Showing posts with label L.A. Kings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label L.A. Kings. Show all posts

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Wasn't even close

As expected, the Tampa Bay Lightning made quick work of their No. 1 overall pick at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, selecting center Steven Stamkos of the Sarnia Sting. Still, though, that didn't end the drama inside Scotiabank Place in Kanata, Ontario.

The biggest question, it seems, was who would go second overall -- Guelph's Drew Doughty or Petersborough's Zach Bogosian?

Once again, Hound Central 3.0's readers proved their hockey IQ by overwhelmingly picking Doughty, who went second to Los Angeles, over Bogosian, taken third by Atlanta.

Question: Who will be the No. 2 pick overall at the 2008 NHL Draft?

Drew Doughty: 15 out of 21 votes cast (71.4 percent)
Zach Bogosian: 6 out of 21 (28.6 percent)

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.