Hound Central 5.0

New blog

2011-08-21T20:49:00.000-04:00

C'mon now, did you really think I'd stop blogging about hockey and hounding? well, I haven't. If that disappoints you, well, oh, well. If it doesn't, feel free to check out The Hockey Life.

It'll be a little different that the Hound Centrals. A little less on hounding, but a lot more about living the hockey lifestyle.

With Colin embarking on another season of travel hockey, making the Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning Squirt A squad for the 2011-12 campaign, I'll share what it means to be a hockey parent.

Thanks for stopping by

2011-06-26T08:30:00.002-04:00

Now that the 2010-11 hockey-hounding campaign is over, and Colin finds himself immersed in travel team hockey, it's long past due for our priorities to change. That's why, as of this post, among the more than 2,500 I've written since I started blogging Sept. 10, 2005, Hound Central 5.0 has run its course.

It's been my pleasure, for the most part, to share our hockey-hounding exploits and misadventures with you over the past six years. I'm grateful, too, for all of the people who've helped out: Moody, Al and Mike among them. But it's time to redirect our energy, and as any hockey parent knows all too well, our resources.

I've also pulled the plug on Hockey Hounds Universe. All along, the focus was to chronicle the 2010-11 hockey-hounding campaign. Again, I appreciate anyone who took the time to stop by and everyone who helped. It truly was a learning experience.

As always, folks, thanks for your support over the years. I hope my efforts were worth your time. It was, and remains to be, truly appreciated.

Peace.

My 2010-11 NHL awards picks

2011-06-22T13:45:00.001-04:00

Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP): Marty St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
Vezina Trophy (best goalie): Tim Thomas, Boston Bruins
James Norris Memorial Trophy (best defenseman): Shea Weber, Nashville Predators
Calder Memorial Trophy (top rookie): Jeff Skinner, Carolina Hurricanes
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (gentlemanly conduct): Marty St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
Frank J. Selke Trophy (top defensive forward): Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks
Jack Adams Award (top coach): Guy Boucher, Tampa Bay Lightning (yes, I know he's not a finalist)
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (dedication, perseverance and sportsmanship): Ray Emery, Anaheim Ducks (pretty weak field, too)
Ted Lindsay Award (players' MVP): Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks

The Hockey Life: Week 32

2011-06-19T08:37:00.004-04:00

When Colin was born, I reached out to the man whose named is listed on my birth certificate as my father. He had no interest in meeting his grandson, let alone his son. His concern, beyond being tracked down so many years later, was that the news would upset his family.

From that moment on, I vowed to be the man that man – Vincent Wynn Parry -- never was.

Over the course of my nearly 50 years, I’ve been fortunate enough to have father figures who taught me valuable lessons about being a man, a husband and, most importantly, a father.

On this day, I don’t have one father to thank, but many: Roy F. Saar, David Howard, Russell Saar, Harold McLeer, Fenton Thomas McGonnell II, Lester Baum, John Schurr and Russell Asquith.

My only hope is that I pass these lessons to my son and become the father I never had. More than anything else, that's what I want as my legacy.

The thrill of victory

2011-06-16T09:30:00.001-04:00

At practices Monday and Wednesday, Colin wore his Bruins Patrice Bergeron jersey, taking some ribbing from his teammates who, suddenly, were Vancouver Canucks fans. Well, after Boston's 4-0 victory Wednesday night, it looks like the Hockey Gods have once again smiled upon Colin.

At game's end, Colin donned his Bergeron jersey again and lofted a Stanley Cup in celebration. "I have a lifelong right for bragging now," Colin told me.

The Hockey Life: Week 31

2011-06-12T08:26:00.081-04:00

We were on our way to a Florida State League baseball game, braving rush-hour traffic as we headed to Dunedin, when my cell phone rang. The caller ID showed it was a call I wanted to take. It was Colin's coach from the Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning, calling on the day when we'd hear whether he'd make the Squirt A squad for the fall and winter season.

After exchanging greetings, Coach Dave got to the business at hand -- Colin would, indeed, be sticking with the Jr. Lightning, having earned his keep, so to speak, over the course of the 10-game summer season. With 41 kids trying out for 22 to 24 positions over two teams, we were pretty psyched to get the news.

"You can't teach speed and tenacity," Coach Dave told me.

We've enjoyed watching him play this summer, learning from his earliest games against much-better teams that playing hard and engaging the competition would make a big difference. Since he started playing, I've stressed the need for him to skate hard and be active. In fact, Coach Dave related how Colin's name came up in conversations with teammates on the player they'd least want to go up against in one-on-one drills.

That doesn't mean, though, there isn't room for improvement. It's likely that Colin will play more defense than forward in the upcoming season, meaning he'll have to learn a more positional game and become a better heads-up stickhandler. Advice like that will give us something to work on over the summer.

A kick in the grass
Over the years, we've taken Colin to many sporting events, mostly hockey and baseball games and a handful of Nascar races. Later today, we're attending his first pro soccer game as the FC Tampa Bay play the Atlanta Silverbacks at Al Lang Field in downtown St. Petersburg.

Beyond having fun with a loud, vocal group known as Ralph's Mob, I'm hoping Colin draws some parallels from soccer that he can use in hockey -- relentlessness, playing your position, pinpoint passing and rock-solid defense.

For me, it'll bring back memories of watching the Tampa Bay Rowdies during my first tour of duty here in Hockey Bay as well as covering the team during my early days as a sportswriter for the Clearwater Sun.

Colin's new wheels

2011-06-08T10:36:00.002-04:00

We went to a Sports Authority yesterday afternoon looking for a new pair of sneakers for me. Didn't see anything I liked that was within my budget, but Colin stumbled across these new Mission Helium Quatro 3500 inline hockey skates in a bargian bin.

Once priced at $119.99, the price tag read $34.99. When we went to check out, though, the register rung up $19.99. Can't beat that, can you?

Time off, baby!

2011-06-01T00:01:00.036-04:00

At the stroke of midnight today, I begin 16 straight days of vacation. Won't be traveling far, sticking mostly close to home. Aside from a few hockey-related activities, this vacation is more about chilling out and resting up than running around the Sunshine State or the East Coast like a sunburned, money-spending madman.

Instead, I'll get to watch the Bruins beat the Canucks, in seven games, to claim Lord Stanley's Cup.

With any luck, some pucks and cards, currently taking up space on any flat surface in the office, will also get put away and, possibly, some collections within the display case will be updated. Hockey Hound Universe also needs a few more posts, too.

What I'm really looking forward to, though, is spending the first week of Colin's summer vacation with him. We'll do a little fishing, fly some kites, look for trains and continue our search for the best pizza in Hockey Bay. Some joint in Tampa that serves deep-dish pizza is our first stop.

If you see us, don't be afraid to say hello. We might even offer you a slice, as long as you ask nicely.

The Hockey Life: Week 30

2011-05-29T08:25:00.004-04:00

Last Wednesday morning, I stumbled upon two face-value tickets for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Wanting to put Colin in a position to watch his favorite team -- the Boston Bruins -- make the Stanley Cup Finals, it was a no-brainer to pull the trigger on the tickets.

After picking him up from school and putting him through a quick skating session, we headed over to Tampa. As always, we followed our pregame routine, venturing down to the glass so Colin would watch the team during warmups.

Only a few minutes in, a Bruins player skated up to Colin and tapped the glass in front of him. In his hand, he held a puck. Seconds later, he tossed it over to Colin. While this hasn't been that rare of an occurrence this season, the player who did it was a bit of a surprise.

Instead of Boston's Patrice Bergeron, Colin's best NHL buddy, it was, instead, Bruins rookie Tyler Seguin. Stunned by the gesture, Colin and I looked at each other with wide-eyed amazement.

For regular readers of Hound Central 5.0, it's common knowledge that Seguin didn't rank near the top of Colin's favorite NHL players, even despite playing for his hometown Bruins. A little incident earlier this season saw to that.

After Wednesday night's warmups, though, Colin now considers the matter closed.

"Apology accepted," he said.

The thumbs-down, too, was for the Lightning, not Seguin. I just hope that doesn't come back to haunt him.

He'll take it

Brett, owner of the top-shelf My Hockey Card Obsession blog, is one of Hound Central 5.0's most faithful readers. As a result, he's very familiar with Colin's passion for the Bruins. Brett, however, is a Canucks fan. And with the two clubs squaring off for Lord Stanley's Cup, he proposed a friendly wager.

If Boston wins, Brett will create a custom Stanley Cup Patrice Bergeron card for Colin to get signed. If the Bruins lose, though, Colin will create a Vancouver Canucks Stanley Cup Champions team sheet to get signed.

After consulting with Colin, he's accepted the wager and is looking forward to his new card. It'll look good, he said, with the other Bergeron card Brett created for him a few seasons ago.

Not too smart, folks

If you ask me, it was pretty freaking stupid for Lightning and Bruins fans to throw those plastic thunder drums onto the ice at the end of Game 6. Players from both teams got hit as did a few unsuspecting fans.

I mean, what were people thinking? That this was cool? Hardly. All it showed was that a few numskulls, likely fueled by a few too many overpriced alcoholic beverages, fell far short of acceptable behavior. I wonder, too, how many kids followed the leads shown by their parents?

It's one thing to cheer for your team or, within reason and boundaries of good taste, give an opponent a hard time. Tossing projectiles, however, crosses the line.

As for the Lightning, let's hope there was a lesson learned. As vigilant as they were about fans entering a game (bags checked, pockets emptied and a body scan with a metal detector), the organization showed a lack of foresight in handing out these items.

Big night tonight

2011-05-24T09:58:00.004-04:00

When Colin first tried out for the Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning a couple of months ago, we heard that the spring season would serve as a warmup for the real deal -- the fall season. Well, after making the spring squad, Colin takes the next step in his journey tonight, when he tries out for the Jr. Lightning's fall squad.

So far, in six games with the Jr. Lightning, he has a goal and two assists and has earned a reputation for a tireless backchecker. To me, he's doing what he supposed to -- being a role player.

Last Sunday, he played his 20th game of 2011. Wearing the jerseys of the Jr. Lightning and the Pinellas P.A.L. Stars, in travel-team and rec league games, he has scored 11 goals and has 12 assists. At more than a point per game, I'd say he's doing pretty good.

The Hockey Life: Week 29

2011-05-22T09:15:00.002-04:00

It's not too often that I've been able to try my hand at hounding during an Eastern Conference final. That changed last week, when the Boston Bruins came to town to play the Tampa Bay Lightning. And now that I think back, this is the first time.

After two trips in less than 24 hours, however, I'd call it a waste of time. Though the coaches and lesser-known players will likely sign, it's apparent that most of a visiting team's bigger-name players are in shutdown mode.

To wit, according to several Hockey Bay hounds who put in more time than me:

~ "I'm not signing this trip." Boston's Zdeno Chara

~ "C'mon, it's game day." Boston's Tomas Kaberle

~ "(Bleep) you, you fat (bleep)." Boston's Tyler Seguin, during a testy exchange with a Hockey Bay hound (not me, though)

Granted, it's easy to understand that the players are focused on the game, not signing autographs. At this stage of the season, players need to think about the task at hand. But to sneak out a hotel's back door to catch a ride, rather than walk out the front and politely decline requests, is, in a word, weak.

Checking in

Because the Bruins were in town, Colin joined me for both of our hounding adventures. It wasn't so much to score autographs, but the trips represented opportunities for Colin to see his favorite NHL buddy, Patrice Bergeron.

Unfortunately, Bergeron was one of the Boston players who ducked out the back, meaning Colin didn't get his face-to-face with the reason why he wears No. 37. We had made a quick trip Friday to the hotel's Starbucks, hoping to see him there, like we did Milan Lucic, Nathan Horton, Johnny Boychuck, Shawn Thornton and Tomas Kaberle, among others.

To Bergeron's credit, though, he nodded at Colin as he stood along the glass during Game 3 warmups. Not exactly what we were hoping for, but Colin certainly appreciated the gesture.

The Hockey Life: Week 28

2011-05-15T11:54:00.011-04:00

Because I've been a gypsy journalist, working at papers large and small along the Eastern Seaboard, I've had the opportunity to follow a number of NHL teams -- the Carolina Hurricanes (the first two seasons after relocating from Hartford, when they were practically giving away tickets), Boston Bruins and, now, the Tampa Bay Lightning. It doesn't mean, though, they're my favorite team.

The honor, for better or worse, goes to the Buffalo Sabres. From the days of the French Connection to Donny Edwards to Ryan Miller, I've always bled blue, yellow and white.

That doesn't mean, though, that I can't, or won't root, for other teams, especially when living or working in a particular city, save for when the Sabres come to town. To me, it's a right of being a hockey fan.

This issue has come to the surface recently, at home and on Facebook, over my stated hopes that the Lightning beat the Bruins in the Eastern Conference final. It seems I'm the only one in the house, besides the cats, who isn't rooting for the Bruins. And after a couple of pointed posts at Facebook, it's apparent I've stepped on a few toes.

