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.

Pronunciation guide

Along with its simplicity, decent set size and, above all else, affordability, Upper Deck's 2007-08 Victory product provides some excellent information for in-person hounding. Correctly pronouncing a player's name, especially one as tricky as Los Angeles prospect Yutaka Fukufuji, goes a long way toward getting an autograph.

For hockey hounds only

Just because I plan to diversify my hockey hounding efforts this season, mixing in more sticks, photos, jerseys and working on a 1999 NHL All Star Game helmet, doesn't mean that's the way to go. What will fill your hounding bag? Tell Hound Central 3.0 at this poll.

Name this logo III

Congratulations to Shelby for knowing that last week's logo was that of the Tampa Bay Tritons, who played just one year (1994) in the Roller Hockey International.

Taking an old-school approach ought to help this week.

As always, make sure you visit Chris Creamer's sports logos site.

Who's the best young defenseman?

There's something about playing defense in hockey that makes it so appealing.

Maybe it's the two-way responsibilities -- on-ice multitasking, if you will -- of defending your zone while looking for that perfect outlet pass. Then again, it could be the physicality of the position, from doling out thunderous checks to sacrificing one's body to block a shot.

Another aspect is the inherent leadership that comes with bearing such responsibility. Some of the best captains in recent history -- Anaheim's Scott Niedermayer, Boston's Ray Bourque and New Jersey's Scott Stevens all come to mind -- were defensemen.

While forwards are paid to put pucks in the net, and goalies are compensated to repel them, NHL defenseman live in a transitional world: defense one second, offense a heartbeat later.

These five defensemen, all under the age of 25 (based on the NHL's Oct. 3 opening night), offer the best examples of how the position is played today. Don't be surprised, too, by the lineup:

No. 5: Matt Carle
San Jose Sharks
23 years old (09.25.84)
Drafted 47th overall in 2003
The skinny: The former Hobey Baker Award winner easily made the jump from the Western Collegiate Hockey Association to the NHL. Need proof? How about 11 goals, 31 assists and a plus-1 in his rookie campaign. Sure, a quick midseason trip to Worcester may have been humbling, but he'll be better off in the long run. San Jose teammate Marc-Edouard Vlasic is pretty talented, too, but Carle offers a better all-around game.
Last season's ranking: n/a

No. 4: Shea Weber
Nashville Predators
22 years old (08.14.85)
Drafted 49th overall in 2003
The skinny: Part of Nashville's solid young corps of defensemen (with Dan Hamhuis, Hound Central's No. 3 last season; and Ryan Suter), this kid has a pretty solid future in front of him. In just his second season, Weber is the Predators' top D-man. I wouldn't be surprised, either, to see him improve upon last season's 40-point (17 goals and 23 assists) and plus-13 effort.
Last season's ranking: n/a

No. 3: Jay Bouwmeester
Florida Panthers
24 years old (09.27.83)
Drafted third overall in 2002
The skinny: It's not so much that Jay-Bo took a step back last year, when he was Hound Central's best young defenseman, that led to this season's lower rating. Any GM or fan should be happy with his posting of solid offensive numbers (12 goals among 42 points) and an impressive plus-23 for an out-of-the-playoffs Panthers. No, the slippage (and I hate to call it that) comes about because of the NHL's deep talent pool. Either way, Bouwmeester remains a fixture.
Last season's ranking: No. 1

No. 2: Dion Phaneuf
Calgary Flames
22 years old (04.10.85)
Drafted ninth overall in 2003
The skinny: What else can you say about this guy? Phaneuf puts up the points (17+33=50), plays a solid defense (a plus-10) and causes nightmares for any opponent foolish enough to enter Calgary's defensive zone with his head down. Of the games I look forward to seeing this season, the Flames' trip to Tampa Bay sits at the top of the list. Watching Phaneuf play, and hopefully getting an autograph or two (or three), are two of the reasons why.
Last season's ranking: No. 2

No. 1: Ryan Whitney
Pittsburgh Penguins
24 years old (02.19.83)
Drafted fifth overall in 2002
The skinny: When you're part of a squad that includes such notables as Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal and Marc-Andre Fleury, it's pretty easy to get overlooked. Whitney, however, makes sure you notice, potting 14 goals among his 59 points and logging a plus-9. Is his presence atop this year's list a fluke? I doubt it. Pittsburgh's got a ton of talent and Whitney is a major part of it. Besides, he's just that good and will be, I believe, for a long time.
Last season's ranking: n/a

Ones to watch

Keep an eye on these six players, listed in alphabetical order, as they're destined for this list in the years ahead:

~ Luc Bourdon, Vancouver Canucks
20 years old (02.16.87) /10th overall in 2005 Draft
The skinny: It's hard to put a finger on what exactly Bourdon does to deserve this attention. He'll hold his own in both ends of the rink and isn't afraid to get physical. I guess there's a gut instinct about this guy that says he'll be a stalwart for years to come. We could find out as soon as this season.

~ Erik Johnson, St. Louis Blues
20 years old (03.21.88) / first overall in 2006 Draft
The skinny: There's no doubt that this kid will enjoy a long run as a top-shelf player in the NHL. A legitimate Calder Cup contender this season, he'll get to learn from Eric Brewer, Barret Jackman, Jay McKee and, maybe, some guy named Al MacInnis. St. Louis has quietly put together a talented team.

~ Jack Johnson, Los Angeles Kings
20 years old (01.13.87) / third overall in 2005 Draft
The skinny: Another member of Los Angeles' stable of young players. He may not be a household name just yet, but give him, as well as teammates (current and future) Jonathan Bernier, Mike Cammalleri, Alexander Frolov and Anze Kopitar time to grow, and the Kings should be a force out west. Having Rob Blake as a mentor shouldn't hurt, too.

~ Brian Lee, Ottawa Senators
20 years old (03.26.87) / ninth overall in 2005 Draft
The skinny: Another in the recent lineup of University of North Dakota players bound for the NHL, Lee stands to be a sleeper type of player. He's got plenty of offensive skill and should learn a ton from soon-to-be Senator teammates Andrej Meszaros, Chris Phillips, Wade Redden and the A-Train, Anton Volchenkov.

~ Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins
20 years old (04.24.87) / 62nd overall in 2005 Draft
The skinny: In western Pennsylvania, the rich only get richer. The Penguins, up to their beaks in young talent, will be wicked-scary good for many seasons. Letang's potential to not only fit in, but become a major contributor, might seem unfair to Pittsburgh's overwhelmed opponents. It's not too far of a stretch to say he could be the final piece in Pittsburgh's puzzle.

