Hounding 2007: Year in review

In all honesty, this was supposed to be a slow year. Really. And, in a sense, it has been. I've made a point of being more patient, more observant and, whenever the opportunity presents itself, practicing some serious and shameless cherry-picking.

While past years were more intent on amassing a collection, this past year focused on enhancing the quality. For the most part, it's been a fun year. The biggest lesson? Taking breaks are a good thing. The most fun? Watching Colin with the players. He loves being first.

Looking back, these events made for a memorable year:

~ For the calendar year, another 307 pucks, according to preliminary calculations, were added to the collection. As of today, the total stands at 1,450 pucks.

~ I finally got my act together and showed off the Team Canada goalie mask. Now, I'm working on an American-born goalie stick.

~ Once again, we meet an old friend on the Boston Bruins.

~ The first of three milestones of the year, Florida's Olli Jokinen signed puck No. 1,200.

~ Getting one from The Great One. Enough said.

~ Martin St. Louis, the soul of the Tampa Bay Lightning, helped provide a nice reward for a good kid.

~ I finally get around to displaying a signed set of New Jersey's Martin Brodeur replica goalie gloves.

~ In a momentary diversion from hockey, Colin gets to meet one of his baseball heroes, former Red Sox star Trot Nixon, when the Cleveland Indians come to St. Petersburg.

~ Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin provided the best pull in a somewhat disappointing year of hockey card releases.

~ Ending, for once and for all, the debate between card prep work: An eraser is better than baby powder.

~ One humble hockey hound's opinion of which NHL players are worthy of an autographed puck.

~ Training camp makes for a fun family day with the Lightning.

~ Sometimes, though, these stars can get grumpy.

~ To some, getting Tampa Bay's Kyle Wanvig to sign the 1,300th puck of the collection was a lapse in judgment. I beg to differ.

~ Given his propensity to make and find messes, we're a bit reluctant to let Colin wear this to too many Lightning games. Chocolate milk, I've learned, is a difficult stain.

~ When it comes to dealers and collectors, Vinny Lecavalier, the heart of the Tampa Bay Lightning, knows the difference.

~ Every so often, the planets align over Tampa Bay.

~ Like I didn't already have enough hounding to do, Hound Central 3.0 begins a monthly TTM project.

~ Buffalo's Ryan Miller lives up to his reputation as a willing signer, even in the presence of big crowd.

~ New Jersey's Martin Brodeur slaps down a letter-perfect (for Brodeur, that is) autograph on a jersey. Too bad, though, he can't spell Colin's name.

~ It took less than an hour to complete an Atlanta Thrashers team helmet. Granted, it still needs Marian Hossa and Kari Lehtonen on it, but it does have some other recognizable names.

~ Like everyone else, we prayed for Boston's Patrice Bergeron.

~ I'm surprised that there isn't a line of people waiting for Hall of Famer Phil Esposito after every Lightning home game.

~ When it comes to hounding Ottawa, there's no shortage of stars to pick. Some days, though, are better than others.

~ A long way from Orono, Maine, I find a couple of Black Bears.

~ Carolina's Andrew Ladd signs puck No. 1,400. It's the third milestone puck of the year.

~ Simple math: 5x4=20.

~ The Calgary Flames, who took the Lightning to seven games for the 2004 Stanley Cup, provided one of the best days ever of across-the-board hounding.

~ Becoming infatuated with wallpapers

~ Witnessing a change in attitude by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sabres fans can rest assured, however, that the Loafs are still my least favorite team.

~ Watching Carolina goalie coach Tom Barrasso sign an autograph left me not just in shock, but in complete awe as well.

~ In the last NHL hounding trip of the year, I scored a nifty 50 out of the Montreal Canadiens.

Now, if you've read this far, please accept my most sincere appreciation. There's more than 30 entries. For every one that is here, there are another two that didn't make it.

Sunday morning homily XIV

If every other columnist/blogger -- from the small-town sage to the big-city blowhard -- can offer up resolutions and/or predictions for 2008, it's probably acceptable, within some circles, to tender these for your hockey-hounding consideration:

2008 resolutions

1.) Continue to remember that hounding is a hobby. A fun one, too. My work is within journalism, especially making the jump to multimedia efforts. Who knows? Maybe I'll do a video report on hounding for the paper. That's a good objective, isn't it?

2.) Continue to improve upon the breadth and quality of the collection. It's been a real hoot putting together signed sticks, especially the American-born goalie stick; team helmets, including the 1999 All Star Game helmet; and jerseys. Diversity is important.

3.) After skating for the first time in 14 years, and suffering no indignity or injury greater than a wet butt (I was using dull rental skates), I'll make it a more regular occurrence (twice a month, perhaps?). It was, and will be, a joy to skate with Colin.