My response requires only two words: tough beans.

For one, once the Sabres were knocked out, I wasn't going to sit idly on the sidelines. I'm too much of a hockey fan to not have a dog in the fight. So, for a couple of reasons, I'm sticking with the Bolts.

In two tours of duty, so to speak, I've lived in the Tampa Bay area for nearly as long as I have in western New York. I may have been a kid in Machias, N.Y., but I grew up down here in Hockey Bay. It's where my favorite Bruins fan learned to skate and plays his hockey, too. And given that the Lightning has enjoyed a truly remarkable turnaround this season, it's not hard to appreciate the team's fortunes.

As for Boston, well, that's a different story.

I really love the city itself. It's steeped in history; you can walk on the very same streets as America's first patriots. It's great for people-watching, as its international appeal and many top-rate universities make the Hub of the Universe moniker deserving. And the Public Garden is one of the coolest places I've ever visited (I even know of one spot where you can sit, in summer's full bloom, and not see a single bit of the city).

The fact that Colin was born near Beantown and grew up watching the Bruins, including his favorite NHL buddy Patrice Bergeron, practice and play, from Wilmington, Mass., to Boston and from Brandon, Fla., to Tampa, made it easy to cheer for the Bruins, but only when they weren't playing the Sabres and, now, the Lightning.

My biggest reason for abandoning the Bruins in this series raised its ugly head last night. With the Lightning holding a commanding lead in the third period, I was appalled by the spacious gaps of empty gold seats at the TD Banknorth Garden. Rather than stay to the end and boo their team, as any loyal hockey fan worth his or her salt would do, the "fans" left. Unfortunately, a few knuckleheads stayed behind, throwing debris (playoff towels, perhaps?) at the Lightning players at game's end.

And then you have the cheap-shot sucker punches thrown by Nathan Horton and Milan Lucic. Sure, it stinks getting embarrassed on your home ice. Rather than man up, admit that they weren't prepared and dedicate themselves to Game 2, all these two clowns did was disgrace themselves, their team and fans with their selfish actions.

In both cases, it only solidified my decision to root for the Lightning. I made sure, as a father and a hockey dad, that Colin knew the fans' and players' actions, were teaching moments on how NOT to act.

For that, I'm appreciative. Go Bolts!

Moms rock

2011-05-08T16:16:00.002-04:00

In lieu of another Hockey Life offering, I have but one simple wish: That all moms are shown love and respect not just today, but every day.

To all of the hockey moms, thanks for all of the sacrifices you make. Behind every hockey player is a mom who cares not only about her child, but the sport as well.

Let's go Bolts!

2011-05-04T11:27:00.006-04:00

Never had the chance to witness a series-clinching game. Here's hoping it happens tonight at the St. Pete Times Forum. If it does, the joint will be rocking.

Couldn't bring myself to drive over to Tampa this morning and hound the Washington Capitals. Facing elimination, I can't imagine them being in anything other than a surly mood.

Doesn't mean, though, we won't see if some Lightning players aren't staying at a hotel. Got a lot of stuff for them we'd like to get signed.

The Hockey Life: Week 27

2011-05-01T08:37:00.007-04:00

As a hockey dad, there's little more fun than watching your child play the game. Win or lose, as long as he's having fun, that's all that really matters.

For the child, though, hockey is all about moments. The first time they step on the ice. The first time they make a team. The first time they play a game. And, yes, the first time they score a goal. Each one is a memory.

Last night, in his home rink in Clearwater, Colin scored his first goal for the Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning travel team. Once again, hard work, dedication and doggedness paid off. Even better, it came in an 11-6 victory for the Jr. Lightning.

Though he's scored goals in the past, quite a few for his first team, the Pinellas P.A.L. Stars, this one is pretty special.

After admitting that he felt a bit intimidated in his first two games a couple weeks ago, I told him that hockey hasn't changed. It doesn't matter if the kids are a little bigger, skate a little faster or are any better than him. All he has to do is skate hard, play his best and good things will happen.

That goal last night drove home the point. And now that he got the first one out of the way, let's see what happens.

It's been awhile

In the five-plus years we've lived down here in Hockey Bay, the Tampa Bay Lightning, up until this season, had made the NHL playoffs only once. And, that, if memory serves me correctly, didn't go all that well as the New Jersey Devils easily dispatched the Bolts in the first round.

This season, though, the Bolts are back in the playoffs and, possibly, making some noise. After knocking off the Pittsburgh Penguins, coming back from a 3-1 deficit, the Lightning surprised the Washington Capitals in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinals.

Though we passed on a first-round game, we have tickets (not very good ones, mind you) for Wednesday's game against the Washington Capitals. Still, to take in the excitement of an NHL playoff game, even if it's in the nosebleeds, it'll be worth every penny.

To my son

2011-04-28T16:14:00.004-04:00

Ten years ago today, at exactly the time this post went live, I knew what I was put on God's great earth to do. It wasn't to be a journalist. Nor was it to collect hockey autographs. It was to be a daddy.

Happy birthday, buddy boy! I love you with all of my heart.

It's not over yet

2011-04-28T11:29:00.003-04:00

Seeing that the Tampa Bay Lightning left the Pittsburgh Penguins and their fans slack-jawed last night, there's renewed life to hockey-hounding efforts down here in Hockey Bay. Sure, it means the "hound-friendly" Washington Capitals and their potty-mouthed coach, but it'll be worth at least one trip.

It looks like we'll make one trip, next Wednesday, for the Capitals. We even have tickets for Game 4, in the top row of the St. Pete Times Forum. At least we won't have people yelling over our heads.

Life calls

2011-04-26T12:16:00.004-04:00

There are times when life, as in being a daddy, entrepreneur or an employee, takes precedence over hounding an NHL team. Yesterday was one of those instances.

Unless the Tampa Bay Lightning completes a comeback against the Pittsburgh Penguins tomorrow, my 2010-11 hockey-hounding campaign has come to a close.

The Hockey Life: Week 26

2011-04-24T08:43:00.006-04:00

Just when I think the 2010-11 hockey-hounding campaign is coming to an end, the Tampa Bay Lightning shakes off the goal-scoring cobwebs Saturday and lights up the Pittsburgh Penguins to force a Game 6 back here in Hockey Bay.

At the least, it means another opportunity, schedule permitting, to have Gilles Meloche sign a pair of pucks. I missed him by five minutes last Wednesday morning.

Getting caught up in the spirit of the playoffs, I couldn't help myself from commenting on Saturday's game on Facebook. Among them:

~ Shhhh! Listen. It's Pittsburgh.

~ Scoring a power play goal is the best way to deter dumb penalties. Except, of course, if you're Kris Letang. Bolts 8-2.

~ Uh-oh. The Pens care coming back. The multitalented Michael Rupp scores from his butt. You gotta like players who don't give up.

~ I love the grumpy look on the blonde's face behind the Penguins bench. I've yet to see her smile all game long. She must be thinking "I paid how much for this?"

~ Lightning 5, Penguins 0. Steven Stamkos wakes up with his second goal. The rout is on. Let's go Bolts!

~ The Consol Center's lacking a little energy right now, isn't it?

Now, I don't have anything against Pittsburgh folks. I work with a few people from there. There's even a soft spot in my heart for the Pirates. It was just good to see the Lightning, a team that we've followed over our five-plus years here, respond to a challenge.

The next big test comes Monday, when we'll see if the Lightning can maintain the momentum and force a Game 7 back in Pittsburgh. If not, I'll man up and take any heat that comes my way.

What would you do?

Colin turns 10 Thursday, making it his first double-digit birthday, which, for that reason alone, makes it a pretty big deal. Though he'll get to open his birthday presents and head out to Cody's Roadhouse for his meal, we're waiting a week or so for his party.

The problem, however, is that he has a practice that night with the Pinellas P.A.L. Stars, his recreational league team. The Stars don't have any games left, but the rink owes them one more hour of ice time -- hence, the practice.

Compounding the situation, he has a two-hour travel-team practice Monday, a 90-minute skating session with me Wednesday before another hourlong travel-team practice at another rink and two travel-team games on Saturday. That's a pretty busy week, if you ask me, even without the birthday factored in.

I'm thinking, given everything else that's going on, there's no need for him to take part in the P.A.L. practice. He says he wants to attend the practice, as it's likely the last time he'll be a part of that team, one that he's served as an alternate captain this season. That appeals to the hockey dad in me. As a parent, though, I'm not so sure.

Quote of the week

"Hey, when's the last time the Sabres won a Stanley Cup?"
Colin, to me, after giving him some ribbing about the Boston Bruins falling behind early in their series against the Montreal Canadiens.

This is it

2011-04-21T10:56:00.003-04:00

Unless the Tampa Bay Lightning win Saturday in Pittsburgh, I made my last ride over Tampa Bay of the 2010-11 hockey-hounding campaign yesterday. The rewards of the effort, however, were unspectacular.

Matt Cooke, serving a league-mandated suspension but traveling with the Penguins, was the only autograph I picked up in more than two hours. Love him or hate him, he's certainly worthy, considering his reputation, of having a puck. with it, it means the autographed puck collection stands at 2,302.

Of all of the players to take part in the morning skate, only Cooke, Deryk Engelland and Aaron Asham, took the time to sign. Every other player, including Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Marc-Andre Fleury, didn't sign, heading straight for hotel courtesy vans or the team bus. They may have signed later, but I wasn't there.

I missed out -- again -- on goalie coach Gilles Meloche by five minutes, relegating the Cleveland Barons and California Golden Seals pucks I had for him to storage.

The Hockey Life: Week 25

2011-04-17T08:19:00.007-04:00

When you travel in hockey circles, you'll never know who you're going to run into. Twice within a week, assuming the role of a hockey dad, I crossed paths with a few members of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

In our search for s specific pair of hockey socks, we took a ride recently over to the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon. It must have been a practice night for the Ice Bulls, as we saw Marty St. Louis, Mattias Ohlund and Brett Clark walking around the facility.

Last Sunday, at Colin's home rink in Clearwater, we saw St. Louis and Clark again, as their children played a Mites game against a Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning squad. One of the boys was easy to identify, as he wore the same number as his dad. The other? Well, a strong facial resemblance gave him away, though his jersey lacked a name and had a different number than his father.

While there was a bit of a buzz going through the facility, and The Missus loaned a black Sharpie to one of Colin's teammates so she could get some autographs, at no time did I entertain the thought of hitting them up for autographs. Lacking any items on hand, it was easy to do. But even if I had items for them, and I do have a couple of pucks earmarked for St. Louis, I still wouldn't have asked.

More than anything else, it was more out of respect for family time for these guys. They weren't NHL players when we saw them. No, they were hockey dads. Just like me, they were building a bond with a child over the game of hockey. No autograph is worth interfering with that.

Bragging Daddy alert

Granted, it may have been an intrasquad scrimmage, brought about by the inattentiveness (apparently) of his home rink's youth hockey director, but any time Colin logs six points (four goals and two assists) in a game, I can't help but tell the world.

One goal came on a breakaway, shooting while he was "flying" through the air after being tripped.

Even better, one of Colin's linemates had nine points (two goals and seven assists) in his team's 10-7 victory. Way to go, Sophia. You rock, kiddo.

Programming note

The next hounding adventure comes Wednesday, trying out luck for the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Until then, I'll be taking a break from posts.

Beyond that, it all depends on how deep the Bolts go into the playoffs. As always, I appreciate your time.

Team report: Florida Panthers II

2011-04-16T08:14:00.003-04:00

Even if it was the last regular-season home game and the team visiting Hockey Bay was the Florida Panthers, I was a bit surprised for the sparse showing before morning skate. All told, there were four of us. Yes, only four of us.

Maybe I've gotten used to bigger crowds, or perhaps people had run out of items to get signed, but it was a little disappointing that an NHL team, even one that's had so little success over the years, would draw so few hounds.

A hounding opportunity, to me, is just that -- an opportunity to add to collections. Oh, well, I didn't let anything stop me from adding a baker's dozen of autographs to the collection, including the 2,300th puck of the collection.

Signing the pucks were:

Top row: Sergei Samsonov (for No. 2,300) and Mike Santorelli; and
Bottom row: Tomas Vokoun and Stephen Weiss.

Signing cards were, from left, Steve Bernier, David Booth and Darcy Hordichuk.

Other highlights:

~ Putting a trio of specialty pucks to good use; and
~ having goalie Scott Clemmensen sign my only remaining Lowell Devils puck.

Keep this to yourself

2011-04-15T08:16:00.002-04:00

I'll let you in on a little secret. Using specialty pucks is one of the quickest ways to get NHL players to stop and sign. After seeing the same old team pucks, city after city and season after season, players gravitate toward something new to sign.

Signing these three, during the Florida Panthers' visit to Hockey Bay last week, were, from left, Niclas Bergfors, Dmitry Kulikov and Stephen Weiss.