~ Marc Staal, New York Rangers
20 years old (01.13.87) / third overall in 2005
The skinny: Some folks are saying he could be the best Staal ever to play in the NHL. To me, that's a pretty strong statement given that big brother Eric casts a pretty long shadow. Something tells me, though, that Marc will do just fine. I say we all sit back and enjoy today's version of the Sutter brothers roam and reign among NHL rinks.

Feel free to check out last year's best young defensemen.

A rainy afternoon

I don't know about you, but it's been raining on and off down here in Tampa Bay all day long. Given the threat of lightning (hence the team's name), you don't dare head outside.

I'd watch the Florida Gators' whupping of Western Kentucky, but the last I saw it was in a fourth-quarter weather delay. The Gators were winning, 49-3.

It's too bad, though, that I've already stumbled upon these hockey gear sites. I guess I'll have to go hockey surfing and find some more:

Reebok unveils its 2007-08 lineup. From Pittsburgh's Sid the Kid to Calgary's Dion Phaneuf to Vancouver's Roberto Luongo (above), it's all RBK Edge, all the time. Sure, it's nothing but advertising, but you can download some cool wallpapers. What I can't figure out, though, is why Reebok invested money in Toronto's Andrew Raycroft.


Not only does Calgary's Jarome Iginla receive top-shelf treatment, but did you know Anaheim's Ryan Getzlaf, New Jersey's Zach Parise and Los Angeles' Mathieu Schneider are among the other players featured at Easton's site. You can find postcards, wallpapers and screensavers there, too.

I have to admit that I was surprised to see Tampa Bay's Johan Holmqvist as a poster boy for Sher-Wood Hockey. Given that Buffalo's Jocelyn Thibault, who'll back up Ryan Miller, and Pittsburgh's Dany Sabourin, the No. 2 to Marc-Andre Fleury, are also featured, I'm not so sure that Lightning backup Marc Denis might have been more relevant. Then again, maybe Sher-Wood knows something we don't. Sorry, no freebies.

New-look West

About every other day, it seems, another NHL team takes the wraps off its new RBK Edge look for the upcoming season. A couple days ago, the Vancouver Canucks showed off their new duds. Perhaps, they should waited a little longer.

First off, what's with the city name across the front of the jersey? What did the Canucks do? Forget where they came from? In that vein, why not use the letter "V" for the striping on each sleeve, a nod to the Canucks' butt-ugly clown uniforms worn from the late 1970s to mid 80s?

I do like the colors, though. That blue-and-green scheme evokes a more Pacific Northwest, or as the team likes to say British Columbia, feel than the most recent dark blue, maroon and silver. Still, though, I find it a little silly to have the "Vancouver" on the chest.

Though the biggest change to the logo is color (harkening to the days when Vancouver settled on Dale Tallon after missing out on Gilbert Perreault), the team's secondary logos, and especially a new-look Johnny Canuck, continue the theme.

Looking ahead, the Calgary Flames will unveil their new look on Sept. 4. How big is this in the Canadian heartland? Pretty big, I imagine. You'll need tickets to get in. Thankfully, they're free. All they're offering now is a glimpse at the tie-down collar.

Who's the best young goalie?

In a way, I feel sorry for today's younger generations. The pressure to get into top-shelf schools, score a six-figure starting salary and buy a waterfront condo must be taking its toll. I mean, can you imagine looking forward to schlepping into an office about 237 days out of the year, knowing that you bring more to the table than most of your bosses, for the next 45 to 50 years?

One thing they shouldn't complain about, though, is having to be a starting goalie in the National Hockey League. Chances are, these kids easily satisfy two out of the three mandates faced by their peers. The pressure of being a big-league goalie, though, is something those peers don't face.

Playing goalie makes them visible. In a heartbeat, usually brought about by a perceived weak goal, an adoring fan base can boo one back to the minors. On the road, it's no different. Their last name becomes a derisive chant. Every goal leads to a deafening cheer.

That, my friends, is what pressure's all about. To be that good, at such a young age, on a worldwide platform, is what separates these goalies, all under the age of 25 (based on the NHL's Oct. 3 opening night), from their peers, hockey players or not:

No. 5: Cam Ward
Carolina Hurricanes
23 years old (02.29.84)
Drafted 25th overall in 2002
The skinny: Though some might see last season as a step back, the former Conn Smythe winner still posted respectable numbers: 30-21-6, 2.93 goals-against average and a .897 save percentage (really, though, .900 is the benchmark). To me, this kid, unflappable as they come, is going to have a long, productive NHL career.
Last season's ranking: No. 4

No. 4: Kari Lehtonen
Atlanta Thrashers
23 years old (11.16.83)
Drafted 2nd overall in 2002
The skinny: A fixture on everyone's goalie radar since his American Hockey League days, the Finn makes his first appearance on Puckhound's annual list. Leading the Thrashers to their first-ever postseason appearance, as well as logging pretty good numbers (34-24-9, 2.79 GAA and .912 SP) will do that for a player.
Last season's ranking: n/a

No. 3: Marc-Andre Fleury
Pittsburgh Penguins
22 years old (11.28.84)
Drafted 1st overall in 2003
The skinny: My faith in this kid was rewarded last season. At a point in his young career when others were questioning whether he was a flop, Fleury put together a spectacular season: 40-16-9, 2.83 GAA and .906 SP. Granted, it doesn't hurt having some of the game's best players (Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal and Ryan Whitney) on your team, too.
Last season's ranking: No. 3

No. 2: Ray Emery
Ottawa Senators
25 years old (09.28.82)
Drafted 99th overall in 2001
The skinny: It's amazing how Emery burst onto the scene last season, especially late in the year and during the playoffs. How stingy was he? How about a 33-16-6 record, a 2.47 GAA and a .918 save percentage. Showing just how objective I can be, Emery also scored major bonus points for taking on, and beating up, my beloved Sabres last season.
Last season's ranking: n/a

No. 1: Henrik Lundqvist
New York Rangers
25 years old (03.02.82)
Drafted 205th overall in 2000
The skinny: Really, this should come as no surprise that Lundqvist is crowned as King of the best young goalies for this upcoming season. Not only did he step up individually (37-22-8, 2.34 GAA and .917 SP), but he played an integral role in the Rangers' reversal of fortunes last season. He's also living proof that gems exist deep in drafts.
Last season's ranking: No. 2

Ones to watch

Keep an eye on these four players, listed in alphabetical order, as they're likely to make this list in the years ahead:

~ Jonathan Bernier, Los Angeles Kings
19 years old (08.07.88) / 11th overall in 2006 Draft
The skinny: It may take a few seasons at Manchester, but this kid should solve the Kings' goaltending woes for a long time. He's a legend in Lewiston, Maine, where he backstopped the Maineiacs to a QMJHL title last season.

