning and losing, were the norm. Bolts fans, too, will remember how that campaign ended. I know I do.

Either way, it's still early in the season. The teams have about 60 games, plus or minus, remaining in the season. Who will rebound? My guess is it'll be the Rangers. Who will suffer? I'm afraid it'll be the Sabres. As always, only time will tell.

Here are the results:

Question: Which club has been the most disappointing so far this season?

Atlanta Thrashers: 3 out of 15 votes cast (20 percent)
Buffalo Sabres: 4 out of 15 (26.7 percent)
Nashville Predators: 0 votes
New York Rangers: 4 out of 15 votes (26.7 percent)
Tampa Bay Lightning: 2 out of 15 (13.3 percent)
Other: 2 out of 15 (13.3 percent)

Sunday morning homily VIII

Every NHL hounding season, I reach a point of frustration with a handful of collectors who, when defining laziness, are the bottom of the barrel. In past seasons, it usually took place in December or January. As I grow older, though, my patience is wearing thin much faster than normal.

For most hounds, we know that preparation, especially when it comes to identifying players, is a key to success. We take the time to visit Web sites or watch games, so we can recognize players. However, there are some, from dealers to so-called collectors, who won't make the effort.

Oh, sure, they know the big names, but once you get past them, these schlubs are as clueless as New York's Sean Avery at a leukemia fundraiser (Note to Mr. Avery's attorneys - The previous sentence is unactionable, as it is clearly written, and now identified, as satire).

First, if this is their business, don't you think they should know who they're hounding? If they don't, they should follow the lead of their peers and take the smart way out, getting such team-signed items as jerseys, sticks or arena pictures.

As for collectors, it depends on the situation. Most here in Tampa are dedicated to the hobby. They do more than show up. They do their homework and, more importantly, they don't sponge off the efforts of others without reciprocating the gesture. For the most part, they're a pretty fun bunch to hang out with.

I'll admit, too, to sometimes being a little rough (that, some might say, is an understatement) to deal with. I try to be nice to most everyone, save for those who ask for so many player identities that they earn themselves the "Who's that?" nickname or, even better, every request gets the "Wayne Gretzky" answer.

The reason for my madness? If I can find time to do my homework so I can identify 95 percent of a team, in between working fulltime and being a husband and father, I expect others to do the same, even moreso for those who have much more free time. That's why I'm reluctant to share my knowledge. Is it childish? Perhaps. Do I care if it is? Not one bit.

I'm curious, though, as to what others think about this? Having encountered these types in North Carolina, New England and, now, Tampa, I'm certain this happens in most every hockey locale. Feel free to share your stories.

Score an assist

Okay, hard-working and homework-loving hockey hounds, I need your help. I received an e-mail yesterday from a mom.

The mom was inquiring about this information as the family, including her 11-year-old daughter, will soon travel to the Windy City and would like to put themselves in a position, namely sitting in the lobby as guests of the hotel, to score a few autographs.

Because I'm in Florida, I don't have a clue. And, after spending a few days in Chicago, I know there are too many hotels there to call every single one. But that's where you come in.

And, unlike the schlubs depicted above, this is a worthwhile request -- it's for a child.

If anyone has this information, and doesn't mind sharing, please send me an e-mail, found on my profile page, and I'll pass it along to the mom. In return, I'll pass along my knowledge of who stays where in Tampa. To get a little, you give a little.

Addendum (6:45 p.m. Nov. 18): Thanks to Hound Central 3.0 reader Mark, the mission has been accomplished.

5 Big Sigs

Even though it's a holiday week, that won't keep us from trying to add these big names to the collection:

~ New York's Jaromir Jagr, Brendan Shanahan and, should they accompany the team, Jim Schoenfeld and Martin Straka, on the 1999 NHL All Star Game helmet;
~ New York's Chris Drury and Scott Gomez on Rangers pucks;
~ New York's Henrik Lundqvist on a McFarlane Sports Picks base;
~ New Jersey's Martin Brodeur on a replica Devils #30 jersey, and New Jersey assistant coaches Jacques Laperriere and Larry Robinson on a Montreal Canadiens jersey; and
~ a team-signed New Jersey Devils outfitted teddy bear.