Only one more

2011-04-14T09:08:00.002-04:00

For all of the times I've crossed paths with Dave Andreychuk, the captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning's 2004 Stanley Cup-winning team, you'd think I'd have completed my career collection for him, having him sign a puck from every NHL team he played for in his career.

After this one, which he signed last week during a Lightning Radio show, we're down to just the Toronto Maple Leafs. I'm sure, too, we'll see him soon enough.

Making the connection

2011-04-13T23:02:00.003-04:00

Colin got quite the kick out of former Tampa Bay Lightning player Brian Bradley last week when he signed this promo card for him at a Lightning radio show at a McDonald's in New Tampa.

Only the night before, Bradley ran a Lightning Made hockey clinic at the St. Pete Times Forum that Colin attended.

As Colin approached the Lightning's first All-Star to thank him for running the clinic, Bradley's face lit up:

"Hey, I remember you," he said. "You were at the clinic last night."

The Hockey Life: Week 24

2011-04-10T08:37:00.011-04:00

Well, folks, here we are at the end of the 2020-11 NHL regular season. Games today decide who keeps playing and who goes home. Some players will begin their beards. Others, far fewer in number, will be hitting the links.

Down here in Hockey Bay, our hounding campaign extends for the first time in four seasons. We couldn't have a better draw, either, with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and all that means, meeting the Tampa Bay Lightning.

At the least, we'll get another crack or two at Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fleury and, if we're lucky, Evgeni Malkin. Now, I'm not guaranteeing we'll get all three to sign, but I'll be happy with just one from any of them.

For the most part, and I pass this advice along to those just getting in the game, I'm going in with low expectations. If I don't get any of them, well, I have no reason to be disappointed. While it would be nice to snag a few, I don't base a trip or a season on two or three autographs.

Instead, my major target will be Penguins goalie coach Gilles Meloche. I bought Cleveland Barons and California Golden Seals pucks for him. If successful, those would be the first for each team of more than 2,300 autographed pucks in our collection.

As for the others, they'll be in the NHL for a long time. I'm certain, too, our paths will cross again. You have my word I'll be ready.

Road trip report

The ride south to Estero was long. The two games were a little longer, too. It seems we played two of the better teams in the Central Florida Hockey League. Let's just say we know how far we need to travel, so to speak, to become more competitive.

A certain someone also realized just how much effort it takes to play at this level. There's no striding and gliding, only skating hard. There's no standing around, only constant motion. Easy games, he learned, are a thing of the past.

To his credit, he played forward on a successful 5-on-3 penalty kill. As for fun, there's little to have when you're getting your fanny handed to you. In time, I'm sure he'll have some.

Win or lose, though, I want to thank the Hound Central 5.0 readers who indulge this hockey dad's sharing of his son's exploits. I know he's one of many, many thousands of kids with the same dream.

I'm hoping Saturday's games opened his eyes.

Quote of the week

"We can't win all of the time. Someone else has to win every once in a while."

Scott Clemmensen, Boston College hockey alum and Florida Panthers goalie, when asked what happened to the defending NCAA hockey champion Eagles this season.

Hitting the road

2011-04-09T10:37:00.000-04:00

In just a few hours, Colin takes the next step in his hockey journey, playing his first travel-team game for the Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning. The first trip, too, is a long one, the farthest of the spring season, as we head down Florida's west coast to Germain Arena in Estero.

Here's to having a fun, healthy season while taking in some of Florida's hockey scenery. It's something we've all been waiting for.

Team report: Pittsburgh Penguins II

2011-04-08T08:18:00.007-04:00

All things considered, we should have stayed home last Thursday and not embarked on a hounding adventure for the Pittsburgh Penguins. It rained most of the day. The moisture affected my silver Sharpies. And I wasn't patient enough to wait another 15 minutes for Sidney Crosby.

But with circus known as the Penguins in town and Colin off on his spring break, I ignored that nagging, little voice in my head and made the trip. What's the worse that could happen, right?

Well, we had the nastiest storms of the year, with tornadoes reported throughout the Hockey Bay area. And, then, while truly enjoying our time at the Glazer Children's Museum, Moody called to tell me that Crosby, returning from his first morning skate in months, signed not one, but two items before dealers bumrushed him.

Am I complaining? Just a little bit, I suppose. The weather could have been nicer. And Colin could've gotten his 2010 Canada Olympic hockey gold medalist McFarlane base signed by Crosby. Then again, I did get to spend the day with my son, doing something we love.

The hounding, really, wasn't all that bad, as we added 19 autographs, including 15 cards. Later that night, we watched the Tampa Bay Lightning clinch its first playoff appearance in four seasons.

All in all, it was a pretty good day.

Signing pucks, shown above from left, were Tyler Kennedy and James Neal.

Signing cards were, from left, Pascal Dupuis, Eric Godard, Brent Johnson and Mike Rupp.

Other highlights from a rain day:

~ Commemorating Maxime Talbot's Stanley Cup-winning goal;

~ having Tyler Kennedy pull double duty for us; and

~ putting specialty set cards to good use.

Good for starters

2011-04-07T09:15:00.000-04:00

Rather than try to cobble together a set of team-signed Stanley Cup champion pucks for the Pittsburgh Penguins last week, for reasons financial and realistic, I'm trying only for key players from that season. In this case, it's Maxime Talbot, who scored the Cup-winning goal.

Beyond the norm

2011-04-06T08:32:00.005-04:00

Who among us doesn't have boxes upon boxes of hockey cards that you're unlikely to ever get signed? I do. It comes with the territory, I reckon, of being a collector.

One type of card I'll make an extra effort to get signed comes from a specialty set. These can be rookie stars, American Hockey League team or prospect sets or even one from the 2004-05 NHL lockout.

This variety of specialty cards proved handy when the Pittsburgh Penguins came calling upon Hockey Bay last week. Signing them were, from left, Mike Comrie, James Neal and Maxime Talbot.

Team report: Carolina Hurricanes III

2011-04-05T08:23:00.004-04:00

Even without a calendar, it's easy to tell when the end of an NHL regular season approaches: division foes come calling to Hockey Bay in an increasing frequency. Though it's a time to add to the collection, you can find yourself running out of items.

That's the reason why I loaded up on cards, rather than this single puck signed by Jeff Skinner, during the Carolina Hurricanes' third and final visit to Hockey Bay recently. All told, 18 of the 20 autographs I scored that day came on cardboard.

For the second straight trip, too, I missed on Hurricanes captain Eric Staal. This time, it was because he said he'd sign after the morning skate. Too bad, I suppose, that I had to be at work by then. The 2011 All-Star Game and Team Canada pucks will have to wait. Maybe he'll be back for the playoffs.

Signing cards, shown above, were:

Top row: Bryan Allen, Drayson Bowman and Erik Cole;
Middle row: Patrick Dwyer, Tim Gleason and Jussi Jokinen; and
Bottom row: Justin Peters, Tuomo Ruuttu and Cory Stillman.

Other highlights from a morning of hounding:

~ Having Cam Ward find enough room on a mini jersey; and
~ Jiri Tlusty signing four cards -- finally.

About time

2011-04-04T09:38:00.005-04:00

If you knew how long I've been waiting to get Carolina's Jiri Tlusty to sign these cards, you'd share in my relief. I'd dare say I've carried these for at least five trips, between his days with the Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs.

For a variety of reasons (he didn't make the trip, simply missed or he was running late), it took until Carolina's most recent trip to Hockey Bay to get them signed. Thankfully, he signed all four.

The Hockey Life: Week 23

2011-04-03T08:15:00.004-04:00

Later this week, Saturday to be specific, Colin takes the first step in the newest chapter of his youth hockey career -- playing in his first travel-team game for the Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning. Rather than playing in the confines of his home arena, we'll be hitting the road.

Being new to this aspect of the game, we're looking forward to playing in new rinks. Part of the allure will be making the rides -- some longer than others -- to play new teams at different rinks. If it means a two-hour ride south, so be it. Same, too, for two trips later this spring to the Orlando area.

That's why it's called a travel team, right?

When we received the spring schedule last week, part of a teamwide e-mail blast, it meant that any response to that message would be received as well. Unfortunately, one response caught me off-guard: "Why are we getting HOSED with all the travel?"

Though I can relate to the many miles of highway travel that await us, it seems a bit odd that a parent who willingly pays for their child to play on a travel team is lamenting the need to travel. To me, the parent, and not the child, was whining.

Given that two youth hockey organizations combined to form one team, meaning 42 kids were competing for only 20 to 22 skating positions, there were a number of kids who didn't the team. For every family that felt the excitement, there were nearly as many who were disappointed.

To Mr. Whiner, I'm sure there is at least one family who would be willing to trade places with you over the next few months. Besides, it's about the kids, not us hockey parents.

If you want to stay home, sir, do us all a favor, please: just let the organization know.

Thanks Pat

Anyone who lives in the Hockey Bay area knew that last Thursday brought some severe weather to the area. Nine tornadoes were reported. A truck flipped over on the Howard Frankland Bridge. Thousands, as of Saturday, were waiting for electricity to be restored.

Though we may have gotten a bit damp dodging raindrops while hounding the Pittsburgh Penguins that day, it was to be expected. Sure, the overhang outside the hotel afford some protection, but strong winds pushed the rain sideways at time.

Where we didn't expect to get wet, though, was inside the St. Pete Times Forum later that night as we watched the game. Unfortunately, that's what happened as a steady drip fell on our seats.

After a few minutes, The Missus got up and found an usher. A supervisor offered her a seat in another section. Seeing that we didn't want to split up for the rest of the game. We ended up each sliding over one seat to the right. It didn't help.

This time, I went down and spoke to the usher. I was told to wait for a few minutes and the supervisor would return. Well, five minutes became 10. Ten minutes became 20. Needless to say, I was less than thrilled.

Finally, Pat, the supervisor arrived. I explained the situation, as The Missus had about 35 minutes earlier, and told her that we were less than satisfied with not only the situation, but the poor customer service as well. Pat asked for another few minutes.

True to her word, Pat soon returned. We gathered ourselves and belongings and followed her. At first, we thought we'd be moving to another section. Instead, we headed for an elevator. A quick ride down two floors and the doors opened to the club level. From there, Pat led us to an all-inclusive suite, complete with all-you-can-eat-and-drink service and leather seats. After out initial surprise, we repeatedly thanked her.

From where I sat, Pat made one heckuva save. It's nice to know that the Tampa Bay Lightning, under new ownership, cares about its fans.

Quote of the week

"Let me guess, Sidney signed?"

Puckhound, to Moody, upon getting a call less than 25 minutes after leaving the team's hotel and heading over the the Glazer Children's Museum with Colin. And, yes, Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby signed for a few people before dealers bumrushed him not once, but twice. Moody, by the way, got a pair of autographs out of Crosby.

Finding some room

2011-04-02T10:59:00.004-04:00

He sure didn't have a lot of room to sign this mini-jersey, but Carolina Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward did the best he could. It's tucked in, right next to his number 30.

After having Ward sign many pucks, cards, photos, goalie masks, a Lowell Lock Monsters jersey and a couple of sticks, there isn't much left for him to sign for us.

Team report: New York Islanders II

2011-03-31T08:08:00.002-04:00

For no other reason other than Blogger is having some technical issues with its blogs, including this one, I'm going to keep this short and, hopefully, sweet. Besides, after nearly 600 posts, I've run out of different ways to describe nondescript hounding adventures.

All I can say is that another 20 autographs, including nine pucks, were added to the collection during the Islanders last visit to Hockey Bay. Nothing spectacular, I hate to say, to report. No funny stories, either. I hope you understand.

Signing pucks, shown above, were:

Top row: Michael Grabner and Al Montoya; and Bottom row: Matt Moulson and John Tavares.

Signing cards were, from left, Jack Hillen, Zenon Konopka, Frans Nielsen and Mark Streit.

Other highlights:

~ Doug Weight completing our NHL career collection of him;

~ Moody returning a favor on Michael Grabner cards;

~ using a pair of U.S.A. souvenir pucks in our push to top 2,300; and

~ taking a risk, in a sense, with a couple of Bridgeport Sound Tigers pucks.

Done with Doug

2011-03-30T08:21:00.004-04:00

Unless Doug Weight, captain of the New York Islanders, ever plays for another NHL team, this Anaheim Ducks puck, which he signed last week, represents the completion of our NHL career collection for him. A gracious signer, he's one of the more personable players in the league.

Returning the favor

2011-03-29T08:25:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago, Moody asked Colin help him get Hall of Fame goalie Tony Esposito on more than one item, a sweet black-and-white 16x20 photo from his younger days. Seeing that we had only one item for Tony O, it was a pretty easy call.

Last week, Moody returned the favor, getting New York's Michael Grabner, as pleasant a surprise as there has been this season, to sign these four cards when the New York Islanders came calling to Hockey Bay.

Part of the push

2011-03-28T10:17:00.004-04:00

As we make the late-season drive to top 2,300 autographed pucks for the collection, these nation-based souvenirs pucks are coming in pretty handy. Last week, with the New York Islanders in town, Al Montoya, left, and Kyle Okposo added this pair to the effort.