2008 predictions

1.) We'll finish the 2007-08 season with more than 1,525 pucks. With a little effort, and some more cooperation from the Washington Capitals (and it's not just Ovie, either), closing out with 1,550 is within the realm of possibility.

2.) The 1,500th puck of the collection will be signed by a Vancouver Canucks player. Roberto Luongo, Markus Naslund or either of the Sedins would be nice, wouldn't it?

3.) The Lightning are toast. They won't even contend for the playoffs. So are Jay Feaster and John Tortorella. But I first said that in April. Tampa Bay thanks them, though, for the Cup.

300-plus pucks in a year

In researching Hound Central 3.0's review of 2007's hounding efforts, preliminary calculations show that 307 autographed pucks were added to the collection. I guess it was a good year. You can read more about it tomorrow.

5 Big Sigs

With the Dolts on the road until Jan. 10, when Sid and the Penguins come to Tampa, I'll be enjoying a little break from hounding.

It'll be a time to put away some pucks, update the files and get ready for Pittsburgh. And Colorado. And Edmonton.

Please know, too, that I'll start linking to any, and all, successes within this feature. In time, past installments, where applicable, will be linked.

Hockey Word Association 2.2

Among the shiny foil hats, penny-a-piece noisemakers and the overpriced bubbly, I'm sure you can find the time in the year's waning days to play along with this week's player-centric installment.

All you have to do is jot down the first word(s)/phrase that pops into your mind for the following players:

1.) Sidney Crosby =
2.) Thomas Vanek =
3.) Vinny Lecavalier =
4.) Carey Price =
5.) Jason Spezza =

Hitting 50

Within the game of hockey, there's something magical about the number 50. It represents a watershed mark for goal scorers, a number than clearly defines the difference between an awesome season and one that's merely great.

That philosophy, I believe, can be extended to hounding. To get 50 autographs in a single outing, let alone an entire day, is pretty remarkable. But that's what I was able to do Thursday when the Montreal Canadiens, in town to play the Lightning, headed to, and back from, the team's morning skate.

What really stands out, though, is the diversity of the additions to our collection:

~ Thirty cards with 31 signatures, including a Generations card featuring talented Canadiens past and present;
~ Nine pucks, including those shown above, as well as a pair from a promising rookie goalie;
~ Five cheap skate cards;
~ Three signatures from Montreal legends on a Canadiens replica jersey; and
~ Two wallpaper 8x10s signed by Saku Koivu and Alex Kovalev.

Pucks, shown above:
Top row: Kyle Chipchura and Cristobal Huet
Bottom row: Andrei Kostitsyn and Michael Ryder

Cards, shown below:
Top row: Francis Bouillon, Chris Higgins, Mike Komisarek and Andrei Kostitsyn
Bottom row: Maxim Lapierre, Guillaume Latendresse, Andrei Markov and Tomas Plekanic.

Get him now

It should come as no surprise that Montreal rookie goalie Carey Price drew a ton of attention Thursday as he made his way to and from the team's morning skate.

From glowing reports that he's the next Patrick Roy (we''ll see, I suppose) to the fact that his Young Guns card is fetching princely sums, I took advantage of the opportunity to have him sign a few items.

Despite this good fortune, I'm looking forward to Montreal's next trip to Tampa. Hopefully, I'll have tracked down a 8x10 for the young netminder.

Remember, the sooner you get young players like Price, the better off you'll be. Sometimes, their success goes to their head. Maybe Price will be different, but I won't be taking any chances.

Meatloaf was right

After getting Montreal's Saku Koivu and Andrei Kostitsyn to sign this Generations card, plucked from a pack of 2007-08 NHL FLeer Ultra, it's easy to see why two out of three ain't bad. Now, all I have to do is get Canadiens legend Guy Lafleur to complete the card.

Something for everyone

One of the nice things about using my so-called cheap skates cards, besides their uniqueness, is that they provide something for rookies or minor-league call-ups to sign.

Yesterday, with Montreal in town and its roster spotted with players lacking a significant number of cards, I was able to get, from top, Kyle Chipchura, a No. 1 pick; Maxim Lapierre and Ryan O'Byrne to sign these cards.

They may not be pretty, but they're certainly worth the effort. Bottom line, they serve a useful purpose.

Fish sticks, anyone?

Sure, it may be the ugliest logo ever to appear in the NHL, but I'm glad that Montreal assistant coach Kirk Muller signed this New York Islanders' infamous Gorton's fisherman logo puck.

I was a bit surprised, too, that Muller, a fairly chatty person, offered no commentary.

Some things, I suppose, are better left unsaid.