I must say, though, that this represents the most ambitious wish list of the season to date.

The first of many, we hope

Jonathan Bernier, the Los Angeles Kings' top pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, became the first player to return signed cards in Hound Central 3.0's 2007-08 TTM (through the mail) project. Bernier, who started the NHL season with the Kings, is now playing for the Lewiston Maineiacs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

The cards, sent out on Halloween, arrived in today's mail.

We're still waiting on responses from Chicago's Tuomo Ruutu, St. Louis' Brad Boyes, Dallas' Loui Eriksson and Danny Gare, a former Buffalo Sabres star and TV analyst for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The next five-request round will go out later this month.

I'm the one to blame

I'm going to have to do a little research on the science of cloning, because after all the fumbling around I did this morning, I certainly could use some help when it comes to hounding the Washington Capitals.

Perhaps it was the unseasonal brisk weather, or that the Caps stayed at one of the more difficult hotels to hound in Tampa. Then again, maybe it had to do with twice moving my items.

Either way, though, I posted my poorest performance, in terms on numbers (eight items: seven pucks and this Milan Jurcina card) and quality (Brian Sutherby being the biggest name, perhaps), of the 2007-08 hounding season this morning. And, really, I'm the only one to blame.

Given the team's uberstar, Alex Ovechkin, its solid goalie, Olaf Kolzig, and a rookie who's drawing some buzz, Nicklas Backstrom, I certainly wasn't surprised to see the dregs of the dealers shivering in the shadows of downtown Tampa's skyscrapers.

That, I'm afraid, wasn't the problem.

What doomed my effort, I believe, was breaking away from my usual routine at this hotel. Rather than setting up on a corner, like I usually do so I can watch both doors of the hotel, I set up closer to where the team bus was parked.

It didn't take long, however, for me to realize I was a little too far away from the bus, so I moved everything (32 pucks, mostly new Capitals logos, plus a book of cards) about 10 feet closer.

About that time, though, players started coming out the other door. Not wanting to miss out, I quickly packed up and moved -- again -- to my normal spot and, finally, started adding to the collection.

Unfortunately, I missed out on Kolzig as I was rearranging my items. And by the time I got over to where Ovechkin was throwing down scribbled "AO8s" for mostly dealers, hotel security was ushering me away. Backstrom, apparently wise beyond his tender age (he's one week shy of his 20th birthday), darted out as Ovechkin was signing.

Bottom line, and this point was reinforced this morning, is that you follow your instincts and go with what you know. Anything else, I've come to realize, is a giant waste of time and energy.

Between now and Dec. 15, when the Capitals come back to Tampa, I'm going to work on cloning myself. Maybe we'll have better luck.

Pucks, shown above, from left: Brent Johnson, Brooks Laich and Brian Sutherby.

A nice surprise

It's always rewarding when you watch a player develop his game and make the jump to the NHL. Three years ago, before Portland Pirates games, I'd encourage Washington's Tomas Fleischmann to shoot the puck more often.

This morning, as he signed these two pucks, I told him he's come a long way since those fall and winter days outside the Cumberland County Civic Center.

"Yes, it has," he told me. "I'm shooting the puck, too."

Eye of the beholder

Though the uniform and logo may go down as one of the ugliest ever in the NHL, the Vancouver Canucks' flying skate certainly look pretty sharp when it's signed.

In this case, it's Glen Hanlon, the Washington Capitals coach, who played for the Canucks from the 1977-78 to 1981-82 seasons. He was the team's third-round pick in the 1977 draft.

Good question

When Colin saw this picture that Tampa Bay's Brad Richards signed for him yesterday, he had one question.

"Why did he sign 19 when his jerseys shows 39?" he asked.

I explained that the picture showed Richards playing for Team Canada during the Olympics and not the Lightning.

"Oh," he said. "Okay."

I've had better days

There have been times in the course of my hockey-hounding hobby when I've absolutely nailed a team. The most recent example came not too long ago, when I added 22 autographs to an Atlanta Thrashers team helmet in less than an hour.