As of today, with three teams left to visit and one last visit for the Lightning, we stand only 13 away.

The Hockey Life: Week 23

2011-03-27T08:15:00.007-04:00

It's doesn't take a rocket scientist or a ground-breaking psychologist to figure out the primary reason I go hounding. Above all else, it's the simple fact of adding to the hockey autograph collection that motivates me to drag my butt out of bed, make the drive across the Gandy Bridge and hang out near one of three hotels in downtown Tampa

To say that's the only reason, though, is far from the truth. There's much more to it than that.
Part of it is the camaraderie of hanging out with Hockey Bay's regular crowd. It's always nice seeing familiar faces, catching up and commiserating about long waits and players who say "no." That's what hounds do.

Another reason is simply getting out of the house. Beyond my real job at Florida's best newspaper, I keep myself pretty busy with freelance work. It pays for Colin's hockey and the other niceties within our lives. To avoid going bug nuts, though, I need to step outside the seemingly never-ending work routine. That's where hounding, as well as this blog, come in.

Last week, I was reminded of yet another reason why hounding is important.

Dave and Brad, a couple of hounds out of Michigan as well as faithful readers of our exploits over the past few years, made their annual spring trip to the Hockey Bay area. Part of their itinerary included hounding the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders.

I caught up with them last week. I was headed home, limited by work to only a morning skate of hounding. They were headed over to the Islanders hotel. There, I finally delivered a pair of signed Dave Andreychuk promotional cards I'd promised to send nearly a year ago. That, alone, made me feel good.

Over the past few years, I'd gotten used to seeing them show up about this time. We'd swap stories about teams and players. They'd tell me how cold it got up north, hanging out in heated cab of a truck waiting to snag an autograph on a brutal winter day. I'd tell them hounding in nearly 90 degrees, no matter how good it sounds, isn't a slice of heaven.

I know they've taken an interest in Colin's fledgling hockey career. I think we've spent enough time now to consider each other friends. Over the years, I've developed some pretty good friendships through my blogs.

And, that, is one of the better things about hounding.

For a good cause

I'm happy to report, too, that the charity hockey game between the St. Petersburg Police Department and Tampa Bay Lightning alumni proved to be pretty successful. The stands were packed and a lot of money was raised for the families of three slain St. Petersburg officers.

We did our part, too. Beyond donating a Tony Esposito-signed puck for the memorabilia raffle, Colin must have sold nearly $200 worth of raffle tickets.

It took a little encouragement, but he soon found his voice and got a number of people to dig deep into their pockets. Rather than highlighting a Steven Stamkos-signed jersey, a Vinny Lecavalier-signed stick or a $100 gift certificate to a tattoo shop, he opted to promote a pump soap dispenser featuring Thunderbug, the Lightning's mascot. It worked, as more people wanted to win that than anything else.

Wouldn't you know it, too, that Colin ended up winning one for himself. Martin Raymond, one of the Lightning's assistant coaches, agreed to buy five tickets but only if Colin would keep the chances. It was hard telling, thanks to matching mile-wide smiles, who was more excited when Colin told Raymond after the game that one of those tickets proved to be a winner.

As always, the hockey gods were present that night.

Team report: Ottawa Senators

2011-03-26T08:23:00.004-04:00

Not that I'm a big Ottawa fan, but I was glad to see the Senators visit Hockey Bay a week ago. Seeing that I'd had a fairly unremarkable run with the Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks, it was time to work a team known for taking a friendlier stance toward hounds.

Again, my work schedule limited my hounding to before the morning skate, but I put it to good use, or at least the best I could, despite not having any pucks on hand. Unfortunately, for me, I missed on Jason Spezza, as did everyone else that morning, as he headed straight from the hotel to the team bus.

I did manage, however, to add 18 autographs, including 17 cards, for my efforts.

Signing cards, shown above, were:

Top row: Craig Anderson, Erik Karlsson and Filip Kuba; and
Bottom row: Chris Neil, Ryan Shannon and Jesse Winchester.

Other highlights:

~ Taking a career approach with Sergei Gonchar;
~ Colin scoring 16 autographs on another neat team sheet; and
~ Providing, yet again, another reason to use cheap skate cards.

Just me and Mama

2011-03-25T08:37:00.002-04:00

By Colin
Hound Central 5.0 junior correspondent

Most times when we go hounding, it's me and my Dad. Sometimes, Mama helps. Once a season, maybe its just me and her. That's what happened when Ottawa played the Lightning.

My Dad had to work that night, but me and Mama had tickets to the game. So I figured I could do another team sheet. So we drove over to Tampa early and worked on this.

Some of the bigger names to sign were my buddies Jason Spezza and Nick Foligno. Ryan Shannon spoke to me and some other kids when he signed. That was pretty cool. I even got a Hall of Famer, Denis Potvin, to sign it. My Dad told me that Chris Phillips, Erik Karlsson, Chris Neil and Brian Lee also signed it.

In total, 16 Senators players signed my team sheet.

Ottawa comes back next week, during my spring break from school. So I may do another team sheet. Maybe I'll do something else for them. We'll see.

Pop quiz

2011-03-24T08:17:00.001-04:00

Alright, let's see a show of hands. How many of you have either 1.) heard of Ottawa's Erik Condra before February; or 2.) had something, other than a blank puck or hijacked photo, for him to sign?

Be honest, now. Not too many of you, right?

Same here. That's why the night before the Senators came to Hockey Bay recently, I was up late creating this cheap skate card. In time, I imagine he'll have cards within Upper Deck or Panini brands. Until then, this works.

Team report: Chicago Blackhawks

2011-03-23T08:37:00.006-04:00

By Colin
Hound Central 5.0 junior correspondent

Sometimes when you're a kid, it's just plain better, especially with the Chicago Blackhawks. When we went out hounding them a couple weeks ago, I got 11 autographs at game time, including signatures from Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp and Brent Seabrook. Lots of players didn't sign at all. Some of the guys I got on my team sheet signed just for kids like me.

How many did my Dad get all day long? Just these two, a puck from Marty Turco and this card signed by Fernando Pisani. I guess that makes me a better hound than my Dad. Funny, eh?

My Dad's been doing this for 16 years. I've been doing this for five years. No, really, it's funny.

Editor's note: Though Dad is confident in his abilities, Colin is absolutely right. He's become the better hound. I will say, though, that he's grounded until he's 18. Ah, just kidding.

Team report: Washington Capitals II

2011-03-22T08:27:00.003-04:00

Every time the Washington Capitals visit Hockey Bay, I don't expect to get an autograph from Alex Ovechkin. There was a time when I'd carry a puck or two, but that was always nothing more than wishful thinking. I soon lowered my expectations, switching to cards so I could put those pucks to far better uses. Those, too, came up empty.

These days, I carry a single card of Ovechkin, part of a Russian set. It's no surprise, I suppose, that it didn't get signed during the Caps' visit earlier this month. This time, though, I can't say Ovechkin said no. The Great One did sign during the trip, after Washington's morning skate.

The only problem, however, was I was at work. Because I like the life we have, and need the cash to afford it, I won't complain. Besides, I did walk away with a baker's dozen, including 10 cards, from Ovie's teammates that morning.

Signing cards, shown above, were:

Top row: Jason Arnott, Jason Chimera and Eric Fehr; and
Bottom row: Mike Knuble, Tom Poti and Dennis Wideman.

Signing pucks were, from left, John Carlson and Braden Holtby.

Though I can't call it a highlight, Arnott also added to a quad jersey card project.

Too bad this happened

2011-03-21T08:19:00.006-04:00

Something tells me that I should be happy that I'm halfway home with this 2008-09 NHL MVP 2 on 2 quad jersey card, now that Jason Arnott, in town with the Washington Capitals recently, signed it. But I'm not. And it has something to do with Arnott signing on the swatch.

To me, there's plenty of room to the right of his face to offer up a similarly sized signature. To me, it looks sloppy where he signed it, starting within the fabric. Funny thing, too, is that Arnott enjoys a solid reputation as a signer. I'd hate to think that he did it on purpose.

It's also a bit troubling because I consider these quad thread cards as centerpieces of the Threads collection. As a result, I'd like for them to really pop.

What I've learned from this is to ask the player to sign a specific area. If he does, that's great. The card only looks that much better with each signature. If he doesn't, well, then I know it's a conscious effort on his part to be a jerk about it.

Nashville's David Legwand kicked off the card earlier this season. Now, all we need are the Predators' Shea Weber and Steve Sullivan to complete the card.

The Hockey Life: Week 22

2011-03-20T08:23:00.009-04:00

If you're not doing anything this Wednesday evening, and even if you are, you can bid on this puck, signed by Hall of Fame goalie Tony Esposito, during a charity hockey game between Tampa Bay Lightning alumni and members of the St. Petersburg Police Department at the Tampa Bay Skating Academy in Oldsmar, Fla.

The game, where a $5 donation gets you in the door for the 8:30 p.m. start, benefits the families of slain St. Petersburg police Sgt. Thomas Baitinger, Officer Jeffrey Yaslowitz and Officer David S. Crawford. The three brave officers were shot and killed in two separate incidents within a month recently.

Scheduled to suit up for Lightning alumni are Dave Andreychuk, captain of Tampa Bay's Stanley Cup-winning squad, and Chris Dingman, who has his name etched twice into Lord Stanley's cup as a member of the Colorado Avalanche and the Lightning.

I asked Mr. Esposito to sign the puck, which we're donating for a memorabilia raffle/auction during the fundraiser, before a recent Tampa Bay Lightning game against the Chicago Blackhawks. He willingly obliged.

We hope to see you out there.

Chip off the old block

If you've been keeping score at home, it's little surprise that Colin has become quite the hockey hound this season. Thanks to his team sheets, he routinely scores more autographs than his old man. You'll soon see, in the days ahead, just how well he's done. An upcoming report for the Chicago Blackhawks, in particular, should prove my point.

You know what? I'm glad he has. It shows that the love of a game, from playing to amassing a nice little collection of pucks, cards, photos and sticks, has been passed from father to son. I get more enjoyment watching him rack up the autographs than any I'll ever get. Just like his hockey games, he's first on the puck, so to speak. He's even remembering to say thank you.

As we approach the end of the 2010-11 hockey-hounding campaign, we'll have two more regular-season adventures to share, including when the Pittsburgh Penguins come to Hockey Bay later this month. Seeing that he'll be on his spring break that week, we'll be able to put in a full day. Let's hope Sidney Crosby is healthy enough to make the trip. We have a McFarlane 2010 Olympic gold medalists base that has his name on it.

Quote of the week

"Colin will be playing for me this spring."
Coach Dave, letting me know that Colin made the Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning's Squirts "A" team.

Team report: Montreal Canadiens II

2011-03-19T08:22:00.003-04:00

There was a time, and it wasn't all that long ago, when we could put in nearly a full day of hounding for a team like the Montreal Canadiens. Thanks to a different work schedule, though, we don't get to do that too much any more.

Most of our hounding adventures these days, unless they fall on one of my days off from the paper, are limited to before a team's morning skate. So, when we get a time to hang out, we do the best we can.

After scoring 32 autographs, including 18 on Colin's team sheet, from the Canadiens, I'd say we had a pretty good morning. And given the horror show at game time, when rabid Canadiens fans rushed the bus (or so I was told), I'm glad we were nowhere near that mob scene.

Signing all four pucks we had, shown above, were:

Top row: Brian Gionta and Max Pacorietty; and
Bottom row: Carey Price and P.K. Subban.

Other items we added that morning:

Cards signed by Hal Gill, Roman Hamrlik, Tomas Plekanic and Tom Pyatt; and

more cards, signed by David Desharnais, Brent Sopel and James Wisniewski.

I have a good reason

2011-03-18T08:37:00.003-04:00

By Colin
Hound Central 5.0 junior correspondent

When I hounded the Montreal Canadiens a couple weeks ago, I used a printed-out wallpaper image for a second time this season. Why? They're an Original Six team and the logo they use this season hasn't really changed.

So, I kinda have to choose to do a printout instead of a hand-drawn one for my team sheets. Either way, it works. With 18 autographs, I think I did pretty good. I think it looks cool as well.

I know I got Brian Gionta, Carey Price, P.K. Subban and Roman Hamrlik to sign it. My Dad says some of the other signers were Max Pacioretty, Tomas Plekanic, James Wisniewski, Brent Sopel and coach Jacques Martin on it, too.

Team report: New Jersey Devils II

2011-03-17T08:14:00.006-04:00

All along, I figured it would be only one trip for the New Jersey's Devils' second visit to Hockey Bay during the regular season. Thanks to a quirk within travel schedules, we ended up making two trips for New Jersey.

Colin and I were hounding the Phoenix Coyotes when we heard, on scene at the Westin Harbour Island hotel, that the Devils would be arriving there that same day. Not knowing that (my bad, I'll say), we were caught lacking any specific items for New Jersey's lineup.