Returning the favor

A couple days ago, a friend of ours in New Hampshire was lamenting my ability to hound the Montreal Canadiens earlier today. It seems inclement weather, a balky clutch and a little gumption kept him from making the ride down to Beantown when the Habs were in town.

Not to worry, Johnny Boy. This wallpaper, signed by Montreal captain Saku Koivu, will soon get put in the mail, bound for a certain New Hampshire address, as a token of our appreciation for getting Hall of Famer Ray Bourque to sign a Bruins jersey for us.

Ten minutes is all it takes

And here's yet another instance where five minutes at Montreal's Web site, three minutes in a printer and two minutes waiting for the Canadiens' Alex Kovalev to sign this wallpaper adds up to one sweet autographed piece.

Top shelf

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that having Montreal's Bob Gainey, Guy Carbonneau and Doug Jarvis sign this Canadiens jersey certainly adds to the quality of the collection.

Bad boys

I suppose when your name makes the headlines only because you tried to hurt someone, there's a really good chance that Santa won't be smiling at you. Just ask Chris Simon, the New York Islanders forward who recently got dope-slapped with a 30-game suspension.

It seems that Simon, fresh off a 25-game sidelining for two-handing the Rangers' Ryan Hollweg last season, didn't learn his lesson -- attempting to injure Pittsburgh's Jarkko Ruutu by stepping on his skate. Pretty scary, in both instances.

Now, we all know hockey is a hard-hitting game. To some, myself included, there's little that's more exciting that a well-placed, legal hit that doesn't injure an opponent. However, Simon's recent actions, as well as those delivered by the other players listed, have no business in the game.

Let's hope that all players, not just Simon and the NHL's motley crew of thugs, goons and knuckle-draggers, get the message.

For the record, here are the results:

Question: Who's getting a lump of coal from Santa?

NYI's Chris Simon: 9 out of 14 votes cast (64.3 percent)
All of the above: 3 out of 14 (21.4 percent)
Philly's Randy Jones: 2 out of 14 (14.3 percent)
Philly's Jesse Boulerice: 0 votes
Phily's Steve Downie: 0 votes
Vancouver's Mattias Ohlund: 0 votes

Name this logo XVIII

If you don't know what or who this is, you really shouldn't look in your stocking tomorrow morning.

Ribbons and bows (sorry, guys) go out to Drew and Brett, for knowing that last week's logo belonged to the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League.

Remember, all answers must be left in the form of a comment.

Happy holidays!

Three and out

Once a team comes to town for the third time in a season, you really ought to be tying up the loose ends of your hounding efforts. In a sense, that's what we did Saturday with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Using mostly items downloaded from the team's Web site, something that has become somewhat of a preoccupation of mine, we focused on team items, adding another 27 autographs to the collection. And, as usual, he scored the most using team sheets, snagging 16 autographs from Rod Brind'Amour, Cam Ward, Ray Whitney and long-time toughie Tom Barrasso, the 'Canes new goalie coach.

Apparently, I was simply along for the ride, getting only one puck, this Team USA from Erik Cole. To my credit, I did get a couple cards each from John Grahame and Ladd.

For the second trip in a row, we missed out on Eric Staal. We saw him take his bags to the bus, but then he walked back into the hotel. It seems he's become fond of taking a back way out of the hotel. It's too bad, too, as they were only six of us waiting at game time.

Suffice it to say, barring any major trade that brings a big name to Tobacco Road, we're done with the Hurricanes for the year.

Easier than breathing

Yes, I've officially jumped aboard the wallpaper bandwagon. Especially after Carolina's Rod Brind'Amour was one of four Hurricanes to sign this image, availableat the team's Web site. Others signing were Cory Stillman, Andrew Ladd and Eric Cole.

Cam came through

It certainly made Colin's day when Carolina's Cam Ward signed this calendar-based wallpaper from the Hurricanes' Web site. The day only got better when Ward, one of the Goofy dude's favorite goalies, signed a team sheet and Colin's old Hurricanes jersey.

Shock and awe

I was more than a bit stunned Saturday when longtime toughie Tom Barrasso, now serving as a goaltender coach for the Carolina Hurricanes, stopped before Saturday's game to sign one of Colin's team sheets.

The book on Barrasso, and it's a pretty thick one, is that he can be more than a little rough when it comes to handling autographs requests. I could tell he wasn't too thrilled when Colin asked for his signature, but I have to give him credit for stopping. Pretty nice autograph, too.

From what I hear, he was true to form earlier in the day, blowing past about 15-20 people on his way to morning skate.

One of a kind

If you're looking for one of the more unique autographs within the NHL, look no further than Carolina's John Grahame.

It's an odd mixture of capital letters, dots and, to the best of my knowledge, primitive hieroglyphics.