Like anything else, though, there's always a flip side. Take yesterday morning, for example. Though I carried a full book of cards, as well as nearly a dozen pucks and the American-born goalies stick, I feel like I was slacking off by getting only 14 autographs out of the Carolina Hurricanes.

Granted, I'd have to plead guilty to some serious cherry-picking, focusing my efforts of Eric Staal and Cam Ward.

Still, though, I'd expected to snag at least one or two each from other Hurricanes, such as Rod Brind'Amour, Andrew Ladd and Justin Williams. Unfortunately, it didn't happen. Brind'Amour, who did sign at game time, hopped on a hotel van. Ladd, who is having a hard time living up to his advance press, pulled the old "My hands are full" trick. And Williams ignored multiple requests to sign.

I also found it odd that John Grahame, who got lit up for six goals against Tampa Bay last night, didn't come over to sign. Seeing his connection to Tampa, I was hoping to get him on the goalie stick.

That's not to say, though, that I went home empty-handed. Thankfully, Mike Commodore signed this puck, keeping alive my streak, dating to the 2004-05 American Hockey League season, of getting at least one autographed puck every time I've gone hounding.

Between the puck, as well as two nice autographs from Staal and Ward, it's getting easier to reconcile with what I believe to be a lackluster effort on my part.

Some days you win, some days you lose. Bottom line, though, is that the collection keeps growing in diversity and numbers. And, the Hurricanes come back another three times this season.

The cards, show above, are:
Top row: Jeff Hamilton, Frantisek Kaberle and Chad LaRose;
Bottom row: Trevor Letowski, Cory Stillman and Glen Wesley.

A fair trade

As we approach the holiday season, we're going to hear, and hopefully practice, the adage that it's better to give than receive.

When it comes to hounding, though, I'd always prefer to make a trade.

Regular visitors to Hound Central 3.0 might remember a picture showing Colin dressed in his street hockey goalie gear and wearing a Carolina Hurricanes jersey.

After telling the Goofy Dude that I'd be seeing the Hurricanes and one of his favorite goalies, Cam Ward, he asked for a favor. He wanted me to give Cam an autographed copy of that picture.

Yesterday morning, as Cam made his way to the team's morning skate, I delivered Colin's wishes. And, as you can see, Cam was more than willing to trade autographs.

An added touch

Every once in awhile, I pull a game-used jersey card, especially those with a white swatch, that leaves me wanting more. That's why I asked Carolina's Eric Staal to sign this card. It looks much better now, if you ask me.

Name this logo XIII

It seems that Brett is quickly becoming the blog's "Name this logo" expert. For the third week in a row, he was able to correctly identify the logo.

For the record, it belonged to the Michigan Stags of the defunct World Hockey Association.

This week's logo, though a classic, might be a tad more difficult. Then again, given that anyone can find the answer at Chris Creamer's sports logo site, maybe it won't.

Don't forget, too, to check out Hound Central 3.0's other contest, What's This?

Sunday morning homily VII

As we get ready to embark upon Colin's hockey journey, I figured that a little research would help us prepare for the road ahead. That's why we've started to visit Tampa Bay-area rinks.

For the most part, we've liked everything we have seen so far. The rinks are clean and the staffs are friendly. It's easy to grab a cup of coffee. And there are plenty of attention-grabbing alternatives to keep idle minds busy as they wait to take the ice.

Last night, though, we witnessed a couple of incidents at one of those rinks, the Tampa Bay Skating Academy in Oldsmar, that caused us to take off our rose-colored glasses:

~ Watching a team's hockey dads, in the presence of their charges, grab a couple of beers following a game. Besides what I believe to be sending an improper message to the children, I was also concerned about these "adults" later getting behind the wheel and driving, say, back to the Orlando area. One father apparently couldn't wait for the game to end to start drinking, ignoring a "no-alcohol" policy posted at the rink's door.

~ Hearing a parent loudly question, during the game and after, the rink's decision to cut short the third period by seven minutes to keep the games on-schedule. Though I know that hockey is an expensive sport, and ice time represents a major portion of those costs, I'm not sure that this form of selfish expression served as a positive message. Given that his son's team was getting smoked, 8-1, one would think he'd been grateful.