~ Corey Crawford, Chicago Blackhawks
22 years old (12.31.84) /52nd overall in 2003 Draft
The skinny: Nikolai Khabibulin and Patrick Lalime better be looking over their shoulders. Not only is this kid much younger, but he could also be that much better. The Blackhawks are relatively young, so Crawford should get a chance to grow with this team

~ Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens
20 years old (08.16.87) / fifth overall in 2005 Draft
The skinny: Repeat after me -- Who is Yann Danis? Who is Jaroslav Halak? Who is Cristobal Huet? Who is Yann Danis? Who is Jaroslav Halak? Who is Cristobal Huet? He's unlikely to make Habs fans forget Ken Dryden or Patrick Roy, but he's destined to make his run toward hockey greatness

~ Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins
20 years old (03.20.87) / 21st overall in 2005 Draft (by Toronto)
The skinny: As much as Hound Central 3.0 is a big fan of Hannu Toivonen, it's easy to see why Boston traded him to St. Louis. Rask, who will get his seasoning in Providence, stands to be Bruins goalie of the future. Manny Fernandez and Tim Thomas are only keeping the crease roughed up for the Finn.

Feel free to check out last season's best young players.

Take time to remember

Two years ago today, Hurricane Katrina slammed into the United States, devastating New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

I ask that you pause from life's duties today to remember those who lost their lives and pray for those still touched by the storm's effects.

Quick shifts

If there's one person here in the Tampa Bay area who has a vested interest in seeing Absolute Hockey's $200-million deal for the team become finalized, it should be Lightning coach John Tortorella (shown at left).

It's no secret that Tortorella has no problems throwing a player under the bus (just ask Carolina's John Grahame or the Islanders' Ruslan Fedotenko). This past weekend, though, Tortorella launched some barbs toward the high-rent district in the team's existing power structure.

During a question-and-answer session with fans this past Saturday, Tortorella took a shot at one of his bosses, current Lightning CEO Tom Wilson (shown at right):

"The guy who I'm glad is the hell out of here is Tom Wilson because he's the one who has put obstacle after obstacle in front of us," Tortorella said in Sunday's edition of the St. Petersburg Times. "Who knows? This deal might not go through, and they'd still be here. I really don't care."

The Times reported this morning that the earliest the sale of the Lightning to Absolute Hockey from Palace Sports & Entertainment would be Sept. 18, though it could take longer.

Interesting move

Future Hall of Famer Eddie Belfour may be out of the NHL, but that doesn't mean he's out of hockey. It seems Belfour, who played last season for the Florida Panthers, will tend the net for Leksand, a second-division club in Sweden.

Doesn't it seem odd, given how Belfour's play last season gave the Panthers some respectability, that he'd bolt across the Atlantic? My instincts tell me there's more to this story.

Lifting the veil

The Vancouver Canucks will show off their new uniform, and possibly a logo, later today. The unveling is set for 12:30 p.m. (PST), meaning East Coast hockey fans will have to wait until 3:30 p.m. Here's a link to the team's jersey launch page.

You should expect some commentary on the Canucks' new look and other jersey/logo-related news tomorrow.

Poll results

Eagle-eyed readers should have noticed that there's a new poll here at Hound Central 3.0. With all of hub-bub about new jerseys and logos, you can vote on what team has done the best job reworking its logo.

As for the first poll of the season, which asked what free-agent signee will help his new team the most, here are the results:

Philly's Daniel Briere: 11 of 13 votes (84 percent)
NYR's Chris Drury: 0 of 13 votes
NYI's Bill Guerin: 0 of 13 votes
Detroit's Brian Rafalski: 1 of 13 votes (7 percent)
Other: 1 of 13 votes (7 percent)

And, no, I don't know why the percentages add up to 98 percent, rather than 100 percent. It's way too early for math, if you ask me.

Worth a look, I suppose

For those of us, for whatever reason, who were unable to attend the Ottawa Senators' new RBK Edge jersey unveiling last week, the defending Eastern Conference champion has been kind enough to provide a photo slideshow tour of the team's new look at its Web site.

No matter what they do, though, the new jerseys aren't worth the prices.

Puckworthiness

For those of you who believe I have way too much time on my hands, you’re right. It’s a point that I wouldn’t dare argue. As proof, here is one hound’s take on the puckworthiness of NHL players.

Puckworthiness is a term coined from an old Seinfeld episode. In it, Elaine judges men on their worthiness of her using a declining supply of contraceptive sponges to engage in encounters of the sexual nature. Some men were spongeworthy, others weren’t.

In this case, though, pucks are at a premium.

In some instances, think of Calgary's Jarome Iginla, Colorado's Joe Sakic and Minnesota's Marian Gaborik, you'll need some luck. Certain players, such as Atlanta’s Marian Hossa, Buffalo's Teppo Numminen, Montreal’s Saku Koivu and Tampa Bay’s Dan Boyle are no-brainers. Others, such as Boston’s P.J. Axelsson, Edmonton’s Fernando Pisani, New Jersey’s Sergei Brylin and Vancouver’s Willie Mitchell are puckworthy. And even though I’m able to purchase my pucks in bulk at a very reasonable price, there are some players, such as Anaheim’s Todd Marchant, Detroit’s Dan Cleary, Ottawa’s Dean McAmmond and Toronto's Darcy Tucker who are better on cards or can help fill out team items.

I’m certain that readers won’t agree with every designation. The goal, though, is to give other hounds an idea of what to expect when they chase teams. Please remember, too, that the list is both fluid and subjective.

For ease of understanding the team-by-team listings below, which feature players and notable coaching staff, front-office members and announcers, I’ll use the following headers for each entry:

Good Luck: Immense popularity and/or the sheer unwillingness to sign that comes with it, makes these players difficult to obtain. Still worth a try, though. The worst you'll hear, hopefully, will be "No!"
No-Brainers: Fairly self-explanatory, these approachable players, including some top-shelf stars, are well worth collecting on pucks. Will often sign multiples.
Puckworthy: If you’re looking for sheer volume, these are the players who, when combined with an extraordinary Good Luck and the No-Brainers, can turn a good day into a great day. Excellent opportunities to catch up on veteran players.
Speculatives: Primarily prospects, these players carry high risks and high rewards. Should they fulfill their potential, they could become No-Brainers. Should they become Good Lucks, you'll already have them. AHL-based hounds should load up on these players.
Card stock: Though my street hockey career ended in New Port Richey, Fla., back in the late 1980s, the only reason to use a puck on these players is to add to your favorite or hometown team collection. Team sticks, jerseys and/or cards are better for these guys.