Sunday morning homily XIII

Instead of worrying about Wiis, out-of-town in-laws and whether a puppy is a good idea for a Christmas present, we should all take time to remember the best presents we'll ever get: family.
Like the rest of you, the holidays are an easy time to get together. Some of us, like me, eat way too much. Some of us might over imbibe in holiday festivities. No problem, just as long as they don't drive. The bottom line? We have a great time.

Living in Florida, we tend to have more visitors. Our annual flow began earlier this week. Today, once Colin's auntie drives up from Naples, we'll check out the Florida Aquarium. Later this week, we'll take a cousin to the airport. A few days later, a great aunt arrives. Then, about 10 days later, my in-laws arrive.

Rather than view each of these visits as an errand, I like to think of each as extending the holiday season.

While it's nice getting presents and all, I've always believed those presents, no matter how good the intentions, eventually break, wear out or, for some reason beyond my comprehension, shrink a size or two. The memories that evolve from these get-togethers? Well, they last a lifetime.

And those, my friends, are the best presents.

Line of the year, so far

Carolina's Andrew Ladd, who signed the 1,400th puck of the collection, spent a few days back in the American Hockey League earlier this month.

Given this exchange as he signed a couple of cards before the 'Canes 4-1 victory over the Dolts last night, I believe suiting up with the Albany River Rats made an impression:

Puckhound: It's good to see you back up here.

Ladd: Thanks. It's good to be back.

Puckhound: Not that Albany isn't a nice city, and all.

Ladd: Grrrr-grumble-mumble-rrr (or something to that effect).

As a side note, Ladd scored Carolina's first goal, swatting in a rebound as he dove across the front of the net. Maybe, some of Albany's grit rubbed off on Ladd.

5 Big Sigs

Did you really think that I'd let something like Christmas week keep me from hounding the Montreal Canadiens later this week? C'mon, you should know me better than that.

Either way, and I really do mean that, here's what I'll try to add to the collection:

~ Any living Montreal Canadiens legend traveling with the team (any of the official ambassadors would be nice) on a replica jersey;
~ rookie Kyle Chipchura, a No. 1 pick, on a Canadiens puck;
~ Captain Saku Koivu on a wallpaper from the team's Web site
~ Assistant coach Kirk Muller on one of those New York Islanders' fish stick logo pucks; and
~ Rookie goalie Carey Price on Canadiens and Tri-City Americans pucks.

What's This? 2.4

Beyond the obvious -- a hand-painted hockey scene -- there's something pretty cool about this image. It's not so much what it is, but exactly what was it on.

An eagle-eye wahoo! are due Drew and Tracy for knowing that last week's image was a faceoff. I appreciate the attempts at specificity, but the easy answer sufficed.

Wanna play? Leave a comment. Thanks.

Haste means waste

It's not that I'm complaining or anything, but one of the risks of getting autographs through the mail is receiving a smudged card. Despite my best efforts to rub down a card and make it more receptive to ink, a player's haste, especially when dropping freshly signed cards back into the stamped, self-addressed envelope, can lead to less-than-perfect signatures.

Want proof? Take a look at these four cards received in yesterday's mail from San Jose's Steve Bernier. While we're most appreciative that he took the time to honor our request, three of the four autographs are smudged.

Still, though, no major quibbling. Bernier is the third player overall, and the first of the second round of mailings, to send back signed cards.

Well, that was different

My general disdain for all things Toronto Maple Leafs stems from two simple reasons -- I'm a fan of the Buffalo Sabres fan (one of the club's biggest rivals) and, for the most part, Leafs players seem to have a certain arrogance about them.

Sure, they play in Toronto, a hockey-mad city if there ever was one. And the Leafs are members of the Original Six. But, for a team that hasn't won a Cup in decades, one would think that they would be more humble.

Fortunately, I encountered very little of the Leafs' smug attitude Thursday morning, adding another 27 autographs to the collection. Even more surprising, however, were some of the players who stopped to sign -- noted toughies Jason Blake, Alexander Steen, Vesa Toskala and Darcy Tucker.

All in all, though, it was a pretty solid effort for a morning skate. Among the highlights:

~ Captain Mats Sundin signing the 1999 NHL All Star Game helmet, though it took about a five-block stroll to get him to sign it;
~ Six pucks, including the three shown above, from left, by Mark Bell, Toskala and Tucker;
~ Four cards from Nikolai Antropov and Alexei Ponikarovsky; and
~ A couple of 8x10s, downloaded as wallpaper's from the Leafs' Web site, from Tomas Kaberle and Toronto's Young Guns -- Matt Stajan, Steen and Kyle Wellwood.