Now, the last thing I want to sound like is a prude. Lord knows, I've consumed my fair share of alcohol, though that took place 20 years ago. And, anyone who knows me will attest that I'm not afraid to express my opinions.

I'd like to believe, though, that there are better ways to be a role model, especially for your own children.

Say thanks

If you see a member of the armed forces, active or retired, in your community this week, thank them for the sacrifices that they and their families have made.

While hockey fans might think it brave for a player to dive headfirst to block a shot, it pales in comparison to what these truly brave men and women do every day they're in service.

And, while you're at it, say a prayer for our troops fighting terrorism throughout the world.

5 Big Sigs

With the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals coming to town later this week, I'm hoping to add these to the collection:

~ Carolina's Cam Ward on a 2006-07 Fleer Hockey tin cover;
~ Carolina's Eric Staal on a 2007-08 Upper Deck Series I jersey card;
~ Carolina's John Grahame on the American-born goalies stick;
~ Washington's Olaf Kolzig on Tri-City Americans and new-look Capitals pucks; and
~ Washington's Chris Bourque, the son of Hall of Famer Ray Bourque, on a Cushing Academy (Ashburnham, Mass.) puck.

Maybe they're insulated

If you didn't get a ticket for the NHL Winter Classic on New Year's Day at Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., you'll have to watch the outdoor contest from the comfort of home.

Members of the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins, however, as well as anyone lucky enough to snag a ducat from someone other than a money-grubbing ticket broker, will likely have to battle the elements.

A novelty within the game, I believe, will be the retro uniforms that both teams will sport for the game. The Sabres will wear the old-time fan favorite white, blue and gold. The Penguins, an apt nickname for a team playing in a winter day's game, will wear their baby-blue get-ups.

Having endured my share of teeth-chattering, snow-filled days as a kid growing up in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains in rural Cattaraugus County, here's hoping that Reebok eschews the form-fitting, perspiration-wicking fabric of the RBK Edge jerseys in favor of down, fleece or, at the very least, flannel.

Ask and ye shall receive

In previewing Upper Deck's 2007-07 Hockey Series I's Young Guns checklist, I suggested that the cards of the Lightning's Mike Lundin, left, and Matt Smaby might draw some interest here in Tampa Bay.

I could only smile when I pulled both yesterday.

Sorry, Bolts fans, but they're not for sale. They're already tucked away with the other nearly 3,000 rookie cards in the collection.

Seeing the big picture

He had the audience and the opportunity. He had a right to be bitter, too. But Boston's Patrice Bergeron stayed true to form, even as he struggled with the aftereffects of a nasty hit, by taking the high road yesterday.

Bergeron, who sustained a pretty serious concussion, a broken nose and whiplash-type injuries after being hit from behind by Philadelphia's Randy Jones, spoke to the media for the first time since sustaining the near career-ending injury.

But rather than criticize Jones' punishment -- a two-game suspension -- Bergeron called on the league and his fellow players to crack down on these dangerous hits from behind. It's all about having respect for each other, he said.

Truer words, I believe, have never been spoken.

From peewees to the NHL, any player lining up an opponent needs to remember one thing -- would they want to receive the same dangerous check that they are about to deliver?

Granted, board-rattling hits are part of the game. And there's a great amount of risk involved within hockey. That doesn't mean, though, that gives anyone the right to seriously injure an opponent, intentional or not.

Let's hope that Bergeron's message resonates through every rink. If it doesn't, I'm afraid to think of what it would take to do so.

What's This? 2.0

Life, I believe, is all about the details. Sometimes you sweat them, other times, though, you ignore them. Either way, details provide the texture to life.

In this season's installments of What's This?, you'll find that no details will be overlooked. And though I'll provide one major hint -- everything will be related to hockey -- it'll be up to you to decide what's being shown.

With that in mind, this week's item really ought to be easy.

Find the time

As I've said countless times before, any hockey hound worth his or her salt needs to make an effort to hound the Florida Panthers. Doing so will only add to your collection.