Anaheim Ducks
Good Luck: Todd Bertuzzi (shun him), Randy Carlyle (can get grumpy) and Chris Pronger (personalizes)
No-Brainers: Ryan Getzlaf, Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Scott Niedermayer, Corey Perry, Matheiu Schneider and Doug Weight
Puckworthy: Francois Allaire, Francois Beauchemin, Brian Burke, Brian Hayward, Chris Kunitz, Rob Niedermayer, Samuel Pahlsson and Brian Sutherby
Speculatives: Jason King, Andrew Miller, Aaron Rome and Bobby Ryan
Card stock: Brandon Bochenski, Newell Brown, Joe DiPenta, Dave Farrish, Kent Huskins, Dan LaCouture, Todd Marchant, Brad May, Travis Moen, Mark Mowers, Sean O'Donnell, George Parros and Brent Severyn

Atlanta Thrashers
Good Luck: Ilya Kovalchuk (has been better of late) and Slava Kozlov (an ex-Red Wing who's not a big fan of signing)
No-Brainers: Fred Brathwaite, Bob Hartley, Bobby Holik (usually one-per, though), Kari Lehtonen, Jeff Odgers, Mark Recchi and Alexei Zhitnik
Puckworthy: Colby Armstrong, Eric Boulton, Garnet Exelby, Niclas Havelid, Johan Hedberg (will do nine-boards), Ken Klee, Eric Perrin, Steve Rucchin, Jim Slater, Don Waddell and Todd White
Speculatives: Chad Denny, Angelo Esposito, Jordan LaVallee, Bryan Little, Mark Popovic, Brett Sterling and Boris Valabik
Card stock: Milan Bartovic, Erik Christensen, Darren Eliot, Alexandre Giroux, Darren Haydar, Jason Krog, Joel Kwiatkowski, Brad Larsen, Steve McCarthy, Brad McCrimmon, Karel Pilar, Chris Thorburn and Steve Weekes

Boston Bruins
Good Luck: Ray Bourque, Jeremy Jacobs and Cam Neely
No-Brainers: Patrice Bergeron, Johnny Bucyk, Zdeno Chara (loves to sign), Manny Fernandez, Phil Kessel, Glen Murray, Craig Ramsay, Marc Savard (one-per), Milt Schmidt, Harry Sinden, Marco Sturm and Tim Thomas
Puckworthy: Andrew Alberts, Alex Auld, P.J. Axelsson, Peter Chiarelli, Bob Essensa, Andrew Ference, Claude Julien, Chuck Kobasew, Peter Schaefer, Mark Stuart, Don Sweeney, Aaron Ward and Dennis Wideman.
Speculatives: Zach Hamill, Matt Lashoff, Petteri Nokelainen and Tuukka Rask
Card stock: Bobby Allen, Shane Hnidy, Jeff Hoggan, Doug Houda, Jeremy Reich and Shawn Thornton

Buffalo Sabres
Good Luck: Toni Lydman (can get grumpy), Rob Ray (was rude to road hounds) and Rip Simonick (apparently, my nemesis)
No-Brainers: Maxim Afinogenov, Tim Connolly, Rick Jeanneret, Ales Kotalik, Jim Lorentz, Richard Martin, Ryan Miller, Teppo Numminen, Gilbert Perreault, Jason Pominville, Rene Robert, Derek Roy, Lindy Ruff, Jocelyn Thibault and Thomas Vanek
Puckworthy: Steve Bernier, Jochen Hecht, Dmitri Kalinin, James Patrick, Larry Playfair, Mike Robitaille, Jaroslav Spacek, Henrik Tallinder and Bill Wippert
Speculatives: Clarke MacArthur and Drew Stafford
Card stock: Paul Gaustad, Adam Mair, Daniel Paille, Nathan Paetsch (one-per, if you can believe that) and Michael Ryan

Calgary Flames
Good Luck: Kristian Huselius (can be rough, I've heard), Jarome Iginla, Miikka Kiprusoff, Owen Nolan (one would think, at this stage of his career, that he'd be more willing to sign), Dion Phaneuf, Robyn Regehr (signs while walking; strict one-per) Darryl Sutter and Alex Tanguay (I've heard he can be grumpy, too)
No-Brainers: Adrian Aucoin, Craig Conroy, Mike Keenan, Daymond Langkow, Cory Sarich and Rhett Warrener
Puckworthy: Wayne Fleming, Eric Godard, Matthew Lombardi, Marcus Nilson, Jim Playfair, Wayne Primeau and Stephen Yelle
Speculatives: Dustin Boyd, Mark Giordano, Leland Irving, Curtis McIlhinney, Brandon Prust and Andrei Taratukhin
Card stock: David Hale, Anders Eriksson, David Moss, Grant Stevenson and Jim Vandermeer

Carolina Hurricanes
Good Luck: Tom Barrasso (there's a reason for his nickname), Bret Hedican (though he has a soft spot for kids), Eric Staal (starting to take alternative routes out of team hotel) and Glen Wesley
No-brainers: Rod Brind'Amour, Jim Rutherford, Tuomo Ruutu, Cam Ward, Ray Whitney (one-per) and Justin Williams
Puckworthy: Joe Corvo, Patrick Eaves, Tim Gleason, Frantisek Kaberle, Chuck Kaiton, Peter Laviolette, Sergei Samsonov, Scott Walker and Niclas Wallin
Speculatives: Andrew Ladd and Justin Peters
Card stock: Anton Babchuk, Jeff Daniels, John Grahame, Jeff Hamilton, Chad LaRose, Michael Leighton, Trevor Letowski and Dennis Seidenberg

Chicago Blackhawks
Good Luck: None
No-Brainers: Rene Bourque, Martin Havlat, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Nikolai Khabibulin, Robert Lang, Patrick Lalime, Yanic Perreault, Denis Savard, Brent Seabrook
and Jonathan Toews
Puckworthy: Andrew Ladd, Patrick Sharp, Jason Williams and James Wisniewski
Speculatives: Cam Barker, Corey Crawford, Danny Richmond and Jack Skille
Card stock: Craig Adams, Kevyn Adams (Hurricanes Stanley Cup champions puck, though), Ben Eager and Andre Zyuzin

Colorado Avalanche
Good Luck: Peter Forsberg, Michel Goulet, Milan Hejduk, Joe Sakic and Jose Theodore
No-Brainers: Andrew Brunette, Jordan Leopold, John-Michael Liles, Ryan Smyth, Paul Stastny, Marek Svatos and Wojtek Wolski
Puckworthy: Tyler Arnason, Jason Bacashihua, Craig Billington, Peter Budaj, Jacques Cloutier, Tony Granato, Jeff Hackett, Scott Hannan, Jeff Jillson, Pierre Lacroix, Ian Laperriere, Scott Parker, Joel Quenneville and Jody Shelley
Speculatives: Johnny Boychuk, Ivan Hlinka, Cody McCormick, Cody McLeod and Chris Stewart
Card stock: Brett Clark, Jeff Finger, Ben Guite, Dale Purinton, Brad Richardson, Ruslan Salei, Kurt Sauer, Wyatt Smith and Michael Wall

