A quick run through the Tampa Bay Lightning's 2008-09 home schedule shows that I'll be making at least 25 trips over to Tampa to hound visiting teams in the months ahead.
All told, nine teams visiting from the Western Conference should help diversify the collection. Three teams -- the Blackhawks, Blue Jackets and Blues -- offer first-time hounding opportunities.
Here are my top five trips:
Saturday, Oct. 18 - Minnesota Wild: Despite having a ton of pucks, health reasons forced me to skip the Wild's visit last season. The early season appearance allows an opportunity for redemption.
Thursday, Nov. 13 - Detroit Red Wings: Though I'm expecting this team to draw a large crowd, the prospect of snagging some of the Wings' big names makes this too tempting to pass up. At the least, I need Marian Hossa to complete last season's Thrashers team helmet.
Thursday, Dec. 4 - Boston Bruins: This could be Patrice Bergeron's first visit to Humidity Bay in more than a year. His little buddy can't wait to see him.
Monday, Jan. 19, 2009 - Dallas Stars: Our Brad Richards collection wouldn't be complete without an autographed Stars puck. I'm sure, too, that I'll find something for Mike Modano.
Tuesday, Feb. 17 - Chicago Blackhawks: Hopefully, one Buffalo kid (me) will meet another Buffalo kid (Patrick Kane). If not, there's always Jonathan Toews, whose autograph would look good on a University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux puck.
Showing posts with label Chicago Blackhawks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicago Blackhawks. Show all posts
Monday, July 28, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
The only award show I watch
Five things about last night's NHL awards ceremony in Toronto:
~ Perhaps it was a bit too predictable, but the NHL's awarding of its first Lifetime Achievement Award to Gordie Howe was pretty darn touching. I can't help but wonder, though, if that award will someday be named after Mr. Hockey.
~ It was nice to see Tampa Bay's Vinny Lecavalier honored across the league for his philanthropic efforts, winning the King Clancy Memorial Trophy. Then again, Hockey Bay has known about Vinny's off-the-ice contributions for some time.
~ I guess I shouldn't have been so surprised that Washington's Bruce Boudreau won the Jack Adams Award, for the NHL's best coach. Long before he took his spot behind the Capitals' bench, I watched quite a few games when he was coach of the AHL's Manchester (N.H.) Monarchs. Though he had a tough time getting the Monarchs deep into the playoffs, he led the Hershey Bears to the 2006 Calder Cup championship.
~ Someone from the Anchor Bar ought to send Chicago's Patrick Kane a couple heaping, steaming plates of chicken wings for his shout-out to Buffalo during his acceptance speech after winning the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie. As a native western New Yorker, it's always sweet to see a Buffalo kid do good.
~ For as long as Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk has played in the NHL, don't you think that his English would be a bit better by now. I must admit, though, his acceptance speeches for winning the Frank Selke (defensive forward) and Lady Byng (gentlemanly player) trophies had to be among the shortest in award show history.
~ Perhaps it was a bit too predictable, but the NHL's awarding of its first Lifetime Achievement Award to Gordie Howe was pretty darn touching. I can't help but wonder, though, if that award will someday be named after Mr. Hockey.
~ It was nice to see Tampa Bay's Vinny Lecavalier honored across the league for his philanthropic efforts, winning the King Clancy Memorial Trophy. Then again, Hockey Bay has known about Vinny's off-the-ice contributions for some time.
~ I guess I shouldn't have been so surprised that Washington's Bruce Boudreau won the Jack Adams Award, for the NHL's best coach. Long before he took his spot behind the Capitals' bench, I watched quite a few games when he was coach of the AHL's Manchester (N.H.) Monarchs. Though he had a tough time getting the Monarchs deep into the playoffs, he led the Hershey Bears to the 2006 Calder Cup championship.
~ Someone from the Anchor Bar ought to send Chicago's Patrick Kane a couple heaping, steaming plates of chicken wings for his shout-out to Buffalo during his acceptance speech after winning the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie. As a native western New Yorker, it's always sweet to see a Buffalo kid do good.
~ For as long as Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk has played in the NHL, don't you think that his English would be a bit better by now. I must admit, though, his acceptance speeches for winning the Frank Selke (defensive forward) and Lady Byng (gentlemanly player) trophies had to be among the shortest in award show history.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Ayuh, I've been to Maine
With Team USA and Sweden opening training camps in and around Portland, Maine, later this week (April 24-30) for the upcoming World Championships, I'm going through a rather severe case of hockey homesickness. And it's not just because of the missed hounding opportunities.