Funny thing, we did better, numbers-wise, on the first adventure (14) than on the second, better-prepared trip (10). Beyond the two pucks, shown above, signed by Henrik Tallinder, these were among the autographs we got over the course of the two trips:

Dainius Zubrus and Brian Rolston signed a handful (four) of cards; and

rookie Mark Fayne, a kid from our old stomping grounds of New Hampshire, signed this cheap skate card.

Among the other highlights:

~ Getting Martin Brodeur on a Team Canada puck;
~ Scoring a hat trick from Johan Hedberg; and
~ some quick thinking by Colin.

The old switcheroo

2011-03-16T08:24:00.006-04:00

Colin was right, I had no idea that the New Jersey Devils would be at the same hotel as the Phoenix Coyotes during their visits to Hockey Bay. I didn't let that keep me, though, from having future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur add to our autographed puck collection.

Thankfully, I had an abundance of pucks available for the Coyotes that day. One of them was this Team Canada puck, set aside for Phoenix's Ed Jovanovski, just in case he traveled with the team. Well, he didn't. I'll have to thank him the next time I see him.

Now, if I could just get Brodeur to offer up a better signature every so often, without having to ask for a personalization, this keeper from a keeper would look that much sweeter.

He's still learning

2011-03-15T08:20:00.004-04:00

Proving a point that you don't have to let NHL rookies pass by, here's an instance where I wasn't caught shorthanded for New Jersey's Nick Palmieri. Not only did I have a card from the 2010-11 Score hockey set, but yet another cheap skate card.

I had to ask Palmieri to sign the cheap skate card after signing the Score card during a second trip for the Devils during their recent visit to Hockey Bay.

Most times, NHL rookies, aside from the handful with inflated egos, willingly sign anything you put in front of them. Now, I'm not saying Palmieri is one of those rookies, but, still, it caught me by surprise.

Here we go

2011-03-14T19:38:00.003-04:00

Just got the call a little bit ago. Colin made the Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning "A" squad. I guess that hat trick in his first-ever tryout scrimmage helped. He still has a long way to go, but this is a nice step in the journey.

Quick thinking

2011-03-14T08:13:00.003-04:00

By Colin
Hound Central 5.0 junior correspondent

While we were hounding the Phoenix Coyotes a couple weeks ago, the New Jersey Devils came into the same hotel. My Dad didn't know they'd be there, so we didn't have much for them to get signed.

So, I whipped up a team sheet for them to sign, including Martin Brodeur and Ilya Kovalchuk.

Even better, I got a compliment from Kovie:

"Did you draw that?" Kovie asked me.

"Yep," I said.

"Good job, little buddy," Kovie said.

In total, I got 12 autographs. My Dad tells me that others signers included Johan Hedberg, Henrik Tallinder, Travis Zajac, Jacob Josefson and Mattias Tedenby.

The Hockey Life: Week 21

2011-03-13T08:37:00.003-04:00

As much as we try to live a well-rounded life, we also spend a considerable amount of time, energy and money devoted to hockey. I'm not complaining, mind you, it's our choice. And, to be honest, I wouldn't change much. There are stretches, though, where we go a bit overboard.

How much? Well, here's a glimpse at our most recent run of ice time. Over the past 10 days:

~ A two-hour skating session on March 2;
~ a Pinellas P.A.L. practice on March 4;
~ two P.A.L. games (the Stars won 5-0, but then lost 3-2) on March 5;
~ another two hours of public skating last Sunday;
~ Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning tryouts on Tuesday;
~ watched the Tampa Bay Lightning beat them, 4-3, in a shootout on Wednesday;
~ another P.A.L. practice on Thursday, and;
~ watched the Ottawa Senators beat the Lightning, 2-1, on Friday.

And that doesn't including hounding trips for the Washington Capitals (Monday morning), Blackhawks (all day Wednesday) and Senators (Friday morning) or the time spent working on Hound Central 5.0 and Hockey Hounds Universe.

Again, I'm not complaining. I am looking forward, though, to the end of the NHL season, even if it extends, by some stroke of luck here in Hockey Bay, all the way to June.

Until then, though, it's time to suck it up and enjoy our favorite sport.

In extremely poor taste

I was a bit surprised by a recent commercial on NHL Network featuring Boston's Zdeno Chara, who's caught some well-deserved flak for his nasty hit on Montreal's Max Pacioretty last week.

The spot shows the Bruins' freak of nature standing still, looking ominously into the camera. In the background, a speaker says "That was a head-crunching hit."

Given the seriousness of Pacioretty's injuries, as well as the freshness of the gruesome image, one would think that the NHL Network, operated by the league itself, would show better judgment.

Quote of the week

"There goes his profit margin for the week."
One Hockey Bay hound, who shall remain nameless, about another Hockey Bay hound/dealer, who also shall remain nameless, after Chicago's Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews wouldn't sign his 16x20 team photo.

Spending our hockey dollars

2011-03-12T11:20:00.008-05:00

In the team's bid to drum up season-ticket sales for 2011-12, the Tampa Bay Lightning sent out a promotional package asking fans to join the "All In" effort. Part of the package was this patch, which will appear on the shoulders of the Lightning's new jerseys next season. It's a nice touch, if you ask me.

I'm not sure, however, if we'll renew our Lightning packages next year.

Given that Colin scored a hat trick in a 3-1 scrimmage victory during his first-ever travel team tryout earlier this week, I'm thinking our season ticket dollars might be for his games, rather than Lightning games. We'll hear this weekend, we've been told, if he makes the cut for the Tampa Bay Jr. Lighting's AA or A squirts squads.

If he does, don't worry, this proud hockey daddy will let you know. If he doesn't, I'm still proud of him, as he stepped up in the biggest game, so to speak, of his fledgling career.

Added honor

2011-03-11T08:13:00.001-05:00

Colin took a big step up in responsibility this season for his Pinellas Police Athletic League Stars rec league team, being named an alternate captain. Last Saturday, he sported the "A" on his jersey in two games against Ellenton teams.

For those keeping score at home, Colin has a goal and three assists in three games. The Stars, so far, are 2-1 on the season.

Team report: Phoenix Coyotes

2011-03-10T08:15:00.004-05:00

Surprise! No, I didn't make a mistake. This is, in fact, a team report for the Phoenix Coyotes' recent visit to Hockey Bay. Don't be fooled by these three New York Rangers pucks, though. They were all signed by members of the Coyotes organization: Don Maloney, Michal Rozsival and Ulf Samuelsson.

I must admit, however, that I was getting a bit concerned. You see, these were the first three pucks I got signed, out of seven for the day, and I started wondering whether I'd have any that showed the Coyotes logo. Well, I did get at least one Phoenix puck signed:

From left, Mikkel Boedker, Shane Doan and Tyson Nash.

Thankfully, there were no shortage of Coyotes cards, as well as a few other teams, that got signed:

Top row: Eric Belanger, Paul Bissonette, Ilya Bryzgalov and Oliver Ekman-Larsson; and
Bottom row: Martin Hanzal, Lauri Korpikoski, Jason LaBarbera and Derek Morris.

All told, we scored 68 autographs, including 33 cards, in one day from Phoenix. The trip also marked the 25th hounding adventure of the 2010-11 campaign.

It gets better, too. The New Jersey Devils were staying at the same hotel on the same day. Though we were unprepared, we managed to snag a few. Expect those reports next week.

Other highlights, and one downer, from the Coyotes:

~ talking Colin out of drawing a lizard for his team sheet;
~ bragging about getting 20 autographs from five players;
~ making the call to move to silver Sharpies;
~ adding a couple of cards to the Threads project; and
~ using a cheap skate card for David Schlemko.

No lizards here

2011-03-09T08:18:00.001-05:00

By Colin
Hound Central 5.0 junior correspondent

When I wanted to do the lizard logo for Phoenix Coyotes team sheet, my Dad said, "No. You have to do a more recent logo."

So, my Dad forced me to do the regular logo or the paw. I chose the paw logo.

I kinda improvised the logo because I can't write "Phoenix Coyotes" with a crayon that small, except if I drew the logo really big. So I drew the paw with the background, even though it took me 15 minutes to find a burgundy color crayon. Then I put the "Phoenix Coyotes" on the side.

Oh, yeah, I got 25 autographs on it.

Editor's note: Yes, I am that "mean." Darn nice paw, eh? I never understood what a lizard had to do with coyotes.

Among those signing were Shane Doan, Ilya Bryzgalov, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Derek Morris, GM Don Maloney, head coach Dave Tippett, assistant coach Ulf Samuelsson, goalie coach Sean Burke, former NHLer-turned-analyst Tyson Nash, Vernon Fiddler, Mikkel Boedker, Martin Hanzal, Paul Bissonette and Kyle Turris.

Two more, please

2011-03-08T08:15:00.003-05:00

The Phoenix Coyotes' recent trip to Hockey Bay resulted in another two additions to the Threads collection, this time with Colin getting the honors.

Coyotes captain Shane Doan signed the double-swatch card. Apparently, the black Sharpie was left uncapped for too long, resulting in a pretty thin signature. Still, Doan was nice enough to sign it and, really, an autograph is an autograph.

Mikkel Boedker kicked off another quad-card project. We'll need Peter Mueller, now with the Colorado Avalanche, to complete this side. Los Angeles' Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar are featured on the other side.

Old reliables

2011-03-07T08:15:00.002-05:00

Here we are, yet again, espousing the virtues of using homemade cheap skate cards to add true 1-of-1 autographs to your collection. Granted, they'll seldom top any collector's wish list, but they do provide an affordable platform for NHL rookies and role players like Phoenix's David Schlemko.

The Hockey Life: Week 20

2011-03-06T08:27:00.005-05:00

It's a bittersweet moment anytime Colin gets a new pair of hockey skates. It isn't about the money, either. As any hockey parent knows, deep pockets are a part of the game.

Any kid will tell you that it's exciting getting a new piece of equipment. Doesn't matter if it's a helmet, gloves, stick or some other gear. Getting new skates, like this pair of Bauer Supreme One 100s, is different.

Not only do they represent a fresh start, but they also show a continued, and deepening, commitment to a goal. Beyond that, it's keeping a promise to grow -- and not just in foot size.

The sad part, though, is retiring a pair of skates. Colin skated many miles in his Bauer Vapor XXVs, shown above, the second pair he owned. As you can see, they're plenty scuffed-up. Many Wednesday afternoons were spent in these skates, working on crossovers, stop-and-pops and building up speed and stamina.

To be honest, I was hoping we could've waited until fall for his latest pair. It wasn't that Colin's toes were getting cramped. No, after 18 months, we were running out of blade to get sharpened.

To me, his new skates represent the latest installment in the bonding of a father and son. In time, I'm sure he'll think the same thing. If I'm lucky, he'll continue this tradition, provided he's as blessed as we are, with his children.

It's something you just can't put a dollar value on.

Making the switch

After intermittent problems with metallic DecoColor paint pens over this past season, I've sent those silver and gold pens to the sideline for the rest of the 2010-11 hockey-hounding campaign. From here on in, I'll be using silver Sharpies for any remaining pucks I get signed.

Perhaps some of the gaffes were self-induced, brought about, from time to time, by hastened priming or trying to get one too many autographs out of a pen.

The last straw came Wednesday when a pen with less than 15 autographs out of it hiccuped for Phoenix's Oliver Ekman-Larsson, leaving me with this stellar piece.

It worked enough for a somewhat legible autograph, good enough not to erase until I have another opportunity for him to resign the Coyotes puck. It was just too thin, even after priming, to use it for any other player. Funny thing, too, was after shaking the pen in disgust, the paint pooled on the tip, enough so that it splattered across some nearby foliage.

I'd be interested in hearing of others have experienced these issues or have some sure-fire tips they're willing to share.

Quote of the week

"Bull(hockey)!"
New Jersey's Henrik Tallinder, in fake-cough response to a Hockey Bay hound's assertion to Tallinder's Devils teammate Mattias Tedenby that he had heard that Tedenby, a fellow Swede, was one of the best players to come out of the Swedish Elite League in recent years.

Thirty-four days

2011-03-05T08:13:00.002-05:00

It was well-publicized, at least down here in Hockey Bay, that the Tampa Bay Lightning had a 12-game homestand, beginning Jan. 23 with the Atlanta Thrashers and ending Feb. 25 against the New Jersey Devils. That also meant it was a busy time for Hockey Bay hounds.

All told, we had 16 hounding adventures, including three trips for the Lightning and two teams at the same hotel on the same day, over that time span. Though I know there were others who posted far larger numbers, we're more than satisfied in having added another 302 autographs, including 44 pucks, to the collection.

Understand, too, we didn't go out every day and we skipped a few teams. Remember, we do this as a collection, not as a business. That's why we have the luxury of picking, choosing and letting players pass.

And, yes, we owe you a few team reports and highlights, beginning Monday with the Phoenix Coyotes.

Ouch!!!

