In drips and drabs

Upper Deck tells us that the 2008-09 O-Pee Chee set will be released Oct. 7. Now that the product page has been updated, offering first looks and checklists, key rookies include Phoenix's Kyle Turris, the Islanders Kyle Okposo, Florida's Shawn Matthias, Dallas' Mark Fistric and Columbus' Steve Mason.

Now, if Upper Deck would catch up with its 2008-09 Black product, one of its new high-end lines ($125 for a two-card hobby pack) that was released Sept. 25. Even if it's loaded with premium cards, a 42-card base set will prove more useful to speculators than blue-collar collectors.

Fleer, a subsidiary of Upper Deck, also tells us that 2008-09 NHL Fleer Ultra was released Sept. 26. Too bad, though, that's the only information on the product page. At least we can get a look at some of the set here.

Sunday morning homily III

It's amazing, isn't it, how much difference one week can make?

Last Sunday, we found ourselves taking in all things hockey, from scoring autographs to watching practices, at the Tampa Bay Lightning's annual back-to-hockey IceFest for fans. Now, seven days later, we find ourselves wondering what to do until the Lightning's home opener Oct. 11 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

In the preseason, I suppose, it's either hockey feast or famine.

What we're having a hard time understanding, however, is how Lightning fans, ourselves included, can't follow this morning's exhibition in Berlin. It's not on TV. Nor is it on the radio. Even nhl.com is unhelpful, offering only a score, but nothing else.

Granted, it's just an exhibition within the team's preseason schedule. The result won't count in the Lightning's win-loss record. Neither will any points, no matter how beautiful or pedestrian. That doesn't mean, though, that some of us wouldn't mind spending a portion of our Sunday morning following along.

Though the league's desire to grow the game beyond North America is admirable, especially because the game boasts a pretty diverse pool of players, the NHL shouldn't forget about its bread and butter -- fans here at home who have spent a summer waiting for the puck -- any puck, for that matter -- to drop.

Yes, I know I should be happy with the memories gained over the past month, surely enough to tide me over for the next few weeks, but I feel a tad slighted about not being able to watch or listen as the Lightning begins a history-making, continent-crossing road trip to Europe.

How 'bout them Rays?

While hockey will always be Game One here at Hound Central 4.0, I'd be remiss if congratulations weren't extended to the Tampa Bay Rays for winning the American League East title.

It's been a remarkable run since April, with the Rays, a perennial junior circuit doormat, surprising nearly everyone with their head-over-heels play, amazing walk-off wins and a thumbing of their noses toward more traditional powerhouses in Beantown and the Big Apple.

The Rays' first-ever playoff series starts Thursday at the Trop here in St. Petersburg. We may not get tickets to any of the games, but it won't keep us from cheering them on. After all, it's like the Rays have said all season long -- We Are One Team.

Back from the Wild

While most of you enjoyed a restful night of sleep in either the crisp fall air or, in warmer climates, air-conditioned comfort, two of Humidity Bay's Goofiest Dudes spent last night camping out in the backyard. To be honest, it wasn't all that bad.

It wasn't all that muggy and, save for the occasional siren or loud vehicle, we heard more wildlife (cicadas, frogs and birds) than anything else before finally nodding off to sleep. Heck, we even slept in until 8:30 a.m.

Granted, our air mattresses and sleeping bags were far from a night in a suite at the Vinoy. Still, keeping a promise to camp out provided more than enough comfort for both of us.

Best in show

As much as I'd like to think that I had a pretty good training camp and preseason of hounding, adding 120-plus autographs over the course of a month, I certainly can't lay claim to the two best items signed during the past month.

That honor, I'm proud to say, needs to be bestowed upon Chris F., another hockey collector down here in Humidity Bay.

Not only does he get Hall of Famer Phil Esposito to sign a retro Team Canada jersey, shown above, but he's also able to get Tampa Bay's Marty St. Louis to sign a Bauer Vapor XXX Team Canada St. Louis model stick.

