Not so fast

It's normal, I suppose, to vote with your heart more often than with your head. Visions of glory silence voices of reason. Idealism trumps realism. Poop, I'm afraid, happens.

Take Montreal's rookie netminder Carey Price, for instance.

When the latest Hound Central 3.0 poll, launched before the second round of the NHL playoffs, asked which player would take home the Conn Smythe Trophy for their efforts as the quest for Lord Stanley's Cup pushes toward summer, Price took an early lead, one that he never relinquished. Of the 39 votes cast, the goalie garnered 15, or 38.5 percent.

Now that his Canadiens are facing elimination at the hands of the Philadelphia Flyers, a position that can be blamed on an apparent weak glove, those hopeful votes cast in his support appear to be in vain. Funny thing, too: The poll allows visitors to change their votes.

As expected, Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Washington's Alex Ovechkin, finished tied among voters, each receiving six votes. It further proves, I believe, the lifelong comparison that will follow these two players.

I was a bit surprised that Someone Else, who also received six votes, didn't do better. Given playoff performances by Philly's Martin Biron, Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin, Detroit's Johan Franzen and Chris Osgood, there are plenty of players worthy of consideration.

Question: Which player will win the Conn Smythe Trophy?

Montreal's Carey Price: 15 out of 39 votes cast (38.5 percent)
Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby: 6 out of 39 (15.4 percent)
Washington's Alex Ovechkin: 6 out of 39 (15.4 percent)
Someone else: 6 out of 39 (15.4 percent)
Philadelphia's Danny Briere: 3 out of 39 (7.7 percent)
Pittsburgh's Marc-Andre Fleury: 2 out of 39 (5.1 percent)
San Jose's Evgeni Nabokov: 1 out of 39 (2.5 percent)
Minnesota's Marian Gaborik: No votes

AO vs. Sid

Perhaps the results would have been closer had not an injury been involved, but regular visitors to Hound Central 3.0 said Washington's Alexander Ovechkin is a better player than Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby by more than a 2-to-1 margin in the most recent poll.

In a sense, it's easy to see why. Ovechkin, barring he doesn't get hurt, will be the first player to reach 50 goals this season and, in all likelihood, will lead the league in scoring. Crosby, meanwhile, has spent the past month or so recuperating from a high ankle sprain.

To me, Ovechkin brings excitement and passion to the game. He loves to play. He loves to shoot. And he's willing to dish out, and absorb, some punishment. Crosby, however, is the type of player you build championships around, surrounding him with talented players who only complement his skills. Unlike Ovechkin, he's not the only star on the squad.

Though the intent of the poll was to compare apples to apples, it became more of comparing a Granny Smith apple with a stalk of organic rhubarb. Simply put, there is no comparison today. Down the road, though, we'll have to see what happens.

My concern is that Ovechkin's style of play will ultimately limit the time he's in the league. Should Crosby fully recover from what is often a nagging injury, I believe time will show that the short-term view of Ovechkin, though completely warranted, will give way to Crosby's longevity.

Here are the results:

Question: Who's better?

Alexander Ovechkin: 28 out of 40 votes cast (70 percent)
Sidney Crosby: 12 out of 40 (30 percent)

Baby steps

Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby, it seems, is getting brave. In what appears to be his favorite trick to avoid autograph hounds, the face of the today's NHL routinely limits his public exposure by limiting those instances to mere seconds, not moments.

Rather than have the hotel courtesy van park within 4 feet of the front door, as he did last year in a visit to Tampa, the Next One graciously allowed the driver to park 8 feet away yesterday. Four feet might not seem that great a distance, but it represented a giant leap in the young ambassador's maturation process.

The extra distance gave five hounds -- all collectors, too -- a glimpse of Crosby. We asked him if he would sign, but all he did was look over. No wave. No smile. Not even an "I'll sign for you later."

Oh, well, what can I say? I tried. My low expectations for Crosby were fulfilled.

Thanks again, Sidney. You're a real friend of the fans.

Forget Sidney

One circus, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey show, just left town. Later tonight, following a game near Miami, another circus, the Pittsburgh Penguins, comes to town.

As a hound, I know I should be excited about this. It's a team full of stars -- young and old: Sid the Kid, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, Gary Roberts, Sergei Gonchar and Petr Sykora. There's also players like Colby Armstrong, Georges Laraque and Ryan Whitney. It's what I call a target-rich environment.