2011-03-04T08:15:00.000-05:00

I was bitten recently by the rare, but hardly dangerous blue Sharpie snake. That was one of my favorite T-shirts, too.

Team report: Detroit Red Wings

2011-03-03T08:12:00.010-05:00

I really need to learn to keep my mouth shut when it comes to complaining. In a recent e-mail exchange with a fellow hound, I complained that we got "only" 35 autographs from two days of hounding the Detroit Red Wings.

His response, and understandably so, was incredulous: "Oh, you poor thing," or something to that effect. "Complaining that you only got 33 autographs."

You know, I had it coming. Even despite the Red Wings' reputation for being a tough team to hound, there's a certain sense of entitlement whenever a Western Conference team visits Hockey Bay. Most teams come off as willing signers, meaning we routinely come home with more than 60 to 70 autographs.

Given the star power of the lineup, I should've been ecstatic that we scored that many from the Red Wings, including some from the team's bigger names.

So, the lesson has been learned. I'll take what I can get and keep my pie hole shut.

Signing cards, shown above, were:

Top row: Patrick Eaves, Valtteri Filppula and Jimmy Howard;
Bottom row: Jiri Hudler, Jakub Kindl and Drew Miller.

Signing pucks were, from left, Kris Draper, Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski.

Other highlights from two days of hounding:

~ Adding the fifth puck to The Yzerman Project;
~ Colin catching up with Joey MacDonald;
~ Having Pavel Datsyuk, Johan Franzen and Tomas Holmstrom deepen the international flavor of our autographed pucks collection; and
~ being thankful for Jimmy Howard.

Just me and Mama

2011-03-02T08:37:00.001-05:00

By Colin
Hound Central 5.0 junior correspondent

Text goes here.

No easy feat

2011-03-02T08:19:00.002-05:00

Even before the 2010-11 NHL season began, we scored the four biggest autographs of the current hockey-hounding campaign when Steve Yzerman, the Tampa Bay Lightning's geenral manager, headed out for coffee one afternoon during the club's rookie camp.

Not only did we snag some top-shelf pieces from the Hall of Famer, but all of the stumbling and scrambling we endured also provided a good story. Those four pucks, in turn, made a quick dent in a project that, as the season has progressed, has proven more difficult that I'd imagined.

After thinking that The Yzerman Project, as it was named, would be easy to complete, we've had few opportunities to add to it. Since that day, I've carried at least one puck for the 12-puck project anytime I went hounding in Tampa.

When the Detroit Red Wings came to town recently, though, I knew an opportunity just might exist. My instincts paid off when, on the night before the game, Yzerman met Red Wings GM Ken Holland for dinner in downtown St. Petersburg.

Thankfully, a tip put me in the right place at the right time. This puck, which commemorates the Red Wings' 2002 Presidents' Trophy, leaves us with seven more to go.

Catching up with Joey Mac

2011-03-01T08:14:00.006-05:00

By Colin
Hound Central 5.0 junior correspondent

When I first met Joey MacDonald, he played for the Toronto Maple Leafs. We were at their morning skate in Tampa. I had asked him for a goalie stick and he gave me one. Then I asked him to sign it, so he did.

After he got traded from the Leafs, I thought I'd never see him again. But I did, when we hounded the Detroit Red Wings a couple weeks ago. I found out he was with the team when my Dad told me.

When he came out, I said "Do you remember me?" Then he said, "Hey, little buddy." I said "Did you get that picture I drew for you?" He said, "Yep." I said" Did you like it?" He said, "Yep."

I was glad to see him again.

I was glad that he signed my team sheet, so I could add it to my collection.

Editor's note: Besides Joey Mac, others the signing the team sheet included Mike Babcock, Dan Cleary, Pavel Datsyuk, Kris Draper, Valtteri Filppula, Johan Franzen, Jimmy Howard, Jiri Hudler and Brian Rafalski.

Exception to the rule

2011-02-28T08:19:00.007-05:00

Rumor had it that the Detroit Red Wings were a tough team to hound. Given the potential Hall of Famers who fill the roster, such as Nicklas Lidstrom, Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and, possibly, Chris Osgood, it's easy to see why.

And while these guys may be hard to hound, there's one member of the Red Wings who was more than willing to sign multiples.

In the two times that goalie Jimmy Howard, a former University of Maine Black Bear, signed for me during Detroit's recent two-day visit to Hockey Bay, I came away with two pucks, shown above, and four cards, including this addition to the Threads collection.

In fact, I believe he signed multiples for anyone with more than a single item. Hopefully, I just haven't jinxed other hounds and Howard continues to be a prolific signer. If not, you can blame me.

The Hockey Life: Week 19

2011-02-27T08:20:00.003-05:00

Going into this hockey-hounding campaign, I knew February was going to be a rough month. The Tampa Bay Lightning would find itself wrapping up a 12-game homestand, entertaining such Western Conference teams as the Detroit Red Wings, Phoenix Coyotes and St. Louis Blues.

That alone, I thought, would make for some long days. Sadly, that's not what has made this month, even moreso this past week, especially painful.

In case you haven't heard, David S. Crawford, a St. Petersburg police officer, was shot and killed last week, the third member of the department to be killed in less than a month. Just as a city we now call home began to move along in the grieving process, this sad scene will play out again.

Rather than a wanted felon pulling the trigger, as what happened in late January when St. Petersburg police Sgt. Tom Baitinger and canine Officer Jeffrey Yaslowitz were struck down, it's a 16-year-old boy who now stands accused in Officer Crawford's death.

Yes, a 16-year-old boy who, in an instant, destroyed two lives and shook an already stunned city to its core.

Before this unfortunate and senseless act happened, there was another twinge of sadness last week. Monday marked the one-year anniversary of the passing of Tyler Dobies, a 15-year-old who participated in the same hockey program as Colin.

Sadly, Tyler died of a drug overdose. Yes, at 15. Before his death, Tyler was like an older brother to Colin, one of a handful within the program who'd taken Colin under their wings. Unfortunately, we knew nothing about Tyler's demons. Very few people did.

Last Sunday, as Colin skated on his home rink, he stopped to look at Tyler's No. 46 Pinellas Police Athletic League jersey hanging on the wall. Tears soon fell down Colin's cheeks. For good or bad, Colin misses him. He knows Tyler made a mistake. Colin also knows that's all it takes to lose your life.

Over the past year, Colin has kept one of Tyler's prayer cards tucked in his helmet. He also has a "TD46" written on his helmet. That hard lesson, as sad as it is, is the only good thing to come from it.

Thankfully, Colin remembers.

Team report: Philadelphia Flyers II

2011-02-26T08:16:00.010-05:00

In one of the quirks on the NHL schedule, the Philadelphia Flyers traveled to Hockey Bay twice within two weeks. To some, that's often too short of a time between visits. While it may help hounds recognize more faces, it also affords players the same opportunity.

Having said that, though, I'm not chalking up lower numbers -- 15 in total, including 11 cards -- in the Flyers most recent visit to mutual facial recognition. No, most of the same players signed, including Daniel Briere and Jeff Carter.

Some, like Chris Pronger, Daniel Carcillo and Jody Shelley, took a hotel van over to the morning skate.

In the case of Mike Richards, I'm still perplexed, but not exactly losing any sleep, why he refused my request to add to the Threads collection while he was signing other items. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, though. Maybe he had a hangover.

One puck each from Claude Giroux and Ville Leino, shown above, were also part of the scaled-down haul.

Also signing cards, shown above, were, from left, Scott Hartnell, Darroll Powe, Kimmo Timonen and James van Riemsdyk.

Other highlights:

~ Finally getting an Atlanta Flames puck signed; and
~ saving my rookie cards of goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.

Opportunity knocked

2011-02-25T08:32:00.001-05:00

For the past few years, I've had this Atlanta Flames puck kicking around in a plastic bin. I'd see it every so often, but, for the most part, I'd forget about it. Sooner or later, the right opportunity would come along.

Earlier this month, with the Philadelphia Flyers down here in Hockey Bay, I recognized Bill Clement, a former NHL player turned analyst with the team. At the time, I had him sign a Flyers puck.

Last week, the Flyers were back in town. This time, I remembered the Flames puck, because I knew that Clement played for the Flames early in his career. It was no surprise, either, that he did, too.

"I think I scored a few goals for them," he told me.

Team report: Carolina Hurricanes II

2011-02-24T09:10:00.003-05:00

Though stay-at-home defensemen seldom score big goals or make headlines, every team has as least one. It's their job to hang back and make sure no one gets behind them.

In a way, that's my approach when it comes to hockey hounding. I prefer, for the most part, to hang back and be one one the last people to get an autograph. That way, if another player comes out, especially one I need to sign a specific item, I don't get caught up in a crowd.

Well, when the Caroline Hurricanes came to Hockey Bay a couple of weekends ago, I got caught pinching in. With a larger-than-expected crowd, I let myself get sucked in close to the hotel, keeping the back-door entrance wide open for Hurricanes captain Eric Staal.

Sure, we got some autographs, but my getting caught out of position meant it was the first time in years that I hadn't gotten at least one autograph from Staal when hounding Carolina. Oh, well, we all can't be perfect.

Snagging another 28 autographs, including this 2020 NHL Draft puck signed by Jeff Skinner eased the pain. Signing the cards were:

Top row: Zach Boychuk, Troy Bodie, Ryan Carter, Tim Gleason; and
Bottom row: Chad LaRose, Jamie McBain, Sergei Samsonov and Brandon Sutter.

Other highlights:

~ Goalie Cam Ward adding an 8x10 and two pucks to the collection;
~ Colin scoring 15 autographs on a wallpaper team sheet; and
~ yet another cheap skate card coming in handy.

I'll know better next time

2011-02-23T07:41:00.002-05:00

By Colin
Hound Central 5.0 junior correspondent

On Feb. 12, we hounded the Carolina Hurricanes. We ended up 27 getting autographs, including 15 on my team sheet.

Unfortunately, I didn't get Eric Staal on my team sheet. The reason is because he had already walked into the St. Pete Times Forum before I could get him. If I didn't try to get my big picture of him out, I could have made it.

I should have gotten him to sign the team sheet when I could have. So, I learned a lesson, but I had fun.

Editor's note: Among those who did sign were Tim Gleason, Chad LaRose, Jamie McBain, Sergei Samsonov, Jeff Skinner and Brandon Sutter. he also got an 8x10 signed by goalie Cam Ward.

That's why I make them

2011-02-22T08:23:00.003-05:00

The day before Carolina was scheduled to play the Tampa Bay Lightning, Brett Sutter got called up from the Hurricanes' American Hockey League affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. Because I don't have any cards for him, it proved to be another case of where my cheap skate cards come in handy.

Sure, I could've ask him to sign a Reed Deer Rebels puck, seeing the family ties to the Western Hockey League junior club. Maybe next trip, provided he's on the roster.

By the way, Brent, an alternate captain for the Hurricanes, is his cousin, not his brother. And, yes, they were walking together to the morning skate.

Team report: Buffalo Sabres

2011-02-21T08:17:00.005-05:00

As a child, I'd always get excited about a parade. It didn't matter if it took place on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July or at the Maple Festival in Franklinville, New York. If there was a parade, I wanted to see it.

I loved seeing the shiny red fire trucks. I liked hearing the marching bands, playing patriotic tunes as they strode, in perfect unison, past my curbside perch. And, yes, I loved scooping up the candy thrown as floats passed by.

As a hockey hound, however, I'm not a big fan of parades. I prefer having NHL players come out in two or threes, not in one, gigantic group as the Buffalo Sabres did last a couple weeks ago after gathering for a team meeting before the morning skate.

When it happens, there's little you can do to stop it. You just have to make the best of it, picking out the players you want and letting everyone else walk by. As a result, I came home with only 14 autographs, including the Sabres puck signed by Tim Connolly.

Signing cards, shown above from left, were: Nathan Gerbe, Steve Montador, Tyler Myers and Thomas Vanek.

Other highlights, so to speak:

~ Getting greedy and having Ryan Miller sign a McFarlane base;
~ Adding Thomas Vanek to the Threads collection; and
~ recognizing Brian Engblom, a former Montreal Canadiens defenseman turned TV analyst.

Wearing the red, white and blue

2011-02-20T21:55:00.004-05:00

Had he been playing travel team hockey, there's a good chance that Colin would have been an active participant in Sunday's Hockey Day in America. Instead, he went skating at his home rink. We'll see what we can do next year.

The Hockey Life: Week 18

2011-02-20T08:13:00.003-05:00

Last Thursday, I started writing a post explaining the absence of reports earlier in the week. The reason was as simple as this: the Detroit Red Wings were in town. And, as any serious hockey hound knows, the team demands your full and undivided attention. That alone meant I didn't have time to finish it.

From the future Hall of Famers on the roster -- Nicklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk come to mind -- to the history surrounding the Original Six team, the Wings always draw a big crowd. Thursday night, a sea of red nearly filled the St. Pete Times Forum, where the Wings spanked the hometown Lightning, 6-2.

