The red carpet treatment

Maybe it's nothing more than a marketing ploy to get fannies in preseason seats, but the Tampa Bay Lightning organization deserves a pat on the back for the red carpet greeting for fans and players.

Before each of the team's three preseason games at the St. Pete Times Forum, fans are invited to line a red carpet that leads players into the arena. Along the way, Lightning players stop to sign autographs.

On Saturday, after mid-afternoon showers kept me away from the Washington Capitals (paper, ink and water don't mix well), we were among the early arrivers and were able to add a handful (eight) of autographs, including this puck from Lightning goalie prospect Karri Ramo, to the collection.

From what I understand, this approach ends with Monday's preseason tilt against the Detroit Red Wings. Here's hoping that the team reconsiders its stance and makes this a regular pregame attraction.

Simply amazing

Given his skill level, intensity and hockey hardware (Stanley Cup and Hart Trophy), one might think that Tampa Bay's Marty St. Louis might be a difficult autograph to obtain.

Lately, though, that's been the furthest from the truth. For a guy who hounds should forgive for the occasional denial, St. Louis is becoming just as quick with a Sharpie or paint pen as he is on skates. He signed this puck for us before Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals.

On the sidelines

In case you haven't heard, Tampa Bay's Dan Boyle will miss the next three to six weeks after suffering a weird and nasty injury following the Lightning's 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals last night. It seems Boyle's skate fell off a hook in his locker stall and sliced through his left arm, cutting a tendon. Boyle was one of the players who stopped to sign before Saturday's game.

All that counts

Though they may not be as nice as Drew Pelto's homemade cards, my homemade cards, which I lovingly refer to as cheap skates, served their intended purpose yesterday as Tampa Bay Lightning goalie prospect Karri Ramo signed this one. I find them useful for prospects, rookies and third- and fourth-liners with nary a card.

I got blisters on my fingers

Rather than spend the past two days writing pithy comments about witty observations, I've been up to my neck sorting through cards for a season's worth of hounding. As a result, I've culled hundreds of cards out of thousands. Still, though, I have more to do.

Hopefully, the Washington Capitals will stay overnight in Tampa and Mother Nature will keep the rain away Saturday so we can get in some hounding. With any luck, we'll add Calder contender Nicklas Backstrom to The Vault.

If not, the Red Wings, provided they're staying in town, too, and the Lightning dominate Monday's early agenda. Later Monday, Colin has his first baseball game of the Fall Ball season

San Jose batting .500

Maybe it's just me, but I'm disappointed in the San Jose Sharks. How a team can go from a tremendous upgrade in its logo to these butt-ugly RBK Edge jerseys is beyond comprehension. There's something hideous about that burnt orange striping.

I won't be seeing Stars

As much as I was getting ramped up to hound the Dallas Stars before their preseason game Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, I'm getting the sense that all of my efforts may be for naught.

Taking a look at their schedule, the Stars are playing home tonight against St. Louis and Thursday night against Colorado. Sandwiched in between is the game against the Lightning. All in all, a pretty hectic schedule with little time for sightseeing.

Given that it's a two-plus-hour flight to Tampa from Dallas-Fort Worth, and that none of the usual hotel suspects have reservations for any member of the team (no, I didn't ask for Mike Modano or Marty Turco), it's my guess that the team will fly in for the game, head to the St. Pete Times Forum from the airport, play and head back to Texas.

I could be wrong, but I'm thinking my first hounding trip, other than for the Lightning, will be this Saturday afternoon, after work, for the Washington Capitals. After that, I'm holding out hope that Detroit decides to stay over.

Chills and thrills

Boy, if there was a way I could get back home for New Year's Day 2008, I'd love to be a part of western New York hockey history. Wouldn't you? Who cares how cold it will be? As a kid, I sat through a couple of late-season Bills games.

Calling an audible

Rather than make my third trip to Brandon in five days, I've called off today's planned trip to the Tampa Bay Lightning's training camp. I've had pretty good luck so far, so why push it? Besides, April is many moons away.