Cards shown below, from left, are Antropov, Wade Belak and Ponikarovsky.

Change of heart?

It used to be that Toronto's Jason Blake had a reputation for being a less-than-willing signer whenever a hound was lucky enough to see him on the road.

Given his recent diagnosis of the rare, but treatable, chronic myelogenous leukemia, and the outpouring of support he has received, perhaps the pesky player has softened his stance toward signing.

These two pucks, signed before Thursday's morning skate in Tampa, are a testament to my observation.

They know him now

For the longest time, especially down here in the states, Toronto's Nikolai Antropov has flown under the radar of fans and hounds.

That's hardly the case anymore, as the Leafs lanky center, who I watched play in the American Hockey League a few years ago, draws increasingly bigger crowds among collectors, dealers and fans.

This card, which features NHL players with their lockout-induced teams, was one of four that the amiable Antropov signed Thursday.

Yeah, so I'm cheap

Yes, I know that Toronto rookie Jiri Tlusty embarrassed himself recently through the discovery of, shall we say, certain self portraits on the Internet. That didn't keep me from having him sign some cheap skates cards, including this one.

Others signing cheap skate cards Thursday were fellow rookies Anton Stralman and Andy Wozniewski.

Three on one

It took a little hustle on my part (no easy feat after this week's bout with food poisoning - avoid Johnny Rocket's at BayWalk in St. Petersburg), but I believe it was worth it to get Toronto's Young Guns, from left, Kyle Wellwood, Matt Stajan and Alexander Steen to sign this image, available as a wallpaper at the Leafs' Web site.

Unfortunately, Steen's autograph, in silver, didn't come out as nicely as I had hoped. Still, though, it's a pretty sweet piece.

Exhibit B

Toronto's Tomas Kaberle provides another example of using a wallpaper downloaded from a team's Web site to get an autograph.

As a side note, I shared with Kaberle that Colin was a 6-year-old defenseman-in-training, just starting to learn to skate backwards.

"That's the easiest part," he said.

What do you think?

To Vancouver: Brad Richards, Dan Boyle and Marc Denis

To Tampa: Roberto Luongo, Ryan Kesler and Aaron Miller

Hockey Word Association 2.1

Even though it's the second installment of this mental exercise, I'm sure you know the drill.

Hound Central 3.0 offers a word/phrase, which is related to hockey, and you provide the first word/phrase that pops into your mind.

It's that easy.

Remember, too, that your answers can be left in a comment.

1.) Puck =
2.) Cross-ice pass =
3.) Goon =
4.) Kick save =
5.) Scorer =

Name this logo XVII

Congratulations are in order for Tracy for knowing that last week's logo was the Toronto Tecumsehs, a member of the National Hockey Association.

For Tracy, it was her second win in a row.

This week's logo is more modern and, perhaps, more appropriate of the Halloween season, not Christmas.

As always, the answer is at Chris Creamer's sports logo site.

Under the tree

Readers of Hound Central 3.0 made it quite clear what they wanted for Christmas this season -- a Stanley Cup for their favorite team.

Among the 21 votes cast, eight people were willing to wait until June to tear the wrapping off their shiny present. I can't say that I'd blame them, too. Anything worth having, such as the Stanley Cup, is certainly worth the wait.

There was a tie for the second-most popular item: four people each wanted a Sidney Crosby autograph (really, who doesn't? The previous Hound Central 3.0 poll found that Crosby was the league's toughest autograph.) or a fresh box of blue Sharpies (my vote).

I also appreciate the honesty of three voters, who know their naughtiness could very well mean nothing from Santa.

For the record, here are the results:

Question: What do you want Santa to bring you this hockey season?

A Stanley Cup for my team: 8 votes out of 21 cast (38 percent)
Sidney Crosby's autograph: 4 out of 21 (19 percent)
A fresh box of blue Sharpies: 4 out of 21 (19 percent)
Nothing, I've been naughty: 3 out of 21 (14.2 percent)
Bauer Vapor XXX skates: 2 out of 21 (9.5 percent)
RBK 9K O-Tech stick: 0 votes

The law of averages

Within the confines of the hockey universe, there lies a board of counsel that determines of matters of fate within the game. They are, and rightly so, the hockey gods. On Saturday, with the Washington Capitals in town, I was reminded -- once again -- of their presence.

Earlier this week, when the Calgary Flames came to Tampa for the first time since Game 7 of the 2004 Stanley Cup finals. Being able to commit a full day to hounding, I posted my best autographed puck day of the season: 23, including such players as Jarome Iginla, Miikka Kiprusoff, Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regehr. The hockey gods, I presume, were smiling upon me.

The latest trip, just before the Capitals beat the Lightning, 3-2, was very humbling.

