A new preseason game?

I keep hearing reports about a Hurricane headed toward the Tampa Bay area. The last I knew, the Hurricanes aren't supposed to arrive until Oct. 11, the Lightning's home opener.

And who is this Fay character? I don't remember Carolina signing anyone named Fay, do you? Maybe it's some Finnish free agent who flew under the NHL radar.

Addendum (Aug. 19): Fay's only a tropical storm, not a Hurricane.

Why not?

Looking for a new job? The Tampa Bay Lightning are looking for a head coach.

Follow my lead and send your resume to:

Tampa Bay Lightning
c/o Head coach search
401 Channelside Drive
Tampa FL 33602

Hopefully, the Lightning will, at the least, send rejection letters to those of us who don't make the cut.

One more thing, too: Tell 'em Hound Central 3.0 sent you.

Pretty funny

Should Tampa Bay's Andre Roy ever grow tired of playing hockey, he'd certainly enjoy success as a stand-up comedian. The affable winger, better known for his fisticuffs than his finesse, had hounds in stitches with these two gems following last Friday's morning skate:

On Toronto's Bryan McCabe: "I've been chasing him for years. He won't fight me."

On staying in Tampa Bay: "I love it here. I can wear my Speedos to the beach."

Really, I mean this

I'd like to take this time to express my appreciation to those folks kind enough to take part in Hound Central 3.0's latest poll: Who's the worst team in the NHL?

My undying gratitude, however, goes to anyone who picks the Leafs.

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.

Rhyme time

Just a friendly reminder, Sabres fans: "Let’s Go Buffalo," especially when shouted repeatedly following a road victory, rhymes with a biting retort: "Go home, shovel snow."

Not exactly PBS

One of the perks that comes with being a Daddy is that you get to watch cartoons. Imagine my surprise, then, when a recent afternoon of watching cartoons produced a hockey-related version of Scooby-Doo.

Called Diamonds Are a Ghoul's Best Friend, the hockey mystery, part of What's New Scooby-Doo? Volume 5 Sports Spooktacular, features all the original members of Scooby Doo's gang -- Shaggy Rogers, Velma Dinkley, Daphne Blake and Frederick Herman "Freddie" Jones -- trying to catch the Frozen Fiend.

But did you know that Brett Hull, the ex-NHL star, also plays a major role in the cartoon? And, no, the former TV blowhard doesn't take a shot at some kid goalie's head.

Something's missing

Can anyone else see what's missing from this picture? I may be living in Florida, but I still have a few drops of North of the Border blood, courtesy of two stout generations on Prince Edward Island, coursing through my near-addled, airbag-of-bones body.

In good taste?

As we mark the 40th anniversary of Elvis Presley's sad passing on Aug. 16, 1977, it's refreshing to see that the marketing folks at Reese's have a sense of humor. Grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches were a favorite of the King of Rock 'n' Roll.