A funny thing happened, though, when it came to hounding the Wings. While most of us expected big crowds, numbering into the high 20s at the least, the most at any one time was a baker's dozen -- 13. Not that we were complaining, mind you.

With baseball spring training camps opening up nearby, most of the dealers likely turned their attention elsewhere. Baseball, I hear, sells better than hockey. It helped us, too, that we kept it a secret the Red Wings stayed in St. Petersburg, not at one of the three Tampa hotels frequented by NHL teams.

Still, no complaints. It was nice being among friendly faces. And, as you'll read in the days ahead, once we share the bounty of trips for the Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers, the hounding wasn't all that bad.

Stepping up

It was with more than a little bit of pride that I sewed an "A" on Colin's Pinellas P.A.L. Stars jersey Saturday morning before his first game of the winter-spring campaign. Entering the fourth season with the program, his coaches saw fit to make him an alternate captain.

Gaining the "A" carries some extra responsibilities. Though he tries to lead by example on the ice, playing hard and as best as he can, he has developed a growing voice in the locker room, keeping his teammates, even some a little older, focused on the upcoming game.

For the record, too, the Stars kicked off the campaign in fine fashion, beating one of the Ellenton teams, 8-0. Colin had a goal and an assist.

A milestone for Moody

Here's a tip of Hound Central 5.0's battered, old Cooper SK600 to Moody on the one-year anniversary of his authoritative voice on collecting autographs through the mail, Moody's TTM Blog.

Between the in-person reports here at Hound Central 5.0 and at Hockey Hounds Universe, Moody's TTM Blog rounds out our comprehensive look at the hockey-hounding hobby.

Join me, please, in wishing Moody congratulations on his efforts -- over the past year and the many days ahead.

Quote of the week

"Go home, shovel snow!"
Our response to Red Wings fans chanting "Let's go Red Wings" at Thursday's game.

Sorry, Mr. Al

2011-02-19T08:23:00.002-05:00

As Buffalo's Ryan Miller walked up the sidewalk, a flash of guilt struck my conscious. Given the item in my hand, I knew it would be the only item -- a base for McFarlane figure -- that I'd get signed. The only question was whether I'd keep it.

Al, Hound Central 5.0's senior correspondent in Toronto, is one of the very few people we'll get autographs for down here in Hockey Bay. Between all of the the work he's done for this blog and Hockey Hounds Universe, as well as his inspiring, but unsuccessful, attempt to covert Colin to the long-suffering existence of Leafs Nation, it's easy to say "yes" when he sends down the occasional item he'd like for us to get signed.

In one of his recent parcels, Al sent a McFarlane base for Miller. Later, he sent a Miller McFarlane for us, too. So, going into he Sabres recent visit, I faced the prospect of carrying both. That, to me, posed a little bit of a problem.

It's my belief that anytime you offer two same items to a player, you immediately come off as a dealer. After spending as much time as we have cultivating a collection, that's the last thing I wanted to do. And when it comes to the Sabres, I must remain true to my allegiances. Even if it means appearing greedy.

Besides, should both team make the playoffs and ultimately meet in the early rounds, I'll have another chance to get Al's signed. If not, there's always next year.

On display

2011-02-18T10:08:00.004-05:00

If I was only a collector of hockey cards, this Hat Trick Heroes triple jersey swatch memento of Buffalo's Thomas Vanek would likely end up near the front of a three-ring binder showcasing some of my favorites. Well, in a way, it did.

After Vanek signed it last week, making it the latest installation of the Threads project, it ended up at the front of a three-ring binder -- the one that holds the collection. Top left corner of the sheet, too, right where (Sabres fans will enjoy this) Mama hides the cookies.

The Hockey Life: Week 17

2011-02-13T08:26:00.006-05:00

For Colin, one of the best parts of going to a Lightning game is hanging out down by the boards, before and during warmups. He'll go off by himself, survey his surroundings and escape into his own little world. If there's a new issue for the game program, like there was last Sunday, he'll bury his nose in it until the lights come up, the music starts to blare and the players hit the ice.

The real reason he heads down there, though, is to snag pucks. Rather than crowd into the Lightning's side, where fans stack up three to four deep, he prefers the visitors side. Not so much that he'll root for them, but there's often less competition for a player's gracious gesture. Some times it works, some times it doesn't.

There have been a few times, like last Sunday, when he shares the wealth. Though St. Louis' Vladimir Sobotka clearly intended to flip him a puck, his aim was a bit off and another little boy scooped it up. Though I thought he'd be disappointed, my little man surprised me.

After the little boy's mom walked over and tried to give him the puck, Colin told her that it was OK. Her son could keep it. He told her he'd gotten pucks before, and it was good to see another kid get his first puck during warmups.

Yeah, he's my kid, but I'm not sure too many others would've done the same thing. He may not always be the best behaved, and his hearing is a bit selective (ask The Missus, not me), but he's got a heart of gold.

Going solo

Of all the times I've waited outside the St. Pete Times Forum after a Lightning morning skate, I can't recall ever getting an autograph from Steve Downie. Mostly, it's because he's usually with Steven Stamkos, who seldom, if at all, stops at those times.

That changed Thursday, when Downie appeared at a St. Petersburg motorsports dealer for a 90-minute, meet-and-greet signing session. After walking away with seven autographs, including the four cards shown above, it'll be a long time before we'll need to have anything else signed.

I'd heard through the Hockey Bay hounding grapevine that he'd sign multiple autographs during these appearances. After getting ours and watching some folks make multiple trips through the line, there's no doubt in my mind.

Even better, as gritty as he plays on the ice, he was pretty friendly with fans. When Colin told him about how he got yelled at for skating too fast at a mall rink, Downie looked incredulous.

"What's up with that? You got yelled at for skating fast?" he asked Colin. "Dude, that's just wrong."

With just a few words, I'm thinking Downie gained two new fans.

Quote of the week

"It's easier on the body, but I don't get the same buzz."
Bill Clement, a former NHL player and announcer, on the difference between his two occupations.

Team report: St. Louis Blues

2011-02-12T08:16:00.005-05:00

Given the fluid situation we faced last weekend, and I'm not just talking about rain, we weren't even certain we'd be able to hound the St. Louis Blues last weekend during their one and only trip to Hockey Bay during the 2010-11 hockey-hound campaign.

After spending Saturday in Orlando, using the last day of out three-day pass to Disney theme parks at Animal Kingdom, we thought we were heading south to Ellenton for Colin to kick off his rec league season Sunday afternoon. From there, we'd zip back around Tampa Bay to watch the Blues play the Lightning at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Well, that changed.

On Friday night, hours before we would take a late-night drive to Orlando, we learned that Colin's game was postponed. Something about a Super Bowl and parties, we were told. While that meant we'd be able to hound the Blues, it also meant I'd have to scramble to get ready. So there I was, sitting outside the hotel at nearly 1 a.m. Saturday, prepping an inch-high stack of cards I cobbled together.

Really, I shouldn't complain that we added only 33 autographs. Only days before, I didn't think we'd be getting any.

Signing pucks, shown at top, were:

Top row: Ben Bishop and Brad Boyes; and
Bottom row: Alex Pietrangelo and Scott Mellanby.

Signing cards, shown above, were:

Top row: Patrik Berglund, Matt D'Agostini and Cam Janssen; and
Bottom row: Roman Polak, Alexander Steen and Brad Winchester

Other highlights were:

~ Colin, who had a much better day at hounding than his old man, scoring 20 autographs on a hand-drawn team sheet; and
~ putting a less-than-thrilling jersey swatch card to good use.

They're really nice guys

2011-02-11T08:19:00.003-05:00

By Colin
Hound Central 5.0 junior correspondent

I couldn't believe how nice the St. Louis Blues were as a team. I expected them to be a little grumpy, because they're a team that hasn't had the best season. That's why I was surprised that I got so many of them to sign my team sheet.

My Dad tells me I did pretty good, getting 20 autographs. He knows the players better than I do, but he said I got guys like Patrik Berglund, Brad Boyes, Eric Brewer, Barret Jackman, Erik Johnson, T.J. Oshie and Alexander Steen (he's on our fantasy hockey team). My Dad said I even got Scott Mellanby on it.

I wanted to get David Backes to sign it, but he walked out the hotel's back door or something. That was a little disappointing. He's an American-born player like me and I wanted to ask him a question about taking faceoffs.

What's up with this?

2011-02-10T21:52:00.006-05:00

If there were really any rules within our Threads project, where we use jersey swatch cards as platforms for autographs, one would likely be that the swatch itself has to come from a jersey (or sweater, for the purist) worn in an official NHL game.

Well, that isn't the case here. The swatch on this card, which St. Louis' Brad Winchester signed for us last Sunday, came from a photo shoot.

If so, which photo shoot? The photo, taken during Winchester's days with Edmonton, shows him wearing a white jersey. As you can see, the swatch is dark blue.

In a way, I feel a little cheated. Not by Winchester, mind you, but by Upper Deck. Then again, I really shouldn't have been surprised, should I?

Thankfully, I got this card as part of an eBay lot, where the average cost was about $1.50 per card.

Making a case

2011-02-09T08:18:00.001-05:00

So, this is what happens when my normally reliable supplier of puck cases remains out of stock for the second straight month. All 62 pucks we've gotten signed since November stack up on one of the display cases, collecting dust rather than being put away or on display.

Thankfully, the supplier, Anderson Enterprises KTP, has finally restocked its shelves. I was going to ask if any readers used another supplier that offered bulk quantity discounts. Seeing that I order at least a case (72 puck cases at 65 cents each) at a time, there's no need to pay inflated retail prices.

Don't have to do that now, do I?

However, should you know of a better deal out there, please let me know. Whatever we can do to make this hobby cheaper, by cutting out another layer of middlemen such as card stores and eBay sellers, the more affordable it becomes.

The Hockey Life: Week 16

2011-02-06T08:15:00.006-05:00

I don't think twice anytime I have the chance to add the owner of an NHL team to our autographed puck collection. Though their names never end up on the score sheet, they're much more important than any star player.

That's particularly the case down here in Hockey Bay. After the circus that was the Tampa Bay Lightning over the past few seasons, Jeff Vinik has brought stability to the franchise.

Hiring Steve Yzerman as the Bolts' general manager saw to that. The Guy Boucher hire has turned out pretty good, too.

So, when I saw Vinik pull into the St. Pete Times Forum not too long ago, I knew exactly what I'd do with the spare Lightning puck that had been kicking around the hounding bag.

Now, about those new uniforms. Well, I'm not sure about them. To me, they look like they were borrowed from the comic book character, The Flash. I'm wondering, too, if the team won't be soon known as the Sha-Zams!

Tip of the helmet

Just a quick note to thank you for stopping by Hound Central 5.0 and its family of hockey autograph blogs. Last month, HC5.0 posted its best-ever monthly numbers for visitors (1,885) and page views (4,341) since it went live in August 2009.

Not only that, but Moody's TTM Blog and Hockey Hounds Universe, the latest addition to the Hound Central family, had their highest numbers ever.

With all the blogs and sites available on the Web, we truly appreciate your time.

And to Moody and Al, Hound Central 5.0's two senior correspondents, as well as the others who've contributed over the past two seasons, a sincere thanks for all of your efforts.

Quote of the week

"I don't think a kid asking me to personalize a photo to him will end up putting it on eBay, that's why."
Freddy Meyer, an Atlanta Thrashers defenseman, to a pouty dealer wondering why Meyer signed two autographs for Colin and only one for him.

Team report: Philadelphia Flyers

2011-02-05T07:12:00.003-05:00

Due to a unwelcome change to my work schedule that affects my personal life in many ways, I'm finding that my hockey-hounding adventures over the past month have become a bit more abbreviated.

No longer am I able to hang out until after the visiting team's return from morning skate. Nope, my time is limited, for the most part, to only before the morning skate. While I'm thankful for my job, as it's what pays the bills, I miss the sliver of "downtime" spent adding to our collection.

All told, I fell just one autograph short from having what I view as a good day, snagging 19 autographs, including eight pucks, in about an hour.

Signing these pucks were, from left, Sergei Bobrovsky, Bill Clement (remember him?) and James van Riemsdyk.

Signing cards, shown at the top of this post, were:

Top row: Brian Boucher, Daniel Carcillo and Matt Carle; and
Bottom row: Braydon Coburn, Scott Hartnell and Paul Holmgren

Other highlights from the quick trip:

~ Getting a trio of Canada-related pucks from some pretty big names: Jeff Carter, Chris Pronger and Mike Richards; and
~ adding the 2,222nd puck of the collection.

Puck No. 2,222

2011-02-04T08:28:00.001-05:00

Maybe it's a stretch to call this a milestone puck. I'll give you that much. It's not like it's puck No. 1,000 or No. 2,000.

But it is kinda cool to honor a puck, as well as the player who signed it, when you hit a number like 2,222 for the collection.