The other stick? Oh, that's a Vinny Lecavalier-signed Lightning stick that Chris won in a drawing at one of the team's open training camp scrimmages.

Individually, and as a sum, these are the best autographs to come out of the Lightning's camp.

Top Shelf: Steven Stamkos

Every so often, when we're fortunate enough to enjoy a good run of luck, I'll show off the fruits of hockey-hounding labor. Is it bragging? Yeah, maybe a little. But I don't think you'll mind.

I'll kick-start this occasional feature, posted whenever the rewards are worthy, with a nice array of pucks from Tampa Bay's top rookie Steven Stamkos.

From his June introduction to the Lightning community right through to the Bolts' recent training camp, the No. 1 pick at the 2008 NHL Draft has been atop every hockey hound's wish list down here in Humidity Bay.

I'm thinking I had a little more luck than others. Still, though, I certainly won't turn down any opportunity to add to the collection. Would you?

Solid start

I swear I'm not being greedy, but these eight pucks from Tampa Bay's Olaf Kolzig, picked up over the past month at informal skates and training camp, represent 75 percent of my want list.

Coming into this season, Kolzig represented one of the bigger needs in the collection. Before these, all we had were two Washington Capitals eagle logo pucks. Foolishly, both were the same. The collection is much more diversified now.

Though I'd still like to add the Bolts' Prague Premiere, World Cup, German Olympic team, Portland Pirates and Tri-City Americans pucks, I'll wait a few months before approaching Kolzig again. He's a gracious signer, but there's plenty of time. The season hasn't even started.

Even if I never get another puck from Kolzig, this should stand as a pretty solid representation of his career.

Fan Pack: SCL Tigers

I was beginning to wonder if we'd ever receive another fan pack in the mail when one arrived earlier this week from the SCL Tigers of the Swiss National League A. In it were three players autographed player cards, including this one by Michel Zeiter.

Besides an introductory letter in German, there were also cards of Alan Tallarini and Jeff Toms.

The best thing about this fan pack? It allows me to teach Colin a little geography, showing him that hockey is played across the world, just not North America.

Here's my report:

Team: SCL Tigers
Date sent: Aug. 15
Date received: Sept. 22
Elapsed time: 38 days
Items received: three signed player cards: Alan Tallarini, Jeff Toms and Michel Zeiter

Sweet charity

Imagine my surprise, when digging through a bucket of sticks Sunday at the Lightning Foundation's fundraising table during the team's IceFest, that I found some that had been signed.

At first, I pulled out a New York Rangers stick signed by Petr Prucha. Then I saw a Buffalo Sabres stick, signed by Thomas Vanek. As tempting as it was, given my allegiances, I put it back.

Why? Take another look at the picture.

I stumbled upon this Atlanta Thrashers stick signed by Ilya Kovalchuk. And, for a $30 tax-deductible donation, the Thrashers stick represented a far better value than any other in the bucket.

Even better, there's plenty of room for a few other players -- Zach Bogosian, Tobias Enstrom and Kari Lehtonen among them -- when the Thrashers travel to Humidity Bay on Oct. 21.

That didn't take long

When I was coming up with the three big names that I wanted to get for the Slovakian team jersey project this season, I knew that Tampa Bay defenseman Andrej Meszaros would most likely become the first of the trio to sign.

I must admit, too, that I knew it wouldn't take all that long to get it signed. How long did I have to wait? Less than 12 hours after posting my hockey hounding predictions.

It happened Sunday morning, before the Lightning held its annual back-to-hockey IceFest, when Meszaros further cemented a reputation as a more-than-willing signer.

I hope that the other two -- Minnesota's (for how much longer?) Marian Gaborik and Detroit's Marian Hossa -- sign as easily.

Well worth the effort

To be honest, I had to be talked into hounding the New York Rangers on Tuesday morning. After a week of attending the Lightning's training camp, let's just say that I'd had my fill of preseason hounding.