But, for that reason alone, I can't wait for it to be over. Teams like Pittsburgh, and players like Crosby and Malkin, are gigantic draws. Every collector, myself included, and, unfortunately, every dealer will be out in full force on Thursday, hoping to add, respectively, to their collections or, in the cases of dealers, their wallets.

That's where it gets difficult.

As a collector, I merely want to add autographed items from big-name players. If I don't, well, there's always the next trip. And the trip after that. And the trip after that. Sooner or later, it'll happen. I just can't way when or where, but we'll get them for our collection.

The know-little dealers, though, have to get these items. If not, they don't make money. That's why some scrounge up local drop-outs, hand them a 16x20 team/arena picture and put them to work. Then again, who am I to question how someone else makes a living?

Still, the Penguins will likely draw 40-plus people Thursday morning. At least 25 will be dealers. I'll let them go first.

Last season, we tried twice to get Crosby to sign Colin's Penguins #87 jersey. Both times, Crosby came close, but someone else in the scrum got the autograph. One time, it was a man, in his 50s, who was staying at the team's hotel. Just as it looked like Crosby would sign Colin's jersey, the man slipped his jersey in front of Colin.

Needless to say, this man soon had a 350-pound-plus bee buzzing in his ear as he hurriedly walked back to the hotel. Somehow, his trembling tale that the jersey was for his grandson fell on deaf ears. Trust me, it wasn't my finest moment.

Crosby, too, has some complicity in these scenes. Though his on-ice skills compare favorably with Wayne Gretzky, the kid, as well as his young mates, could learn one trick from the Great One: Have everyone line up, with one item each, and just sign his/their way down the line. Sounds simple, doesn't it?

Because that's unlikely to happen, I'm taking a different approach with the Penguins. Low expectations will rule the day. There are plenty of other players filling the Penguins roster. For every Crosby, there a Erik Christensen. For every Malkin, there's a Brooks Orpik. For every Staal, there's another three Staals.

However, if a small group or one-on-one situation presents itself, I'll be prepared for it. Colin's Crosby jersey, the one he wanted to get signed last season, is packed.

C'mon, Sidney, it'll take only 15 seconds.

Sunday morning homily XV

Here at Hound Central 3.0's headquarters, we've been operating at a level just slightly below DefCon 4 over the past 24 hours. With the holidays over, we begin our busiest season of the year. Nope, it's not baseball. Spring training's about six weeks away.

Our double-timing, 18-plus-hour days are focused on one objective: family visits. While we welcome the chance to spend time with loved ones from back home, it always seems to catch us by surprise how quickly it happens after the holidays. That, and the wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling cleaning that comes with it.

The late start to this morning's homily, still being written past the lunchtime hour, was brought about by an old lesson: do your chores before you play. That's why I spent the past three hours taking down and putting away most of our Christmas decorations, sweeping porches and tightening up rocking chairs.

It was only after completing those chores could I find the time for my weekly obligation. It just wouldn't seem right.

Our company starts arriving this afternoon. Colin's Nana and Babop fly down Wednesday. I'll soon have back-to-back four-day weekends. I wouldn't have it any other way. Now that the chores are done, it's time to kick back and play.

Boys will be boys

It seems that the University of Maine mens hockey team has a wicked-good sense of humor. The Black Bears, in Florida for a holiday tournament down in Estero, stopped by the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon on New Year's Eve day to practice before heading home.

According to the story, and I can only verify its ending, a freshman won a "raffle" at the end of a team meal/meeting and was "awarded" the opportunity to skate with the Tampa Bay Lightning later that morning. While everyone else wore their warm-ups, he was told to get into his gear.

When we walked into the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon, recognizing we were surrounded by Black Bears, I thought it was strange that only one player was dressed. Soon enough, he realized, much to his red-faced dismay as his teammates roared with laughter, that it was a prank.

A good one, too, if you ask me.

To his credit, he took a couple laps around the rink -- by himself. It's the price he paid to be part of a team.

5 Big Sigs

Though Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and this season's poster boy for sophomore slumps, Jordan Staal, sit atop my Penguins' wish list, I'll be happy to add these to the collection:

~ Winter Classic game-winning goalie Ty Conklin, a former Sabre, on the American-born goalie stick and a University of New Hampshire puck;
~ defenseman Sergei Gonchar on a Penguins mini pennant;
~ defenseman Kris Letang on Penguins and Val-d'Or pucks.
~ winger Petr Sykora on Penguins and Devils pucks; and
~ defenseman Ryan Whitney on a 2002 NHL Draft Class photo.