In this case, it was Philadelphia's Danny Briere providing the honors, who was named the MVP of the 2007 NHL All-Star Game.

Looking back, I should've done for this puck No. 1,111. I promise, though, to do it for puck No. 3,333 should we reach that level.

Team report: Toronto Maple Leafs II

2011-02-03T08:27:00.004-05:00

For a hockey hound, the three worst words you can here are: optional morning skate. But that's what happened last Tuesday, when the pickings were slim for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Like any good hound, where adding to the collection is the motivation, you do the best you can. If getting nine autographs is the reward for a morning's worth of effort, well that's nine more than we had before I headed out that morning.

The biggest score came from assistant coach Keith Acton, who signed the pucks shown above. It's always a good day, I believe, when we add a couple of old logo pucks to the collection.

Beyond that, though, the rest was standard fare:

Cards signed by, from left, Francois Beauchemin, Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin; and

a cheap skate card signed by rookie goalie James Reimer.

Team report: Atlanta Thrashers II

2011-02-02T08:28:00.004-05:00

Seeing that we've hounded the Atlanta Thrashers more than one time this season, our expectations were considerably lower. That's the thing, I suppose, with division foes. They come to town so many times during the season that, at times, it's easy to pass on the hounding opportunity.

Having said that, though, I'm glad we went out for the Thrashers. As usual, they lived up to their reputation as one of the more fan-friendly teams in the NHL. Aside from Tobias Enstrom, who's become increasingly tougher with each passing season, you're limited only by the number of items you have for the Thrashers.

Proof of that are the pucks shown above. Though we carried twice as many, walking away with two, from Alexander Burmistrov, left, and Freddy Modin, was more than sufficient. We had a pair of pucks for Dustin Byfuglien, but he grew frustrated with double- and triple-dipping dealers, before walking off. No worries, though, as the Thrashers will be back next season.

All told, our game-time session added another 43 autographs to the collection.

Signing cards were:

Top row: Nik Antropov, Niclas Bergfors, Eric Boulton and Zach Bogosian; and
Bottom row: Nigel Dawes, Johnny Oduya, Ondrej Pavelec and Rich Peverley.

Other highlights from the day:

~ Colin resorting to his Plan B for a team sheet;
~ hooking up with a fellow Rochester, N.H., kid; and
~ getting captain Andrew Ladd to complete a nice gesture.

Colin's Plan B

2011-02-01T08:24:00.002-05:00

Over the course of his growing number of hockey-hounding campaigns, Colin has built up a sizable collection of team sheets. For the most part, he'll use one of his hand-drawn logo team sheets to load up on autographs.

After hounding a team for the third or fourth time, and running out of alternate logos to use, he didn't want to give up on his tried and true approach. That's why he's turned to using a team's wallpaper image, like this one for the Atlanta Thrashers, as a platform for his team sheet adventures.

The players and coaches don't seem to mind, either. Last Sunday, Colin scored 23 autographs on this one, including signatures from Nik Antropov, Alexander Burmistrov, Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little, Freddy Modin and Ondrej Pavelec, among others.

Small town connection

2011-01-31T10:55:00.005-05:00

He may not be a household name within the NHL fan base, but Atlanta's Freddy Meyer has a big fan in the youngest hound within the Puckhound household. You see, both spent time growing up in and around Rochester, N.H., a small city along the New Hampshire-Maine border.

And, for Colin, that connection alone is enough to make a point of saying hello, as well as getting an autograph, anytime Meyer visits Hockey Bay. Cool thing, too, is that Meyer says he remembers Colin for that reason.

Next time, I'll suggest to Colin that he use a blue Sharpie, rather than a silver, so the autograph "pops" better.

The Hockey Life: Week 15

2011-01-30T08:38:00.014-05:00

It was a pretty sad time this past week down here in the Tampa Bay area. On Monday, two St. Petersburg police officers were shot and killed trying to serve an arrest warrant. The deaths of those two brave men -- both married and one a father of three children -- have left a hollow feeling across the area.

Over the 25-and-counting years of my newspaper career, especially in the early days, working the police beat was part of my job. For the most part, it was a fun and, to say the very least, interesting gig. There were times, though, mostly getting grieving families to share private moments, that weren't very much fun.

Through daily police blotter checks, as well as covering assorted felonies, nasty car accidents and the occasional murder, I'd gotten to know quite a few officers, deputies and state troopers. By and large, they were good people doing a very difficult and demanding job. Away from the job, and out of uniform, they were like most everyone else -- husbands, wives, parents and neighbors.

These days, we find ourselves, through the game of hockey, on the periphery of the law enforcement community. The hockey team Colin plays for, the Stars, is sponsored by the Pinellas Police Athletic League. Some of his coaches are detectives or deputies. A few teammates have parents who work in law enforcement. For that reason alone, the officers' deaths hit close to home.

On Friday, hours after the officers' funeral, we learned just how much closer this terrible tragedy nearly came.

A fellow Pinellas P.A.L. hockey parent was part of the first group to go inside the house that fateful morning. He saw colleagues get shot. He shouted "Officers down!" into his radio. And, sadly, he witnessed death. Of that small group who faced an armed fugitive (and now dead) holed up in an attic, only he went home to his family Monday night.

After a long, sad week, I'm hoping he's thankful for that. We are.

Team report: Columbus Blue Jackets

2011-01-29T08:18:00.012-05:00

It goes without saying, but I have to say it anyways. When an out-of-conference team comes to town, conditions exist to have a monster day. That's what happened last week when the Columbus Blue Jackets made their first trip to Hockey Bay since March 2009.

Don't get me wrong. Teams like the Blue Jackets may be struggling in the standings, but that doesn't mean people don't want to hound them. It's a time to load up on cards, pucks or 8x10s. When you walk away with 77 autographs, like we did, it's easy to see why.

It was, to date, the best day of the 2010-11 hockey-hounding campaign, and we still have a few more Western Conference teams coming in.

One of the top items was this Team Canada 2010 Olympic gold medal puck from Rick Nash, one of seven on the day.

Other Blue Jackets players signing pucks, shown above, were:

Top row: Derik Brassard and Chris Clark; and
Bottom row: Kris Russell and Fedor Tyutin.

Among those signing the 42 cards were:

Top row: Derek Dorsett, Mathieu Garon, Jan Hejda and Kristian Huselius;
Bottom row: Rostislav Klesla, Steve Mason, Marc Methot and Andrew Murray; and

As well as, from left, Samuel Pahlsson, Anton Stralman, Antoine Vermette and Jakub Voracek.

Other noteworthy events:

~ Colin putting a hand-drawn team sheet to good use;
~ four Blue Jackets players signing four cards each;
~ wishing Rick Nash signed on a better spot;
~ adding Rick Nash and Jakub Voracek to the Threads collection;
~ tapping into specialty cards; and
~ getting three cheap skates signed.

Drawing them in

2011-01-28T08:25:00.001-05:00

By Colin
Hound Central 5.0 junior correspondent

I had wanted to do the Columbus Blue Jackets' third logo of a cannon for my team sheet, but I kept messing up. I guess it was out of my drawing capabilities, so I went and looked for more logos and saw the bug head one.

For some unknown reason, I started out with the eyes, basically because they had most of the inside navy blue lines attached to it. I think it actually turned out pretty good. The only thing I left out was the gray stripe because I wanted to keep it close to the same colors.

The players liked it, as I got three compliments, including one from R.J. Umberger when he signed it for me. All together, it worked out great as I got 21 autographs, including Rick Nash, Derik Brassard, Kristian Huselius, Fedor Tyutin and Jakub Voracek.

All fours

2011-01-28T08:15:00.001-05:00

Anytime you rack up a bunch of cards on a hockey-hounding adventure, there's a good chance that more than one player signed more than one card. When it happens, the stack of cards gets deep real quick.

That's what happened last week when four members of the Columbus Blue Jackets, in Hockey Bay to play the Tampa Bay Lightning, signed four cards each:

Jared Boll and Derik Brassard; and

Chris Clark and Kris Russell.

All things being equal ...

2011-01-27T08:12:00.006-05:00

Not that I'm complaining or anything, but I wish Columbus' Rick Nash would have signed this McFarlane base, commemorating Canada's gold medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics, in a much better spot.

As you can see, his signature means the figurine doesn't sit in the proper position.

To me, the ideal place for Nash's autograph, if you really want to call it that, belongs to the left of his name or above the Team Canada Olympics squad logo.

Am I being too picky? Probably. Really, I should be happy enough that he signed it when the Blue Jackets visited Hockey Bay last week.

Going forward, I'll try to pay more attention when I try to add another two this season -- Chicago's Jonathan Toews and Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby. So far, we have three of the nine-piece set.

Beyond the fabric

2011-01-26T20:01:00.003-05:00

If you've ever busted a box of hockey cards (well, maybe more than one), you've likely pulled a jersey swatch card as one of the premiums. Some, especially those featuring patch, nameplate or number swatches, are put away for safe keeping. One of favorite players get tucked away, too.

For the most part, though, or at least it has been my experience, most of these cards could be viewed as run-of-the-mill jersey cards. Sure, they're nice, souvenirs of official NHL games. Some cards feature bigger names, too. But after pulling a bunch, as we've been fortunate enough to do over the years, they simply become a part of the collection.

That's one of the main reasons we started the Threads collection, taking these cards one step further by getting them signed by players. Last week, Columbus' Rick Nash and Jakub Voracek became the latest two NHL players to join our club.

I can live with these

2011-01-26T12:53:00.007-05:00

One of the last things I do in preparing for a visiting NHL team, after I've gathered pucks, erased cards and checked the American Hockey League transactions, I create as many of these cheap skate cards I need.

In the case of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who visited Hockey Bay last week, I needed to make four of the cards. As you can see, three proved very useful in what turned out to be a very productive, as well as a long, day of hockey hounding.

Though I couldn't find hockey cards for neither Grant Clitsome nor Derek MacKenzie, I had only one card for Jan Hejda. Each was more than willing to sign.

The only Blue Jackets player who didn't sign one? That would be Matt Calvert. It wasn't that he wouldn't, I just never recognized him. Oh, my bad. Maybe next time, I'll have some cards for him.

The Hockey Life: Week 14

2011-01-23T08:19:00.008-05:00

It has happened every winter, ever since leaving New England and setting up shop down here in Hockey Bay. There comes a time, most often on a Saturday night, when I miss taking the back roads and highways to attend an American Hockey League game.

Though I love attending NHL games, even down here in Hockey Bay, there was something a bit more fun about taking in a game at a minor-league barn. It wasn't just the cheaper prices, either. It was like the games seemed more real, the action closer and, in a way, the night more alive. Determination filled players' faces. Boards rattled and shook. You could even smell kernels becoming popcorn.

Taking it a step further, and perhaps closer to the point, I miss hounding after AHL games. The two rinks I frequented, in Portland, Maine, and Lowell, Mass., provided some of the easiest hounding I've ever encountered. You could stand outside the players' entrance, even to the point of holding open doors. If that didn't work, the team bus was, maybe, 20 feet away. It was that simple.

I can't recall ever being really bothered by the late-night cold, even on the clearest of nights when stars were the brightest. I'm sure it has something to do with growing up in western New York. Sure, our winters were snowy. They were cold, too. Over time, you got used to it.

For all of those reasons, as well as the memories etched in my mind, there was just something about those Saturday nights. Someday, maybe, I'll get that feeling again. Until then, Hockey Bay will suffice.

A little help here

I pride myself on being able to recognize most any autograph doled out by an NHL player. But faithful reader Brett, who runs the My Hockey Card Obsession blog, has me stumped with his latest "Who am I?" contest.

I have no idea about the identities of the three signers, even with his cryptic clue. Maybe you do. If so, let Brett know. Me, too, please.

Quote of the Week

"Where's the duct tape? Where's the duct tape? Where's the duct tape?"
Colin, responding, in perfect cadence, to a nearby Lightning fan's too-loud and constant chant of "Let's go Lightning!" during the Bolts-Blue Jackets game.

A tale of two brothers

2011-01-21T08:12:00.000-05:00

Can you guess who won the 1965 NCAA championship with the Michigan Tech Huskies and was later inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988?

I think his clear and distinct signature will give this one away. Why can't the current guys give an autograph like the old timers? How about instead of advertising vintage games, tell the player to give vintage autographs?

Moody is now stepping down from his soap box.

Anyways, this is a sweet shot of Tony Esposito, holding that 1965 NCAA championship trophy, that he kindly signed for me last week before the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Washington Capitals.

Now, for the flip side. After the Bolts-Caps game, I was waiting around to see if Tony's older brother, Phil Esposito, would be as kind. Well, I must say, NO! As the godfather of Tampa Bay hockey left the arena, he angrily let me know that he was too old for this %$&@ and muttered a few other expletives.

I was the only one who asked for his autograph, but a few fans who were leaving the arena noticed his unkind words and expressed their opinions of the situation to him. They asked him if he was too old or just too big of (jerk). Then, they came over and asked who he was.