Not only did we arrive late (thanks, mostly, to my own dubbing around), missing Alex Ovechkin and Olaf Kolzig as they boarded the early ride, but we weren't able to cover both entrances. I'm sure more than a handful of players we didn't see - Chris Clark, Steve Eminger, Eric Fehr and Alexander Semin, among others -- grabbed a cab from the side door.

Once I heard, much to my disbelief, that no one asked Kolzig to sign, I was pretty disappointed. I had four pucks, including one from the Tri-City (Wash.) Americans, a Western Hockey League team in which he owns a stake. You can be sure I would've asked, had I gotten there earlier.

Really, adding another 25 autographs, including these seven on Colin's team sheet, shouldn't elicit a negative word. Brent Johnson signed the American-born goalie stick and four cards. Brian Pother signed four cards, as well.

There are plenty of people who would be more than happy to get than many in a day.

I suppose I've been getting spoiled lately. As I keep telling myself, one is better than none.

Pucks, shown above, are: Donald Brashear, Capitals new logo; Mike Green, Capitals; and Matt Pettinger, Capitals new logo.

Cards, below, are: Green, Johnson, Milan Jurcina and Pothier.

An assist

Here's another instance, using a dual jersey card of Washington's Brian Pothier, where a quick signature only adds to its appeal. Pothier, of New Bedford, Mass., played for Atlanta before the Caps.

Sunday morning homily XII

I've reached that point in the season where, from the standpoint of attending Lightning games, a short break will be welcomed. More than anything else, it's been four-straight super-long Saturdays (really, they start at 8 a.m. Fridays and end about 1 a.m. Sundays) that have me feeling drained. I'm sure, too, that nine hounding trips in that time have something to do with it as well.

Lately, though, I'm getting tired of watching the Lightning lose. Or, to be even more specific, not even try, like they did last night in their lackluster effort against the Capitals.

In the interest of full disclosure, and this shouldn't be a shock to most Hound Central 3.0 readers, the Lightning are my "hometown" team, but not my favorite team. On several occasions, I'll root for other teams -- first and foremost, my true hometown team, the Buffalo Sabres. Our Bruins gear gets used twice a season, too, but that's only because of Colin's allegiance to the team.

I can't imagine what it's like to be a true Lightning fan these days. For a team to have such talented players as Vinny Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis, and, to some extent, Brad "Dime on a Dollar" Richards, it's hard to fathom how the Lightning couldn't muster more than 13 shots over the second and third periods.

But, wait, there's more.

So far this season, we've seen the Bolts blow three-goal leads, get blown out and, at best, play catch-up until getting gassed in the third. Even as a casual Lightning fan, it's far beyond frustrating. And, again, what I saw last night was the most uninspired hockey I've seen in years.

Earlier this month, Lightning GM Jay Feaster threatened to shake up the team if it didn't turn around its season. And while some believe that an impending sale (show me a real deal, please) will keep the team from making moves, the organization does that at its own peril. The Lightning must try to correct its offseason mistakes (Michel Wallet, Jan Hlavac and fragile Chris Gratton) and take nearly full advantage of its commodities -- only Vinny is untouchable.

If the Lightning doesn't make this effort, I'm sure diehard fans will question their commitment, in terms of dollars, to the team. Empty seats, I imagine, will fetch far fewer dollars.

There's no opera in hockey

Anyone who has attended a hockey game, from high school on up to the NHL, knows that the national anthem(s) is part of the pregame drill. It's a time to show, no matter how bad your pipes, a bit of patriotism.

Just this past Thursday, Colin and I were among the loudest singers of the Canadian and American national anthems (two of the first songs I taught him).

For the most part, though, I rarely extend my comments beyond that. I can't help myself, however, from commenting on last night's anthem singer at the Capitals-Lightning debacle. To me, she sang the song like a soloist in an opera. Though she had a wonderful, classically trained voice, it seemed so out of place.

While I can't pinpoint what would be the best approach to singing it (wholesomeness and not ear-splitting high notes leap to mind), the sport, despite the white shirts' best efforts, should never forget its blue-collar roots. Gimme someone with a decent voice and, most likely, an understanding of the game.

If I want to listen to opera, I'll watch PBS.

5 Big Sigs

With the Toronto Maple Leafs (as a dedicated hound, I won't let my disdain for the Loafs keep me away) and Carolina Hurricanes coming to town this week, perhaps we'll add these to the collection:

~ Toronto's Mats Sundin on the 1999 NHL All-Star Game helmet;
~ Toronto's Tomas Kaberle on a Czech Republic wallpaper picture;
~ Toronto's Matt Stajan, Alexander Steen and Kyle Wellwood on a Maple Leafs' Young Guns wallpaper collage;
~ Carolina's Cam Ward on a 2004-05 Choice Lowell Lock Monsters team set card; and
~ two full Carolina Hurricanes team sheets by Colin.