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 =

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

No surprises here

When you're the face of the National Hockey League and a major equipment supplier, part of those duties should include being an ambassador for the game.

You make public appearances, shake some hands, pose for pictures and, ultimately, sign some autographs for anyone who asks. Sounds pretty simple, huh? Sorry, folks, it's not.

According to Hound Central 3.0 poll voters, though, someone must have forgotten to send Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby a memo that he is, in fact, that face. Sid the Kid, they said, represents the toughest autograph in the NHL.

Crosby, who got my vote, picked up nine of the total 22 votes cast, overwhelming second-place finisher, New York's Jaromir Jagr (four votes) and Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk and Washington rookie Nicklas Backstrom, who each picked up three votes.

Talk to any hockey hound, and you'll likely hear a story about huge crowds, missed opportunities or his standoffish attitude. Lately, I've been hearing that he's become somewhat of a ghost -- very few people see him on the road and, if they do, he has his own security.

Is that true? I couldn't tell you. The Penguins haven't come to town yet. When they do, though, on Jan. 10, I'll find out for myself and, no matter what happens, will be happy to share.

In the interest of full disclosure, I must say that we have two Crosby autographs in our collection. One is on a Team Canada puck, picked up when the Penguins were in Boston and Crosby was headed tp dinner. The other, a true 1/1 personalized to Colin, is on a matte of a framed article I wrote about The Next One a few years back for the Boston (Mass.) Herald.

Here are the results:

Question: Who's the toughest autograph in the NHL?

Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby: 9 out of 22 (40.9 percent)
New York's Jaromir Jagr: 4 out of 22 (18.1 percent)
Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk: 3 out of 22 votes cast (13.6 percent)
Washington's Nicklas Backstrom: 3 out of 22 (13.6 percent)
Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin: 1 out of 22 (4.5 percent)
San Jose's Jonathan Cheechoo: 1 out of 22 (4.5 percent)
Washington's Alex Ovechkin: 1 out of 22 (4.5 percent)
San Jose's Joey Thornton: 0 votes
Tampa Bay's Vinny Lecavalier: 0 votes

It'll be a Wild year

With Pittsburgh's overabundance of talent, it's no surprise that the Penguins have become a popular pick to carry Lord Stanley's Cup late next spring. And then, this morning, as I slowly woke up watching ESPN's SportsCenter, hockey god/analyst Barry Melrose says he's keeping an eye on the New York Rangers.

Funny thing, though, I've heard/read very little about Anaheim successfully defending its championship run. Detroit, as always, is getting some buzz, but beyond that, hockey's mainstream media is making what appears to be safe and easy picks.

So now, less than 24 hours before the Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings drop the puck on the 2007-08 season across the pond in London, I offer these predictions. No picking with my heart nor head, but just a gut feeling.

And, as you'll see, I'm a little beyond the mainstream:

Eastern Conference
No. 1: Pittsburgh Penguins (Presidents' Trophy - 112 points)
No. 2: Ottawa Senators
No. 3: Atlanta Thrashers
No. 4: Buffalo Sabres
No. 5: Carolina Hurricanes
No. 6: Philadelphia Flyers
No. 7: New Jersey Devils
No. 8: Tampa Bay Lightning
Just missing: New York Rangers (Sorry, Chuck V.)

Quarterfinals:
Pittsburgh beats Tampa Bay, 4-1
Ottawa beats New Jersey, 4-2
Philadelphia beats Atlanta, 4-1
Buffalo beats Carolina, 4-3

Semifinals:
Philadelphia beats Pittsburgh, 4-3
Buffalo beats Ottawa, 4-3

Conference finals:
Philadelphia beats Buffalo, 4-2

Western Conference
No. 1: Minnesota Wild
No. 2: Detroit Red Wings
No. 3: Anaheim Ducks
No. 4: San Jose Sharks
No. 5: Dallas Stars
No. 6: Vancouver Canucks
No. 7: Colorado Avalanche
No. 8: Calgary Flames
Just missing: Nashville Predators

Quarterfinals:
Minnesota beats Calgary, 4-3
Colorado beats Detroit, 4-2
Vancouver beats Anaheim, 4-1
San Jose beats Dallas, 4-3