Columbus Blue Jackets
Good Luck: Sergei Fedorov, Rick Nash and Michael Peca
No-Brainers: Adam Foote, Danny Gare, Rostislav Klesla and Fredrik Modin
Puckworthy: Ken Hitchcock, Clint Malarchuk, Fredrik Norrena, Dick Tarnstrom and David Vyborny
Speculatives: Derick Brassard, Gilbert Brule, Dan Fritsche, Pascal Leclaire, Alexander Svitov and Nikolai Zherdev
Card stock: Jason Chimera, Ron Hainsey, Jan Hejda, Derek MacKenzie, Manny Malhotra, Gord Murphy, Jiri Novotny, Mark Rycroft, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen and Duvie Westcott

Dallas Stars
Good Luck: Brett Hull (expect some roughage if you're over 12 years old), Mike Modano (will sign, will draw a crowd), Brenden Morrow, Brad Richards, Marty Turco and Sergei Zubov (not a big fan of signing)
No-Brainers: Stu Barnes, Philippe Boucher, Trevor Daley, Johan Holmqvist, Jere Lehtinen, Mattias Norstrom and Mike Ribeiro
Puckworthy: Doug Armstrong, Ulf Dahlen, Niklas Hagman, Antti Miettinen, and Dave Taylor
Speculatives: Loui Eriksson, Nicklas Grossman and Joel Lundqvist
Card stock: Krys Barch, Nolan Baumgartner, Todd Fedoruk, Steve Ott, Toby Petersen, Daryl Reaugh, Stephane Robidas, Dave Tippett and Brad Winchester

Detroit Red Wings
Good Luck: Chris Chelios, Pavel Datsyuk, Dominik Hasek, Niklas Kronwall (likes to personalize), Nicklas Lidstrom, Chris Osgood and Henrik Zetterberg
No-Brainers: Kris Draper, Tomas Holmstrom, Jiri Hudler and Brian Rafalski
Puckworthy: Mike Babcock, Dallas Drake, Johan Franzen, Brett Lebda, Kirk Maltby and Mikael Samuelsson
Speculatives: Valtteri Filppula, Igor Grigorenko, Jakub Kindl, Tomas Kopecky and Kyle Quincey
Card stock: Dan Cleary, Mark Hartigan and Andreas Lilja

Edmonton Oilers
Good Luck: Ales Hemsky and Sheldon Souray
No-Brainers: Mathieu Garon, Kevin Lowe, Craig MacTavish, Dustin Penner, Joni Pitkanen, Dwayne Roloson, Ladislav Smid, Jarrett Stoll and Raffi Torres
Puckworthy: Shawn Horcoff, Charlie Huddy, Ethan Moreau, Pete Peeters, Rod Phillips, Fernando Pisani, Geoff Sanderson and Dick Tarnstrom
Speculatives: Tom Gilbert, Curtis Glencross, Denis Grebeshkov, Robert Nilsson, Ryan O'Marra, Marc Pouliot and Rob Schremp
Card stock: Matt Greene, Marty Reasoner, Mathieu Roy, Steve Staios, Zach Stortini and Patrick Thoresen

Florida Panthers
Good Luck: None
No-Brainers: Jay Bouwmeester, Nathan Horton, Olli Jokinen, Joe Nieuwendyk, Denis Potvin, Tomas Vokoun and Stephen Weiss
Puckworthy: Bryan Allen (one-per), Wade Belak, Radek Dvorak, Jacques Martin, Branislav Mezei, Ville Peltonen, Karlis Skrastins, Jozef Stumpel, Mike Van Ryn and Richard Zednik
Speculatives: David Booth, Greg Campbell, Michaek Frolik, Magnus Johansson, Cory Murphy, Rostislav Olesz, Anthony Stewart and Noah Welch
Card stock: Craig Anderson, Brett McLean, Randy Moller and Steve Montador

Los Angeles Kings
Good Luck: Rob Blake (one-per) and Luc Robitaille (will personalize)
No-Brainers: Dustin Brown, Mike Cammalleri, Alexander Frolov, Jon Klemm, Anze Kopitar, Bill Ranford, Jeremy Roenick, Brad Stuart, and Lubomir Visnovsky
Puckworthy: J.S. Aubin, Dan Cloutier, Marc Crawford, Michal Handzus, Ron Hextall, Jason LaBarbera, Dave Lewis, Ladislav Nagy and Patrick O'Sullivan,
Speculatives: Jonathan Bernier, Jack Johnson and Joe Piskula
Card stock: Derek Armstrong, Kyle Calder, Kevin Dallman, Nelson Emerson, Raitis Ivanans, Tom Preissing, Scott Thornton and Brian Willsie

Minnesota Wild
Good Luck: Pavol Demitra (can be grumpy and elusive), Marian Gaborik, Jacques Lemaire, Mike Ramsey (believes everyone is a dealer) and Brian Rolston (very hit-or-miss)
No-Brainers: Nicklas Backstrom, Derek Boogaard, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Brent Burns, Keith Carney, Kim Johnsson, Mikko Koivu, Doug Risebrough, Nick Schultz and Mario Tremblay
Puckworthy: Dominic Moore (he played for Harvard), Petteri Nummelin, Mark Parrish, Stephane Veilleux and Wes Walz
Speculatives: Shawn Belle, Matt Foy, Josh Harding, Peter Kalus and Benoit Pouliot
Card stock: Eric Belanger, Kurtis Foster, Sean Hill, Steve Kelly and Branko Radivojevic

Montreal Canadiens
Good Luck: Mathieu Dandenault (likely hangover from days with Red Wings), Bob Gainey, Alex Kovalev, Guy Lafleur and Michael Ryder (aloof toward hounds)
No-Brainers: Jean Beliveau, Guy Carbonneau, Yvon Cournoyer, Roman Hamrlik, Chris Higgins, Rejean Houle, Doug Jarvis, Saku Koivu, Andrei Markov, Kirk Muller, Tomas Plekanic and Henri Richard.
Puckworthy: Steve Begin, Francis Boullion, Patrice Brisebois, Mike Komisarek, Guillaume Latendresse, Roland Melanson and Bryan Smolinski
Speculatives: Mathieu Carle, Kyle Chipchura, Jonathan Ferland, Josh Gorges, Mikhail Grabovski, Jan Halak, Andrei Kostitsyn, Sergei Kostitsyn, Duncan Milroy and Carey Price
Card stock: Mathieu Biron, Tom Kostopolous, Maxim Lapierre, Garth Murray, Jamie Rivers and Mark Streit