A major haul

I'll have to admit to feeling a little bit of pressure when it came to hounding the Calgary Flames on Thursday, thanks to loyal Hound Central 3.0 reader Brett's comments that he was looking forward to reading about my haul from his hometown team.

It only intensified, too, when I heard that the team was, let's say, less than willing as the players made their way to an afternoon practice Wednesday at the St. Pete Times Forum. The players would sign, but many were limiting their autographs to one each.

Well, the Flames must had some great meals and a restful night of slumber because I found most of the team to be capable, pleasant and willing signers. How good were they? We added another 56 autographs, including 22 pucks and 11 players, including Adrian Aucoin and Owen Nolan, on Colin's team sheet.

Now, if we can post those kinds of numbers from a "grumpy" team, imagine how many we could've added from a not-so-grumpy team?

All kidding aside, Thursday was one of those days, even despite some minor disappointments, that reinforce the reason why we're building this collection.

All the big names - Jarome Iginla, Miikka Kiprusoff and Dion Phaneuf signed. And Craig Conroy and Daymond Langkow joined Kiprusoff in signing three pucks each.

We did miss Iginla, Kiprusoff and Phaneuf on the team sheet, as they opted to take the bus, rather than walk, at game time. All in all, though, it was a pretty memorable day.

In fact, I believe we got an autograph from every member of the team, as well as the coaches. Not a bad day, if you ask me. I guess Brett was right. It was a haul.

Pucks, shown above:
Top row: Eric Godard, Kristian Huselius and Mike Keenan;
Bottom row: Eric Nystrom, Cory Sarich and Alex Tanguay.

Cards, show below:
Top row: Dustin Boyd, Matthew Lombardi and Curtis McElhinney;
Bottown row: Wayne Primeau, Eric Nystrom and Stephane Yelle.

Playing a hunch

Though I carried four pucks Thursday morning for Calgary's Jarome Iginla, I offered only these two for the Flames captain to sign. My line of thinking? He probably gets tired of seeing, and signing, Calgary and Dallas pucks.

Though I can't say for certain, but I believe using the 2004 World Cup of Hockey-Canada and Kamloops Blazers pucks went a long way toward getting both signed.

Three's better than one

On-scene intelligence Wednesday night about Calgary's Miikka Kiprusoff led me to expect just one autographed puck from the Flames goalie Thursday morning. Imagine my surprise then when Kipper signed these three pucks, one of three hat tricks I received from Flames players.

A hat trick of hat tricks

Calgary's Miikka Kiprusoff wasn't the only Flames player to sign a hat trick of pucks for me. Craig Conroy (above) and Daymond Langkow (below) completed the hat trick of hat tricks. It's cool, too, how Conroy remembered each number.

Tough guys

Not that I'm complaining (too much) or anything, but Calgary's Owen Nolan, Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regehr could brush up on their social skills. Though each player signed Thursday morning, limiting their efforts to one-per (which is fine by me), they were, at best, abrupt with those requesting autographs.

To wit:

Nolan: He wasn't very chatty and when he did speak, it was nearly in a whisper. For most collectors, getting an autograph represents a moment and a memory. For a guy on the downside of his career, one would think that he'd want to leave fans with a better impression. I'm not saying that we should've debated the effects of greenhouse gases, but some simple conversation, even if it's about the weather, shouldn't be too much to ask.

Phaneuf: Sure, he had five assists in Calgary's 9-6 drubbing of the Bolts, but this guy was downright rude to some people. To one collector, he asked "What's my name?" If he had asked me that question, I probably would've responded "It's Jerk with a capital J." (Actually, I would've used another word, describing an orifice of the human body, but children, or lawyers out in California, might be reading this.)

Regehr: His signing-while-walking routine reminded some of Anaheim's Todd Bertuzzi, but what troubled me was when he shot down Colin's request Thursday afternoon for his team sheet. "Sorry, buddy, but I signed this morning." Real classy, Robyn. Real classy.

No worse for wear

It was somewhat of a pleasant surprise when Tampa Bay's Tim Taylor, recovering from hip resurfacing surgery earlier this season, sneaked up, so to speak, upon hounds yesterday at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Taylor, who signed this OHL London Knights puck, said he's feeling better every day and looking forward to getting back into games.

What's This? 2.3

Because it's the holiday season, and I've spent about two hours wrapping Christmas presents for you-know-who, this installment, and especially the ease that's represented, is my gift to you.

Congratulations are in order for Jaci and Tracy for knowing that What's This? 2.2 was a player from a table-top hockey game.