In the meantime, I'll try to catch up on new RBK Edge jerseys:

~ The Dallas Stars, in town this week, adopted a retro look for their home jerseys, returning to the black sweater and a wordmark, rather than the star, for their primary logo. For card hounds, this is yet another jersey that renders cards useless for signing.

~ As expected, there were few surprises in St. Louis, Phoenix and Edmonton: changes to sleeve striping and elimination of striping along the bottom.

San Jose unveiled its new jerseys on Monday.

Name this logo V

Given that last week's logo was a giant white "T" on a shield of blue, I figured quite a few people would know it had something to do with Toronto. One person, an old high school buddy, got that part right.

The complete identity? The Toronto Blue Shirts of the National Hockey Association, a precursor to the NHL.

I suppose, then, that I'll have to make this week's that much easier.

As always, the answer can be found at Chris Creamer's site.

Wanna make a kid smile?

I don't know who had a bigger smile when this jersey was getting signed: Tampa Bay's Vinny Lecavalier or my son, Colin. To be honest, I was grinning from ear-to-ear, too.

Vinny knows, too

Tampa Bay's Vinny Lecavalier was making his way down the autograph line following Sunday's practice when a fellow hound reassured the Lightning star that the item he was signing, a McFarlane base, as well as these two pucks, would not end up on eBay later tonight.

"That's good," Lecavalier said. "You know, the dealers ruin it for everyone."

Being prepared, almost

There's an unwritten rule in hockey hounding that you never let an opportunity to catch a Hall of Famer pass.

That's why I've carried these two cards of Philadelphia Flyers legend Bill Barber, who now works within the Tampa Bay Lightning organization, since the team's training camp opened last week.

Now all I need is a Flyers puck.

Family day at camp

In what's becoming something of a family tradition, we all made the trip over to the Tampa Bay Lightning's training camp in Brandon earlier today. Like most other camps, it's open to the public and the players are willing to sign.

For Lisa, it's an opportunity to check out the, how shall I say this, the Lightning's new faces. For Colin, it's a chance to hook up with some friends from Bradenton. For me, it's a chance to step back and watch Lisa and Colin interact with the players.

As you can see, Colin did pretty good, getting 12 players, including Vinny Lecavalier, on one of his team sheets. Please note, too, the new Lightning logo. Most fans I've spoken with seem to like it, saying anything was better than the old one. My jury's still out. Despite my indecision, though, it didn't keep me from getting the pucks above signed by goalie Johan Holmqvist, left, and defenseman Paul Ranger.

Either way, about the only thing we'd change would be the near 100-degree temperatures and the glaring sun. Back when we lived in New England, I used to kibbutz, especially on brutally cold January days, about how much fun it would be to collect autographs down here in Tampa. Now that we're down here, I certainly wouldn't have minded one of those January breezes today.

Anyways, I digress. As expected, it being Sunday and all, the autograph pen at the Ice Sports Forum was crowded. At one time, before a couple dealers decided to pack it in, the crowd flirted with 50 people.

And while some players drove past, quite a few stopped and rewarded those of us who dealt with the heat and humidity.

NHL's fashion shows

The Atlanta Thrashers have apparently followed the Minnesota Wild's lead by transforming last season's third jersey into their new home jersey when the team, using Pascal Dupuis and Alexei Zhitnik as models, unveiled their new RBK Edge look earlier today.

Last week, the Wild opted for their Iron Range Reds, perhaps the gaudiest jersey in the NHL, for their home-ice contests.

The Thrashers weren't the only ones rolling out their updated designs:

~ The Philadelphia Flyers also used training camp to unveil their new look for the season. As you'll see, there's no major changes, other than within the sleeves.

~ The opening practice of the New Jersey Devils' training camp this morning brought more than new faces.

The Chicago Blackhawks, who showed off their new duds Friday afternoon, stayed with their traditional look

~ Hockey fans at the Honda Center in Anaheim got a look at new jerseys for the Ducks and the visiting Los Angeles Kings in their preseason opener Thursday night.

~ The Colorado Avalanche showed off their new work clothes on Wednesday.

~ In Toronto, it's simplicity.