Nashville Predators
Good Luck: Radek Bonk (very hit-or-miss, always seems suspicious)
No-Brainers: Jason Arnott, Martin Erat, Dan Hamhuis, David Legwand, Alexander Radulov, Steve Sullivan (once he returns from back surgery), Ryan Suter, Jordin Tootoo, Shea Weber and Marek Zidlicky
Puckworthy: Terry Crisp, Greg de Vries, J.P. Dumont (wicked ugly signature), Martin Gelinas, Chris Mason and Barry Trotz
Speculatives: Cody Franson, Kevin Klein and Pekka Rinne
Card stock: Vern Fiddler, Darcy Hordichuk, Scott Nichol, Jed Ortmeyer, Rich Peverly, Jerred Smithson, Nolan Yonkman and Greg Zanon

New Jersey Devils
Good Luck: None
No-Brainers: Martin Brodeur, Patrick Elias, Brian Gionta, Lou Lamoriello, Jamie Langenbrunner, John Madden, Paul Martin, Zach Parise, Glenn Resch, Larry Robinson, Vitaly Vishnevski, Kevin Weekes, Colin White and Travis Zajac
Puckworthy: Sergei Brylin, Jacques Caron, Mike "Doc" Emrick, John MacLean, Richard Matvichuk, Johnny Oduya, Jay Pandolfo, Mike Rupp, Bruce Salvador, Brent Sutter and Dainius Zubrus
Speculatives: Nicklas Bergfors, David Clarkson and Andy Greene
Card stock: Aaron Asham, Tommy Albelin, Sheldon Brookbank, Alexander Korolyuk, Ian Moran and Karel Rachunek

New York Islanders
Good Luck: Shawn Bates (very elusive), Mike Comrie (can get grumpy), Andy Hilbert (makes little effort in signing), Miroslav Satan (shifty, some might say), Andy Sutton (perpetually grumpy) and Bryan Trottier
No-Brainers: Rick DiPietro, Ruslan Fedotenko, Bill Guerin, Trent Hunter, Ted Nolan, Mike Sillinger (no shortage of teams to choose from), Jeff Tambellini and Brendan Witt
Puckworthy: Marc-Andre Bergeron, Chris Campoli, Bruno Gervais, Radek Martinek, Chris Simon (just don't get him mad), Garth Snow and Josef Vasicek
Speculatives: Sean Bergenheim, Blake Comeau, Kyle Okposo and Ben Walter
Card stock: Wade Dublielewicz, Freddy Meyer, Richard Park and Jon Sim

New York Rangers
Good Luck: Sean Avery (can be nasty), Chris Drury, Rod Gilbert (grumpy old man), Scott Gomez, Jaromir Jagr (draws a circus), Henrik Lundqvist, Glen Sather, Brendan Shanahan and Martin Straka
No-Brainers: Adam Graves, Petr Prucha and Jim Schoenfeld
Puckworthy: Dan Girardi, Marcel Hossa, Marek Malik, Paul Mara, Colton Orr, Tom Renney, Michel Rozsival and Fedor Tyutin
Speculatives: Ryan Callahan, Nigel Dawes, Lauri Korpikoski, Al Montoya, Thomas Pock, Bobby Sanguinetti and Marc Staal
Card stock: Blair Betts, Matt Cullen, Ryan Hollweg, Andrew Hutchinson, Jason Strudwick and Stephen Valiquette

Ottawa Senators
Good Luck: Ray Emery, Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza
No-Brainers: Daniel Alfredsson, Mike Fisher, Martin Lapointe, Ron Low, Andrej Meszaros, Brian Murray, Chris Phillips, Wade Redden, Cory Stillman and Anton Volchenkov
Puckworthy: Mike Commodore, Niko Dimitrakos, Martin Gerber (no Hurricanes stuff, though), Brian McGrattan, Chris Neil, John Paddock, Oleg Saprykin, Christoph Schubert and Antoine Vermette
Speculatives: Nick Foligno and Brian Lee
Card stock: Matt Carkner, Shean Donovan, Denis Hamel, Chris Kelly, Justin Mapletoft, Dean McAmmond, Lawrence Nycholat, Luke Richardson and Bryan Smolinski

Philadelphia Flyers
Good Luck: Martin Biron (a major departure from the past), Danny Briere (him, too), Scott Hartnell (bad attitude), Derian Hatcher (hit-or-miss), Mike Richards (can get grumpy) and Jason Smith (even grumpier, I hear)
No-Brainers: Jeff Carter, Bob Clarke, Gary Dornhoefer, Simon Gagne, Paul Holmgren, Sami Kapanen, Bob Kelly, Mike Knuble, Reggie Lemelin, Don Luce, Joffrey Lupul (one-per), Jaroslav Modry, Joe Mullen, Terry Murray, Antero Niittymaki, Bernie Parent, Vinny Prospal, Kimmo Timonen and Scottie Upshall
Puckworthy: Braydon Coburn, Lauren Hart (anthem singer), Keith Jones, Randy Jones, Jack McIlhargey, Brian Propp, Mike Rathje, John Stevens and R.J. Umberger
Speculatives: Steve Downie, Ryan Parent, Ryan Potulny and Stefan Ruzicka
Card stock: Denis Gauthier, Triston Grant and Lasse Kukonen

Phoenix Coyotes
Good Luck: Grant Fuhr, Wayne Gretzky and Ulf Samuelsson
No-Brainers: Keith Ballard, Shane Doan, Ed Jovanovski, Derek Morris, Zbynek Michalek, Darren Pang and Steve Reinprecht
Puckworthy: Nick Boynton, Ilya Bryzgalov, Josh Gratton, Niko Kapanen, Don Maloney, David LeNeveu, Fredrik Sjostrom, Mikael Tellqvist, Radim Vrbata and Mike York
Speculatives: Patrick Fischer, Martin Hanzal, Peter Mueller, Kyle Turris (at Wisconsin Badgers games) and Keith Yandle
Card stock: Louie DeBrusk, Matt Jones, Yanick Lehoux, Travis Roche, Mattias Tjarnqvist and Mike Zigomanis

Pittsburgh Penguins
(A living, breathing three-ring circus of hockey-hounding hell)
Good Luck: Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fleury, Marian Hossa, Mario Lemieux, Evgeni Malkin, and Jordan Staal
No-Brainers: Sergei Gonchar, Mike Lange, Georges Laraque, Ryan Malone, Gilles Meloche, Gary Roberts, Peter Sykora, Darryl Sydor and Ryan Whitney
Puckworthy: Brooks Orpik, Jarkko Ruutu, Dany Sabourin, Andre Savard and Michel Therrien
Speculatives: Tim Brent, Kris Letang and Ryan Stone
Card stock: Jason Botterill, Phil Bourque, Mark Eaton, Bob Errey, Tom Fitzgerald, Ryan Lannon, Alain Nasreddine, Rob Scuderi, Maxime Talbot and Mike Weaver