Between the team's stars -- Olli Jokinen, Jay Bouwmeester, Tomas Vokoun and Stephen Weiss -- and its role players -- most notably Jozef Stumpel, Mike Van Ryn and Richard Zednik -- the Panthers are one of the NHL's most approachable teams.

And let's not forget about Hall of Famer Denis Potvin, who provides color commentary during Panthers' TV broadcasts.

Weiss, who signed the Young Guns stick (above), and Vokoun have quickly become my favorite Panthers players. Weiss is always pleasant, refreshingly candid and always willing to strike up a conversation (We discussed the source of two bandages on his left eyebrow - "I don't know who did it," he told me. "It might have been one of my teammates.").

Quite simply, Vokoun, the Panthers' biggest splash in the free-agent market this summer, is a signing machine. I nearly apologized for having only two pucks for him to sign.

A word of caution, though, on Nathan Horton. Apparently, the Panthers young forward will go to great lengths to avoid even the smallest pack of hounds. Yesterday, he ducked out a back door of the hotel on his way to the morning skate. Only one person, who was late in arriving, crossed his path and received an autograph. Still, though, Horton is the exception to the rule.

And though I missed Jokinen (I only had cards for him), opting instead for a puck from Zednik, I was pretty pleased with adding another 22 autographs to the collection.

Besides a pair of pucks from Potvin, others signing (top photo) were, clockwise from top left: Gregory Campbell, Florida Panthers; Richard Zednik, Florida Panthers; Tomas Vokoun, Milwaukee Admirals; and Vokoun, Montreal Canadiens.

Cards shown (above):
Top row - Jay Bouwmeester, Brett McLean and Branislav Mezei;
Bottom row - Ruslan Salei, Jozef Stumpel and Mike Van Ryn.

It wasn't a typo

Astute hockey card collectors might have noticed different spellings of the last name for Florida Panthers goalie Craig Anderson.

In this In The Game Action card, his last name is spelled as Andersson. In other cards, though, it's spelled Anderson.

One question cleared up this issue.

It seems that Anderson, an American-born goalie, added the extra "s" to his surname after his youth team played in Sweden. He changed it back to its current spelling, he said, because he never had it legally changed to Andersson.

A not-so-hard hat

It's not like I haven't worked team helmets before, but I was pleasantly surprised at the ease of getting 22 members of the Atlanta Thrashers to sign this effort before last Saturday's game.

I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, and I certainly don't want to jinx this little bit of luck bestowed upon me by the hockey gods, but it was like the players were lining up to sign.

Granted, the players came out in small bunches, but most were willing to wait a few seconds to sign the item.

When I've worked Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning team helmets, it's taken me a couple of trips to amass the total number of signatures (22) that fill the Thrashers helmet.

Now, I do need three key autographs to complete the Atlanta helmet -- Marian Hossa, Kari Lehtonen and Johan Hedberg. Defenseman Steve McCarthy is missing, too. My concern, however, is whether there's any room left for them to sign.

Here's the lineup, in alphabetical order, of who signed:

Players: Eric Boulton, Pascal Dupuis, Tobias Enstrom, Garnet Exelby, Darren Haydar, Niclas Havelid, Bobby Holik, Ken Klee, Ilya Kovalchuk, Slava Kozlov, Brad Larsen, Bryan Little, Ondrej Pavelec, Eric Perrin, Mark Popovic, Jim Slater, Chris Thorburn, Todd White and Alexei Zhitnik; Team staff: Jeff Odgers, Don Waddell, Steve Weekes.

Guess who?

Can you guess what Hall of Fame defenseman signed these two pucks this morning as he made his way over to the St. Pete Times Forum to watch the Florida Panthers have their morning skate?

Need a hint? You'll find the answer in The Vault.

Name this logo XII

Well, well, well. Name this logo XI produced a hat trick of hockey intelligence when Drew, Brett and Joel all knew that last week's logo belonged to the Reading Royals of the East Coast Hockey League.

This week's logo, too, might be a tad obvious.

If you're not sure, though, you'll always find the answer at Chris Creamer's sports logo site.