Semifinals:
Minnesota beats Colorado, 4-2
Vancouver beats San Jose, 4-3

Conference finals:
Minnesota beats Vancouver, 4-2

Stanley Cup finals:
Minnesota beats Philadelphia, 4-1

Individual honors
Art Ross Trophy (top point scorer):
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins, 114 points
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (perseverance and sportsmanship):
Brad Boyes, St. Louis Blues
Calder Memorial Trophy (top rookie):
Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals
Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP):
Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota Wild
Frank J. Selke Trophy (defensive forward):
Jason Ward, Tampa Bay Lightning
Hart Memorial Trophy (league MVP):
Sidney Crosby
Jack Adams Award (top coach):
Jacques Lemaire, Minnesota Wild
James Norris Memorial Trophy (top defenseman):
Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings
King Clancy Memorial Trophy
(leadership and humanitarian efforts):
Daniel Briere, Philadelphia Flyers
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (gentlemanly conduct):
Brad Richards, Tampa Bay Lightning
Lester B. Pearson Award (players' MVP):
Sidney Crosby
Maurice Richard Trophy (most regular-season goals):
Vinny Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lightning, 55 goals
Vezina Trophy (top goalie):
Niklas Backstrom
William M. Jennings Trophy (fewest goals scored against):
Niklas Backstrom and Josh Harding, Minnesota Wild

Who's the best young forward?

Simply put, they get paid to put pucks in the net. But, for their tender ages, the expectations aren't as high, no matter what the media declares, as they would be for a 10-year veteran nearing his 300th career goal.

These players, though, don't use their young ages for excuses. To them, it doesn't matter whether they're 22 or 32. They do what they're paid to do -- make big plays, light the lamp and, more importantly, put fannies in the seats.

What we're looking for here at Hound Central 3.0 are players who can do more than score. They need to be solid in their defensive end, unlike notable omissions Ilya Kovalchuk (a minus-19) of Atlanta and Alex Ovechkin (a minus-2) of Washington. And they certainly can't take major steps back, much like Carolina's Eric Staal, who saw his point production fall 32 points while posting a minus-6.

And that's why, despite all being under the age of 25 (based on the NHL's Oct. 3 opening night), these kids, so to speak, are not just exciting, but complete all-around players:

No. 5: Evgeni Malkin
Pittsburgh Penguins / center
21 years old (07.31.86)
Drafted second overall in 2004
The skinny: From his clandestine trip to the United States and the legal wrangling to get him into the NHL, Malkin proved last year that he's worth every second and dime spent on him. He won the Calder Cup last season by virtue of his 33 goals and 52 assists, giving him 85 points in his rookie campaign. Given the talent that surrounds him, he should get better with each coming season. Hopefully, his defense (a plus-2) will improve with age.
Last season's ranking: n/a

No. 4: Marian Gaborik
Minnesota Wild / right wing
25 years old (02.14.82)
Drafted third overall in 2000
The skinny: Bitten by the injury bug last season, Gaborik's health always seems to be an issue. It's too bad, too, seeing that he posted 57 points (30 goals and 27 assists) in just 48 games. Given that 1.18 point-per-game average, a healthy Gaborik could have posted 97 points last season. Still, though, I don't know of too many teams that would turn away his talents, even if for only a half a season.
Last season's ranking: n/a

No. 3: Jason Spezza
Ottawa Senators / center
24 years old (06.13.83)
Drafted second overall in 2001
The skinny: Here's another player who, barring injury, would have posted top-shelf numbers last season. In 67 games, Spezza put up 87 points, including 34 goals and a plus-19. That 1.30 ppg average would have meant 106 points in a full 82-game campaign. The Next One before some kid from Cole Harbour, N.S., came along, Spezza is fulfilling his destiny.
Last season's ranking: No. 5

No. 2: Thomas Vanek
Buffalo Sabres / left wing
23 years olf (01.19.84)
Drafted fifth overall in 2003
The skinny: Do you want to know what's scary? Barring injury, Vanek should only improve upon last season's remarkable effort: 43 goals, 41 assists for 84 points and a league-leading plus-47. It's no wonder Edmonton wanted to sign him. Should his production continue to climb, and I see no reason why it shouldn't, he will prove to be a bargain and help the Sabres faithful forget about Danny Briere and Chris Drury.
Last season's ranking: n/a