San Jose Sharks
Good Luck: Jonathan Cheechoo (blows right by, offering up the lamest of excuses), Patrick Marleau, Evgeni Nabokov, Joey Thornton and Doug Wilson
No-Brainers: Brian Campbell, Matt Carle, Christian Ehrhoff, Mike Grier, Milan Michalek, Craig Rivet and Marc-Edouard Vlasic
Puckworthy: Curtis Brown, Ryane Clowe, Marcel Goc, Kyle McLaren and Joe Pavelski
Speculatives: Logan Couture, Dimitri Patzold, Lukas Kaspar, Devon Segotuchi and Ty Wishart
Card stock: Rob Davison, Brennan Evans, Doug Murray, Brad Norton, Thomas Plihal, Patrick Rissmiller and Alexei Semenov

St. Louis Blues
Good Luck: Paul Kariya (most other veteran players increase autograph production in their waning years), Al MacInnis, Martin Rucinsky, Keith Tkachuk and Doug Weight
No-Brainers: Brad Boyes, Eric Brewer, John Davidson, Bernie Federko, Barret Jackman, Manny Legace, Jamal Mayers, Andy McDonald and Jay McKee,
Puckworthy: David Backes, Christian Backman, Petr Cajanek, Kelly Chase, Dan Hinote, Cam Janssen, Jay McClement, Andy Murray, Larry Pleau, Lee Stempniak, Hannu Toivonen, Rick Wamsley and Jeff Woywitka
Speculatives: Alex Brooks, Erik Johnson, T.J. Oshie, Roman Polak and Marek Schwarz
Card stock: David Backes, Miki Dupont, Mike Glumac, Ryan Johnson, Martin Kariya, D.J. King, Brad Shaw, Jean-Guy Trudel, Matt Walker and Trent Whitfield

Tampa Bay Lightning
Good Luck: Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis (both can be hit-or-miss)
No-Brainers: Bill Barber, Dan Boyle, Shane O'Brien and Paul Ranger
Puckworthy: Ryan Craig, Mathieu Darche, Jay Feaster, Chris Gratton, Jeff Halpern, Jussi Jokinen, Oren Koules (on any "Saw" DVD), Filip Kuba, Brad Lukowich, Michel Ouellet, Karri Ramo, Andre Roy, Bobby Taylor, Tim Taylor, John Tortorella and Jason Ward
Speculatives: Mike Egener, Riku Helenius, Blair Jones, Junior Lessard, Mike Lundin, Vladimir Mihalik, Alexandre Picard, Andy Rogers, Matt Smaby and Mike Smith
Card stock: Marc Denis, Jan Hlavac, Doug Janik, Andreas Karlsson, Bryce Lampman, Jay Leach, Craig MacDonald, Norm Milley, Jeff Reese, Karl Stewart, Mike Sullivan, Nick Tarnasky and Kyle Wanvig

Toronto Maple Leafs
Good Luck: Jason Blake, Wendel Clark, Doug Gilmour, Bryan McCabe (can get grumpy) Andrew Raycroft (can get grumpy), Darryl Sittler, Mats Sundin, Alexander Steen (often proves elusive), Vesa Toskala (can get grumpy) and Darcy Tucker
No-Brainers: Nik Antropov, Tomas Kaberle, Pavel Kubina, Alexei Ponivarovsky and Kyle Wellwood
Puckworthy: Mark Bell, Hal Gill, Paul Maurice and Matt Stajan
Speculatives: Jay Harrison, Staffan Kronwall, Justin Pogge and Jiri Tlusty
Card stock: Keith Acton, Bates Battaglia, Carlo Calaiacovo, Scott Clemmensen, Boyd Devereaux, Chad Kilger, Randy Ladouceur, Kris Newberry, Ben Ondrus, John Pohl, Ian White Jeremy Williams and Andy Wozniewski

Vancouver Canucks
Good Luck: Roberto Luongo, Markus Naslund, Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin
No-Brainers: Kevin Bieksa, Trevor Linden, Aaron Miller, Brendan Morrison, Mattias Ohlund and Sami Salo
Puckworthy: Kris Beech, Matt Cooke, John Garrett, Jim Hughson, Ryan Kesler, Lukas Krajicek, Willie Mitchell, Taylor Pyatt, Curtis Sanford, Ryan Shannon, Barry Smith, Steve Tambellini and Alain Vigneault
Speculatives: Luc Bourdon, Alexandre Burrows, Patrick Coulombe, Alexander Edler, Michael Grabner, Jannik Hansen, Rick Rypien, Cory Schneider and James Sharrow
Card stock: Jozef Balej, Rick Bowness, Jeff Cowan, Greg Classen, Brad Isbister, Kirill Koltsov, Nathan McIver, Brad Moran and Bryon Ritchie

Washington Capitals
Good Luck: Nicklas Backstrom, Michael Nylander, Alexander Ovechkin (expect no more than a scribbled "AO" and even that isn't guaranteed)
No-Brainers: Olaf Kolzig, Ted Leonsis and Alexander Semin
Puckworthy: Donald Brashear, Chris Clark, Steve Eminger, Mike Green, Cristobal Huet, Viktor Kozlov, Brooks Laich, Shaone Morrisonn and Tom Poti
Speculative: Chris Bourque (yes, he's Ray's kid), Eric Fehr, Tomas Fleishmann and Jeff Schultz
Card stock: Matt Bradley, Ben Clymer, John Erskine, Dean Evason, Boyd Gordon, Brent Johnson, Milan Jurcina, Jay Leach, Craig Laughlin, Jason Morgan, Joe Motzko, Matt Pettinger, Brian Pothier and David Steckel

Wishful thinking

Let's imagine for a moment that it's early to mid November. You've just bought a box of Upper Deck Hockey Series One. What Young Guns would you be looking for?

Here are my Top 5:

1.) Chicago's Jonathan Toews
2.) Washington's Nicklas Backstrom
3.) St. Louis' Erik Johnson
4.) Buffalo's Clarke MacArthur
5.) Phoenix's Peter Mueller

Should he make the roster out of camp, I wouldn't complain, either, if I picked up Chicago's Patrick Kane, the first-overall pick in this year's draft. You know, just in case. Besides, he's a Buffalo kid.

The first of many

One of the best things about being a hockey fan is getting to know other hockey fans. I mean, just today, our Florida family grew by three. An afternoon of talking hockey, a stoked 6-year-old and slightly crispy burgers should be the first of many gatherings.

Isn't it amazing how a sport -- any sport for that matter -- bonds people? The love of our game, from shinny on a patio to an NHL center-ice dot, doesn't care about gender, race or the recipient of our prayers.