No, I'm a big fan of Portland. It's a cool city. Old, brick and granite buildings. Lots of 'em. Commercial Street separates a working waterfront and a bustling downtown. Expect trendy gift shops and the requisite prices. The restaurants could be better, but there are some brew pubs, namely Three Dollar Deweys, worth visiting, too.
My favorite thing to do in Portland, and this should come as no great surprise, was hockey hounding. Many a winter's night, after making the 45-minute, mostly back-road ride to Portland to take in the game, I stood outside the Cumberland County Civic Center, snagging autographs from then-AHL stars Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Jason Spezza and Eric Staal.
Portland is, by far, the easiest place I've ever collected autographs. The players' entrance fronts Spring Street. At game time, most walk down from the hotel or parking garage. Post-game, the bus parks right outside the doors.
Who's worth hounding? How about these players?
Team USA: Buffalo's Jason Pominville and Drew Stafford, Carolina's Tim Gleason, Chicago's Patrick Kane, Edmonton's Tom Gilbert, Los Angeles' Dustin Brown and Patrick O'Sullivan, New Jersey's Zach Parise and Phoenix's Peter Mueller and Keith Ballard.
Team Sweden: Ex-Islander Kenny Jonsson, Los Angeles' Erik Ersberg and Vancouver's Alexander Edler. It's too bad such players as Vancouver's Markus Naslund and the Sedin twins, Daniel and Henrik declined their invitations.
Even though I can't be there, here's hoping that someone takes advantage of this opportunity. I'll bet that some of Boston's hounding crew will be there. If not, they'll miss out.
No, I'm a big fan of Portland. It's a cool city. Old, brick and granite buildings. Lots of 'em. Commercial Street separates a working waterfront and a bustling downtown. Expect trendy gift shops and the requisite prices. The restaurants could be better, but there are some brew pubs, namely Three Dollar Deweys, worth visiting, too.
My favorite thing to do in Portland, and this should come as no great surprise, was hockey hounding. Many a winter's night, after making the 45-minute, mostly back-road ride to Portland to take in the game, I stood outside the Cumberland County Civic Center, snagging autographs from then-AHL stars Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Jason Spezza and Eric Staal.
Portland is, by far, the easiest place I've ever collected autographs. The players' entrance fronts Spring Street. At game time, most walk down from the hotel or parking garage. Post-game, the bus parks right outside the doors.
Who's worth hounding? How about these players?
Team USA: Buffalo's Jason Pominville and Drew Stafford, Carolina's Tim Gleason, Chicago's Patrick Kane, Edmonton's Tom Gilbert, Los Angeles' Dustin Brown and Patrick O'Sullivan, New Jersey's Zach Parise and Phoenix's Peter Mueller and Keith Ballard.
Team Sweden: Ex-Islander Kenny Jonsson, Los Angeles' Erik Ersberg and Vancouver's Alexander Edler. It's too bad such players as Vancouver's Markus Naslund and the Sedin twins, Daniel and Henrik declined their invitations.
Even though I can't be there, here's hoping that someone takes advantage of this opportunity. I'll bet that some of Boston's hounding crew will be there. If not, they'll miss out.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Early spring chores?
We received these cards from Chicago's Patrick Sharp in today's mail. It made we wonder about something. Do you think Chicago's absence from the NHL playoffs has anything to do with its arrival? I suppose it does.Sharp, part of Round 3 of Hound Central 3.0's TTM project, is the third current or former member of the Blackhawks to return signed cards. The others? Duncan Keith and Tuomo Ruutu, now with Carolina.
Friday, February 1, 2008
TTM: Round 4
Just when I start thinking that it's time to end this little project, an increasing number of responses found their way to our mailbox over the past few weeks.Who signed? How about these:
~ Four cards from Los Angeles' Anze Kopitar;
~ Four cards from Phoenix's Zbynek Michalek; and
~ Four cards from St. Louis' Lee Stempniak.
Earlier this week, Chicago's Duncan Keith, part of the second batch of requests sent on Halloween, became the latest player to return cards. Though I'm certain that four cards were sent to the Blackhawks defenseman, only three were sent back signed. Oh, well, what can I say?
Encouraged by these recent returns, Round 4 of Hound Central 3.0's TTM project features these five players:
~ Boston's Phil Kessel;
~ Buffalo's Drew Stafford;
~ Carolina's Cam Ward;
~ Minnesota's Mikko Koivu; and
~ San Jose's Matt Carle.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
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.
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