As always, answers should be submitted within a comment.

Tricks of the Trade: Using the Web

When it comes to preparing to hound an NHL team, there is no greater resource than the Web. It goes beyond research, too. With a little effort, you can find all kinds of information and items you can get signed.

Here are three suggestions that should improve your hockey hounding:

~ Before every hounding trip, I make sure I check out the American Hockey League's transactions page. A quick trip here will show last-minute call-ups or demotions. It's very helpful, too, that you can search by teams.

~ Team sites offer a wealth of information. Digging around a team's news page can yield such useful information as game notes, practice times and road trip details. Most teams or newspapers offer "insider" information as well. In some cases, though, you'll have to sign up to receive this information electronically. News like this can only help you know more about a team.

~ And while you'll find information on a team's Web site, make sure you also check out the multimedia sections. There you'll find downloadable images, primarily wallpapers for your computer, that work real well for signing. Granted, you'll have to print them yourself, but the image is free.

Hockey Word Association 2.0

Because Hound Central 3.0 tries to be a full-service, fan-friendly blog, please welcome back, for its second season, Hockey Word Association.

A well-earned elbow in the ear, too, to Jeff, an old Arcade (N.Y.) Hockey League buddy, for the suggestion.

You know the rules. I'll make five suggestions. You write down, preferably within a comment, the first words or phrase that pop into your mind.

Here we go:

1.) Benched =
2.) Best team, so far =
3.) Thugs =
4.) Lighting the lamp =
5.) Diver =

For example, here are mine:

1.) Benched = Tampa Bay's Doug Janik after coughing up the puck Saturday, a turnover that gave the Islanders a third-period goal. (Kinda long, I know, but I get to make up the rules)
2.) Best team, so far = Not the Sabres
3.) Thugs = Philadelphia Flyers
4.) Lighting the lamp = Trimming the tree
5.) Diver = New York's Sean Avery

Enjoy!

A huge draw

I don't know what it it about New York's hockey teams, but they certainly draw a crowd whenever they come to Tampa to play the Lightning. It doesn't matter whether it's the Sabres, Rangers or Islanders, either. These teams bring out their fans.

It was the Islanders' turn this past Saturday. Having heard stories, from fellow hounds and a player, that the morning session was pretty brutal, I figured the game time session could be just as bad. And though there were more people than normal (say about 20-25 people, compared with an average dozen to 15), it was pretty manageable.


How manageable? Well, we added 58 autographs, including 29 cards alone. Besides cards from Sean Bergenheim and Bruno Gervais, Lisa got five different players to sign four cards each, too.

Colin worked two team sheets, getting 18 players, coaches and team staff to sign.

As usual, I brought up the rear, getting seven pucks, including the four shown above, clockwise from top left, by Bryan Berard, Gerard Gallant, Josef Vasicek and Richard Park. Islanders captain Bill Guerin also signed a puck.

Rick DiPietro, Mike Dunham and Islanders general manager Garth Snow all signed the American-born goalies stick.

Kid's play

When it comes to Colin getting autographs, nothing works better than these homemade team sheets. They're easy for everyone involved. The fact that they're unique, even down to the date, only enhances collectibility.

Colin put these to good use Saturday afternoon, getting 18 players, coaches and team staff to sign the sheets.

Players who signed the top sheet include Chris Campoli, Bruno Gervais, Bill Guerin, Ted Nolan and Brendan Witt.

General manager Garth Snow and Miroslav Satan were among those who signed the bottom sheet.

In fact, about the only issue I have with these sheets is whether to use one of two. I like the idea of two, not just because I made two, but because they are so simple to use.

I need to remember, though, to limit the first sheet to say 10-11 autographs, rather than the 14. Adding another three to four to the second sheet would help fill it out.

Exhibit A

Earlier this season, when I wrote about improving the quality of the collection, this puck, from Islanders captain Bill Guerin, was what I had in mind.

Having him sign this card, as well as Colin's team sheet, were a couple nice Christmas bonuses.

I was a bit surprised, though, that he signed the Dallas puck over an Islanders puck. I hope I'm not reading too much into this.

Second gear

From what I heard, New York's Freddy Meyer got mobbed Saturday morning, being one of the first players to head out for the morning skate. It explains why he took a little time to stop later that afternoon and sign this wallpaper image from the Islanders Web site.

It didn't hurt, too, that I told him ("You're telling me that a Rochester kid won't sign for another Rochester kid?") he and Colin were from the same New Hampshire city. He stopped, was introduced to Colin, signed the photo and posed for a picture.

After the morning he had, and he did share the morning bombardment, that was a pretty solid move. Thanks, Freddy.