What does matter? The colors of our teams. The players who've worn them. The memories they've created.

It was, indeed, a great hockey day.

Name this logo II

Congratulations to an old high school buddy for knowing that last week's logo was, indeed, the Baltimore Blades of the World Hockey Association.

Recognize this one?

Thanks, again, to Chris Creamer.

I hope Bolts didn't pay much

My first thought upon seeing the Tampa Bay Lightning's new logo? I hope it came with a money-back guarantee.

Now that I've spent the past hour doing yard work in balmy Florida, giving me plenty of time to ponder the team's decision, I've come to a different conclusion: I could have done the same thing myself. And I would've charged them only three mid-level season tickets.

I wasn't a fan of the Lightning's original logo. By no means is the new one an improvement.

Breaking the ice

Colin, my 6-year-old son, scored the first autograph of the season earlier today when he got Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis to sign this 8x10 photo during the Lightning's Ice Fest at the St. Pete Times Forum.

The photo, part of a plaque honoring St. Louis' MVP season, now hangs on a wall in Colin's bedroom, right next to something else Marty signed for him last season.

Review: 2007-08 UD Victory

Above all else, the best thing about Upper Deck's 2007-08 Victory product is that it represents the first release of the new season. And for that, and I believe that I can speak for most hockey fans, we are thankful. The summer has been long and these cards are a perfect antidote to a bad case of hockey withdrawals.

Beyond that, Victory is nothing out of the ordinary. The prototypical entry-level product, meaning that they're affordable and appealing to younger and newbie collectors, delivers on its basic premise. You'll get a decent selection across a spectrum of players -- from Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby to Chicago's Jason Williams.

At this price level (I paid less than $30 for a box), the only premiums are three subsets of inserts. Hard-core collectors should be pleased to learn that the release also features short prints, including rookies seeded one in every 2,880 packs. You know what? That's OK. At least we'll escape the disappointment of pulling a jersey card of, say, Washington's Matt Pettinger.

Kudos, again, to Upper Deck for showing players traded at last season's deadline with their new teams -- Martin Biron as a Flyer, Peter Forsberg as a Predator and Bill Guerin as a Shark, among others. It seems that Upper Deck has finally heard and responded to my complaints, as well as yours, of outdated cards in early season releases.

Now that Upper Deck has done that, though, I'm going to raise the bar. Given that some big names moved in the days after the free-agent signing season opened July 1, it would have been nice to see press conference photos on the cards of Philly's Daniel Briere, the Rangers' Chris Drury and Scott Gomez, and Colorado's Ryan Smyth. Given that Upper Deck is the only show in hockey card town, our expectations need to be higher.

And though it's not really Upper Deck's fault, Victory's rookie lineup, which features late-season call-ups, will likely elicit more yawns than anything else. Though I've said before that Los Angeles' Jack Johnson will likely draw the most interest, the quality of rookie cardboard quickly fades after him. I'm almost sheepish to name Los Angeles Yutaka Fukufuji and Edmonton's Rob Schremp (shown above) as my two-best rookie pulls. To me, these are better as autograph stock (though they'll need prep work) than for investment purposes.

Despite these minor complaints, I'm satisfied after busting my first box of the season. In my view, Victory stands more as an appetizer for hockey-starved collectors. We can all take comfort in knowing that the other courses, such as Upper Deck Hockey Series I, are on the menu.

Box buster: 2007-08 UD Victory
Vital stats: 36 packs, six cards per pack (216 total)
Price paid: $28.24 (including tax)
Purchased at: Water Wonder, Pinellas Park, Fla.
Set completion: 146 of 200 base cards (73 percent)
Rookies (1:2): Danny Bois, David Clarkson, Matt Ellis, Jeff Finger, Colin Fraser, Yutaka Fukufuji, Tom Gilbert, Jaroslav Halak, Jannik Hansen, Kent Huskins, Martin Lojek, Duncan Milroy, Pierre Parenteau, Tomas Popperle, Aaron Rome, Rob Schremp, Tobias Stephan and Zack Stortini. Total: 18 of 45 (40 percent)
EA Sports Faceoff (1:10): Kris Draper and Jarome Iginla
Superstar inserts (1:2): Game Breakers (10) - Sidney Crosby, Simon Gagne, Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Paul Kariya, Miikka Kiprusoff, Saku Koivu, Ilya Kovalchuk, Kari Lehtonen, Patrick Marleau and Marty Turco; Stars on Ice (7) - Sergei Fedorov, Ryan Geztlaf, Brian Gionta, Ilya Kovalchuk, Evgeni Malkin, Rick Nash and Teemu Selanne.
Parallel odds: Base cards gold (1:36); rookie cards gold (1:240); base cards black (1:720); and rookie cards black (1:2,880)
Puckhound's Grade: 3 pucks out of 5

More new looks

The Ottawa Senators unveiled their new jerseys and logos yesterday, opting for a sharper, more determined look for the Roman soldier. With the announcement, Ottawa becomes the fifth team (Boston, Columbus, Ottawa, San Jose and Washington) to launch a new logo, in conjunction with the new RBK Edge uniform system, for the upcoming 2007-08 season.

The new jerseys will also feature a nod to the team's past. The shoulder patches will have a retro “O” symbol on a striped background, a tribute to the original Ottawa Senators.

Senators fans will get their first on-ice look at the jerseys when the team plays host to the Washington Capitals on Sept. 20.

Looking ahead, the Tampa Bay Lightning will unveil their new logo and jerseys this Saturday during the team's IceFest. In Vancouver, the Canucks will show off their new jerseys Aug. 29.

Down here in Florida, the Panthers unveiled their new jerseys during their alumni game on July 28. That's Nathan Horton, left, modeling the road jersey and Stephen Weiss showing off the home jersey.

While these new looks may tempt some fans into dropping some of their hard-earned money for a jersey, I believe a better value can be found in scooping up last season's looks. Chances are you'll be able to get them at a discount.

Not too long ago, I bought Colorado Avalanche and Montreal Canadiens replica home jerseys for just $85. You'll spend considerably more, say about $150, for a new RBK Edge replica jersey. Bottom line, though, it's your call.

Missed opportunity

Just in time to start your Christmas wish list, McFarlane is coming out with Series 6 of its NHL Legends series. Due for release in December, the four-figure set features Boston's Cam Neely (looks just like him, doesn't it?), Toronto's maskless Johnny Bower, Detroit's Gordie Howe and the eighth version of Wayne Gretzky, showing him as a Ranger during his final NHL game.

Gretzky and Howe in the same set? I'm surprised McFarlane didn't put out a two-piece set replicating their famous photo of Gretzky, as a youngster, with Howe. Now that would be a collector's item.