~ Thanks to Grae, a faithful reader and Hurricanes fan, I now know that Carolina not only unveiled their new look earlier this month, but a logo marking the organization's 10th anniversary in North Carolina as well. I remember some of those early games at the Greensboro (N.C.) Coliseum, when a good crowd was more than 5,000 people and you could get coupons for a free game ticket as Subways.

A number of teams are taking the wraps off their updated looks:

Friday: Dallas Stars (updated Sept. 17)
Saturday: Phoenix Coyotes (updated Sept. 17)
Saturday: St. Louis Blues (updated Sept. 15)
Sunday: Edmonton Oilers (updated Sept. 17)
Monday: San Jose Sharks (updated Sept. 18)

Another silver lining

One of the better things to come out of the 2004-05 lockout, at least as this hockey hound is concerned, was the release of the UD Hockey All-World Edition.

If memory serves me correct, I groused a bit about the set being nothing more than a cash grab by Upper Deck. With no NHL season, it's production options were limited.

Now, though, I find these cards, such as this one of Tampa Bay's Vincent Lecavalier, are pretty cool to get signed. Not only are they different, but they also represent a snapshot in hockey history.

Something new, please

You can add Tampa Bay defenseman Shane O'Brien to the list of people waiting for upcoming releases of hockey cards.

O'Brien, who came to the Lightning from eventual Stanley Cup champion Anaheim in a late-season deal, is looking forward to cards showing him in the Lightning's colors.

"I'm getting tired of seeing Anaheim cards," he said.

Though this Rookie Class card is from last season, it's a shame that the 2007-08 Upper Deck Victory release didn't carry updated cards of players, such as O'Brien, with their new teams.

Oh well, maybe he'll have a card in Upper Deck Hockey Series I.

Training camp 2007

Given what's being called Camp Torturella, I was surprised that quite a few Lightning players stopped to sign for a sizable crowd Thursday. Though some looked whupped and winded, most players, including Vincent Lecavalier and Dan Boyle, stopped to sign.

It seems that Bolts coach John Tortorella is known for having one of the toughest training camps in the league. And while opening day at the Lightning's training camp was more about physical testing, Torts put the team through fitness testing, namely six three-lap timed speed drills.

Today, from what I hear, isn't any easier. Instead of six three-lappers, players will skate three 15-lap drills. That's right. Three gut-wrenching, and likely emptying, 15-lap drills.

Because of that, I'm staying home today. Despite my self-proclaimed tough-guy status, I gag at the sight/sound/smell of a furball.

Even moreso, though, is that I had a pretty decent day, adding another 20 autographs to the collection. Boyle and Lightning GM Jay Feaster signed the Lightning mini helmet. Marc Denis, Jan Hlavac, Vinny Prospal, Lecavalier, Shane O'Brien and Kyle Wanvig signed at least a card.

I'm sure that others stopped, too. I stayed as long as I could, heading straight to work from camp.

Pucks, shown above, are: Tampa Bay Lightning and Lightning souvenir: Michel Ouellet; Red Deer Rebels: Blair Jones

Cards, shown below, are: Marc Denis, from left, Vinny Prospal, Paul Ranger and Kyle Wanvig

Look familiar?

Tampa Bay's top farm club, the Norfolk Admirals, are among AHL teams unveiling new looks.

Doesn't the road (royal blue) version look a little like the old Kansas City Scouts jersey?

Tie-downs on both warrant a puckbucket of bonus points.

Honor their memories

Though another year has passed since that God-awful day, the message remains the same. We're able to enjoy our freedom because of the sacrifices made since Sept. 11, 2001.

As always, keep them in your prayers.

AHL's new looks

Lest we forget that the new season also means updated looks for American Hockey League teams, you might want to take a look at this feature at ahl.com. This RBK Edge jersey belongs to the Lake Erie Monsters, a first-year farm club for the Colorado Avalanche.

Giant goalie invades Florida!!!

Will you look at the size of this goalie? Dwarfs the net, doesn't he?

Actually, it's my son, Colin, imitating Carolina's Cam Ward.

And, no, that's not an official size (4-foot-by-6-foot) net.

I demand a recount

With apologies to my friends in New England, I find it hard to believe that the Bruins have produced one of the two best logo changes, as determined by Hound Central 3.0 readers, so far this season.