But after hearing, and then reading, that New York's Scott Gomez, Markus Naslund and Nikolai Zherdev were among the Rangers making the trip to Humidity Bay, it didn't take long to pack the bag and make the trip over to Tampa.

You know what? I'm glad I did. Adding a baker's dozen of autographs to the collection, including a trio of pucks from Zherdev and a puck from the Blueshirt's top 2008 pick, has a way of changing one's perspective.

It didn't hurt, too, that two of the newest Rangers -- defensemen Dmitri Kalinin and Wade Redden -- also signed pucks (shown above). Heck, I was even stoked when defensman Daniel Girardi and Fredrik Sjostrom signed the cards shown below.

It just goes to show, I suppose, that every effort is rewarded.

Batting .333

Though New York's Scott Gomez and Markus Naslund topped my wish list Tuesday for the New York Rangers, I was more than happy to settle for these three pucks from Nikolai Zherdev.

Funny thing, too, was that after Zherdev signed the two Columbus pucks, I had to ask him to sign the Rangers puck. One would think, given that the Rangers are his employer, that it would have been the other way around.

I did have a chance to snag Gomez and Naslund, but they darted inside the team's hotel after being delivered, in a golf cart, to the front door by the Lightning's top security guy following the team's morning skate.

A little help from my friends

A quick shout-out to Hound Central 4.0 reader Chris for helping me identify some of the New York Rangers' top prospects during the team's trip Tuesday to play the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Chris, a Rangers fan from Orlando, said these players, from left, Artem Anisimov, Michael Del Zotto and Andreas Jamtin, were certainly worthy of putting on a puck. Among them, I was most familiar with Del Zotto, a defenseman, taken 20th overall in the 2008 NHL Draft.

Though I take pride in my preparation, I'm not above accepting assistance from others with more acute knowledge of a visiting team. Once again, Chris, thanks for all of your help.

Good call, if I do say so myself

On a day when the goal was to load up a Lightning jersey with autographs, putting a card book for the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins in my hounding bag was an afterthought. After all, the Penguins' big names -- Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Marc-Andre Fleury -- weren't making the trip.

But as we stood outside the player's entrance at the St. Pete Times Forum, waiting on Lightning players to sign a jersey for my buddy Gus' bride, it became readily apparent that bringing along that book was a smart move.

While some boarded the team's bus after a morning skate, two players -- defenseman Kristopher Letang and goalie Dany Sabourin -- decided to walk back to the team's hotel.

Though I'd seldom brag about getting three autographs, it does show how preparation for any hockey hounding trip can work to your advantage. And, like I always say, one's better than none.

Even better, all three cards came from specialized sets.

Immediate dividends

One of our favorite events during the Lightning's training camp is the annual IceFest for fans. Like most NHL teams, it's a day designed to get fans excited about the return of hockey.

Between the games and festivities for children, an early look at the team and the opportunity to score some autographs, it's no surprise that the IceFest draws a good number of fans to the St. Pete Times Forum.

That doesn't mean, though, that you have to stand in long lines to get a couple of signatures.

Following our formula to put ourselves in the right place at the right time with only a handful of other hounds, Colin had another awesome day of hounding, thanks to Lightning players young and old.

Using a team sheet, drawn on the ride over from St. Petersburg, he scored a cool dozen autographs, including some from established NHLers Andrej Meszaros, Adam Hall and Mike Lundin. As always, the players get a kick out of these, asking him whether he made the sheet or commenting upon his artistic abilities.

The jersey, however, was a different story. After a couple hours out in the Sunday morning heat, the cool relief inside the Forum was a little too much. Rather than spend $35 for a long-sleeve Lightning shirt, I snagged a used Lightning practice jersey for the ridiculously low price of $25 for him to stay warm.