No. 1: Sidney Crosby
Pittsburgh Penguins / center
20 years old (08.07.87)
Drafted first overall in 2005
The skinny: Let's see, how do I put this? Crosby is, by far, the best player in the NHL. Even without his collection of gifted teammates, Crosby would still be the league's top player. He's the fulcrum of the Penguins and the NHL. His rise to power will create a dynasty -- all the pieces are there, all that's needed are patience and, in time, deep pockets.
Last season's ranking: No. 4

Ones to watch

It may take a few seasons for some to hone their skills, but this group of young forwards, listed in alphabetical order, appears poised to step up and make names for themselves in the NHL:

Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals, center
19 years old (11.23.87 ) / fourth overall in the 2006 Draft
The skinny: The top contender for this season's Calder Cup for the top rookie. He will give the new-look Capitals a trio of scoring threats -- Ovechkin and Alexander Semin.

Angelo Esposito, Pittsburgh Penguins, center
18 years old (02.20.89 ) / 20th overall in the 2007 Draft
The skinny: Most likely a couple of years away, but the playmaker could/should walk into Pittsburgh's talented lineup and not look out of place.

Valtteri Filppula, Detroit Red Wings, center
23 years old (03.20.84 ) / 95th overall in the 2002 Draft
The skinny: He made a big splash last season, mostly in the pronunciation of his name, but is expected to grow into a more offensive-minded role in the Motor City.

Michael Frolik, Florida Panthers, center
19 years old (02.17.88 ) / 1oth overall in the 2006 Draft
The skinny: This kid, from the Czech Republic, could be living every young man's dream: Living in Miami and helping the Panthers improve upon last season's performance. Given the team's youth, he should fit right in with Florida's movement.

Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks, right wing
18 years old (11.19.88) / first overall in the 2007 Draft
The skinny: Another strong contender for the Calder Cup, it remains to be seen just how good this Buffalo, N.Y., kid will be. Beyond fellow rookie Jonathan Toews, there's not much offense in the rebuilding Blackhawks lineup. He had 62 goals among 145 points in 58 games with the OHL's London Knights last season.

Clarke MacArthur, Buffalo Sabres, left wing
22 years old (04.06.85) / 74th overall in the 2003 Draft
The skinny: A sleeper pick for the Calder, he really should be counted upon to help pick up the slack in Buffalo. He may not be the most heralded player within Buffalo's streamroller of an offensive unit, but he'll make his presence known in his rookie campaign.

Peter Mueller, Phoenix Coyotes, center
19 years old (04.14.88) / eighth overall in 2006 Draft
The skinny: Another Calder Cup contender, he should benefit from the tutelage and discipline from Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky while escaping the white-hot media glare and higher expectations at other NHL clubs.

Drew Stafford, Buffalo Sabres, right wing
21 years old (10.30.85) / 13th overall in the 2004 Draft
The skinny: As many trips as Stafford made last season between Buffalo and Rochester, shuffling between the two western New York cities, it's amazing that he posted 71 points in 63 games between the two leagues. The University of North Dakota product has shown that he can put the puck in the net.

Jonathan Toews (pronounced Tayves), Chicago Blackhawks, center
19 years old (04.29.88) / third overall in the 2006 Draft
The skinny: Yet another product out of the University of North Dakota, Toews provides the strongest competition to Washington's Nicklas Backstrom for Calder Cup honors. He could center a Chicago line with fellow rookie Patrick Kane.

Feel free, too, to check out last season's best young forwards.

Program the TiVo

If you like to plan ahead, even months in some instances, you might want to check out the NHL's television schedule. The first game I'll see on TV comes Sunday, Sept. 30, when Versus broadcasts the Los Angeles Kings-Anaheim Ducks meet in London.

I'll also catch the Buffalo Sabres seven times on Versus this season.

Other key games I hope to watch include San Jose at Detroit on Oct. 29, the Rangers at the Islanders on Nov. 6, Colorado at Detroit on Jan. 8 (a rematch, in Denver, airs Feb. 18) and the Alexander Ovechkin-Sidney Crosby Show on Jan. 21.

Though we had the NHL Centre Ice package last season, I doubt we'll subscribe. Until they show pre- and post-game shows and rerun games the next morning, I can't justify the subscription.

As much as I like watching Western Conference teams, my work schedule limited my viewing to 10 or 10:30 p.m. starts last season.