But, that's what happened in the past Hound Central 3.0 poll, which asked which NHL team made the best change in logos.

The results:

Boston Bruins: 3 votes out of 9 cast (33 percent)
Ottawa Senators: 3 out of 9 (33 percent)
Columbus Blue Jackets: 2 out of 9 (22 percent)
San Jose Sharks: 1 out of 9 (11 percent)
Tampa Bay Lightning: 0 out of 9

My vote, based solely on the logo alone, went to Ottawa, with San Jose coming in a close second. I'm not surprised, either, that the Lightning's updated look gathered no votes.

But the Bruins? I don't think so. Restoring serifs to the spoked B? Even with its nod to history, it's hardly an update.

If you're going to mess with an Original Six logo, as the Bruins have done over the years, it needs to be a marked improvement. I believe the Bruins' new shoulder patches, one of which (the home version) is shown above, would have made a better primary logo.

Think big

Besides an extra pack tucked into the 11-pack retail boxes of 2007-08 Upper Deck Victory hockey boxes, you'll find an 3.5"x5" oversized card, such as this one of Atlanta's Kari Lehtonen, that's great for hounding purposes. Once signed, these cards look sweet in frames.

Circle these dates (in pencil)

Take these for what they're worth, but I've found these release dates for Upper Deck's 2007-08 hockey card products:

Sept. 19: Fleer Hockey

Oct. 4: Upper Deck MVP

Oct. 23: Upper Deck Artifacts

Nov. 9: Upper Deck Hockey Series I (above)

Dec. 13: Upper Deck Black Diamond

Dec. 18: Upper Deck O-Pee-Chee

Dec. 26: Upper Deck Trilogy

Jan. 8, 2008: Upper Deck SPx

Of course, every date is subject to Upper Deck's whim.

Name this logo IV

I suspected last week's logo might be difficult for some, but I was surprised that no one knew, or even dared to guess, that it was the Renfrew Creamery Kings, who played in the National Hockey Association in 1910-11.

Maybe this week's logo will be a little easier. Then again, maybe it won't. I've made the effort. It's your turn now.

The answer can be found at Chris Creamer's sports logo site.

Too Wild?

Now that the Minnesota Wild have unveiled their new RBK Edge jerseys, I'm left to wonder whether the Iron Range Red home version, left, a variation of last season's third jersey,
is more garish than the Phoenix Coyotes' brick red. The tie-down collar is cool, though. Too bad the road jersey lacks one.

Two teams unveil their new looks in the days ahead:

Chicago Blackhawks
Friday, Sept. 14 (last question in Dale Tallon Q&A)

St. Louis Blues
Saturday, Sept. 15

The Big Three

It’s not all that often when Tampa Bay’s Vinny Lecavalier, Brad Richards and Martin St. Louis all stop to sign autographs on the same day. I’ll tell you what, though, it’s pretty neat when it happens.

It took a little hustle, but it was worth it to score these items Friday after the team's informal skate:

Lecavalier was pretty darn jovial when he signed the 8x10, out of a Lightning team plaque, for Colin. He even chuckled at my suggestion of 55-60 goals this season.

St. Louis, who gave Colin an autograph not too long ago, signed this Team Canada puck. If anyone has a Saint John Flames puck they’re willing to part with, drop me a line.

Richards, the easiest of the three as he stopped on the way to his vehicle, added to this working Lightning mini helmet.

Autographs from Captain Dave, Dan Boyle, GM Jay Feaster and, eventually, Nikolai Khabibulin will complete it.

No worse for wear

If you believe that Tampa Bay's Marc Denis might be feeling any heat after last season's disappointments, he wasn't showing it as he signed Friday following the team's informal skate.

Of course, everyone wished him well.

With last season's surprise Johan Holmqvist and prospect Karri Ramo also on the ice, Tampa Bay has three goalies gunning for two positions.

The hockey bug bites

Among my many faults, a lack of patience is among the worst. It comes, I’m sure, from my deadline-oriented life. It’s at its worst, though, about this time of year. I know hockey is coming. It's just not soon enough.

I had full intentions of waiting for the Lightning’s training camp to open next week. Once I read that most of the team was skating at the team’s practice facility, I couldn’t resist the temptation. So, on Friday, I drove to Brandon.

After adding 26 autographs to the collection, including 11 pucks, my only complaint was I waited as long as I did to make the trip. Besides snagging one each from The Big Three, I concentrated on catching up with the Lightning’s new players – Chris Gratton, Jan Hlavac, Brad Lukowich, Michel Ouellet – and last season’s acquisition, Shane O’Brien.

Pucks, shown above, are:
Top row: Portland Pirates game-used, Kingston Frontenacs and Toronto St. Michael's Majors: Shane O'Brien
Bottom row: Florida Panthers: Filip Kuba; Tampa Bay Lightning: Brad Lukowich; and Quebec Citadelles: Jason Ward

Cards, shown below, are: Chris Gratton, from left, Jan Hlavac and Michel Ouellet.

New McFarlane lineups

In case you forgot, you might want to start looking for McFarlane's SportsPicks NHL Legends Series 5 hitting retail shelves.

With a scheduled release date sometime this month (we all know what that means), we could soon have our choice of these original and repainted figures:

~ Wayne Gretzky 5, as a member of the St. Louis Blues;
~ Bobby Orr 3 (above), wearing a Chicago Blackhawks uniform;
~ Bobby Hull 2, from his days with the Winnipeg Jets; and
~ Montreal's Guy Lafleur.

Patience, too, will be rewarded in future releases. Check out these lineups and upcoming release dates, found at spawn.com, for McFarlane's SportsPicks Hockey sets. Sorry, but no pictures are available.

Series 16 (arriving November 2007): Montreal's Cristobal Huet, New York's Jaromir Jagr 3, Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby 2 and Philadelphia's Simon Gagne. An update says that these figures will show the players in their new RBK Edge uniforms.

Legends Series 6 (arriving December 2007): New York's Wayne Gretzky, Toronto's Johnny Bower, Detroit's Gordie Howe and Boston's Cam Neely.

Series 17 (arriving January 2008): Washington's Alexander Ovechkin 2, Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin, Toronto's Jason Blake (why, I ask?), Buffalo's Ryan Miller, Vancouver's Trevor Linden, wearing the team's retro winged-skate logo, and Colorado's Joe Sakic, shown in a Quebec Nordiques uniform.

Series 18 (arriving May 2008 in Canada and specialty stores): Ottawa's Ray Emery, Pittsburgh's Jordan Staal, Edmonton's Sheldon Souray and Colorado's Joe Sakic 3.

Just another among many

The Pittsburgh Penguins became the latest NHL team to show off new duds earlier today when they trotted out their latest look. What surprised me, though, was just how many designs the Penguins have had since 1967. I counted 22 different jerseys within a three-picture span in this slideshow. That's quite a bit, don't you think?

They'll call it the 'O'Reena'

Wicked nice touch by Fredericton, New Brunswick, to name its new ice arena after Willie O'Ree, a hometown kid who, at 21, broke the racial barrier in the NHL with the Boston Bruins nearly 50 years ago.

For Mr. O'Ree, and the league, the historic moment came in January 1958 against the three-time defending Stanley Cup champion Canadiens at the Forum.

Nice touch in Calgary

A tip of the helmet to the Calgary Flames for adding a touch of Canadian heritage to their new-look RBK Edge jersey. The jerseys, unveiled yesterday, feature the Canadian and Alberta provincial flags (at left) as the shoulder patches. While most teams use secondary logos there, it's nice to know that at least one team remembers the roots of the game.

Montreal also unveiled its so-called new look yesterday. Other than the NHL crest at the neck, I don't see much of a change. Do you? Besides, changing the Canadiens' look would be sacrilegious. There are just some things that should be left as they are. The Habs' jersey is one of those.

Three other NHL teams will unveil their jerseys in the days ahead:

Minnesota Wild: Sept. 7

Chicago Blackhawks: Sept. 14 (Last question in this Q&A with GM Dale Tallon)

St. Louis Blues: Sept. 15

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.