Later, as we attended a season-ticket-holder-only event, which provided tasty Cuban sandwiches and pizza as well as much shorter lines for autographs, he was able to get such Lightning notables as Dave Andreychuk, Chris Gratton and Shane "Popeye" O'Brien to christen the jersey.

Not bad for a kid, eh?

We'll take these

With the Tampa Bay Lightning's training camp coming to a close, the past few days were spent trying to get the players who may or may not start the season with the team.

In a sense, then, a beggar shouldn't be a chooser. You're happy with what you get -- from big-name players right on down to kids being sent back to the juniors.

In this case, though, the motivation was to put a bigger dent in the seasonlong Lots of the Lightning project. And, as you can see, the rest of the wish list got a little shorter.

The pucks came from Riku Helenius, Tampa Bay Lightning old logo puck; and Olaf Kolzig, 2000 NHL All Star Game and Washington Capitals eagle pucks. The card, signed by injured center Jeff Halpern, came from one of two four-card strips given away at the end of the 2007-08 season.

Did you see us?

If you were watching the Minnesota Twins-Tampa Bay Rays game early today, chances are you saw two of Humidity Bay's Goofiest Dudes cheering on the hometown team just before the Fox broadcast came back from commercial breaks in the seventh and ninth innings.

We've received calls and messages from friends and family telling us of our national TV network debut, even if the combined appearances lasted only 12 seconds.

And while it's cool that some people recognized us, witnessing the Rays clinch a spot in Major League Baseball's postseason for the first time ever is a moment we'll never forget.

My best guesses

With the three-ring hockey-hounding circus known as the Pittsburgh Penguins visiting Humidity Bay on Monday, meaning that I've waited as long as I possibly could, I tender for your perusal, digestion and commitment to memory, these predictions for my 2008-09 campaign:

Total autographs: 432 items

Pucks: 165-180, including 20-plus each from Nashville (11.21.08) and Chicago (02.17.09)

Biggest name: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins, on Colin's Penguins #87 jersey

Roughest signer: Tom Barrasso, Carolina's goalie coach, on a Pittsburgh Penguins 1992 Stanley Cup Champions puck

Given the number of projects I'm undertaking, let me further fulfill my obligations with these prognostications:

10 Big Sigs: The mission will be accomplished

Lots for the Lightning: Everything but all of the pucks for Rick Tocchet and Mike Vernon

Slovakian team jersey's top three: Minnesota's Marian Gaborik (or wherever he ends up), Detroit's Marian Hossa and Tampa Bay's Andrej Meszaros

Team Canada jersey's top three: Boston's Patrice Bergeron, Colorado's Joey Sakic and San Jose's Joey Thornton

Team helmets: Not only will I easily complete the original three, but
helmets from the Canadiens and Devils will join the collection

Taking the day off

When I woke up this morning, looked around and saw all of the household chores I've neglected for the past week, I figured it made more sense to stay home and tend to those duties.

Sorry about that. Perhaps some fellow Lightning hounds will offer some reports today.

I do plan on attending the team's IceFest on Sunday.

Taking it easy

After knocking out most of my to-do list for the Tampa Bay Lightning's new guys and prospects, I really didn't have all that much for the full squad scrimmage Thursday at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.

Coming into camp, my game plan was to focus on the new guys -- because there are so many -- and prospects -- because they won't be here all that long -- as much as possible in the early going.

With certain players, from Vinny Lecavalier to Gary Roberts to Matt Carle, assured of a roster spot, I have all season for the Lightning.

That's why this puck signed by Steven Stamkos is the only true highlight of this morning's effort.

Other signers this morning were:

~ Ryan Malone on four cards;
~ Brandon Bochenski on three cards;
~ Adam Hall, on a Nashville Predators puck, and Andrew Hutchinson, on a Carolina Hurricanes puck; and
~ (shown above, from left) Riku Helenius, Radek Smolenak, Vladimir Milhalik, Andy Rogers, Jussi Jokinen and Karri Ramo on a team sheet from last night's radio show.

I'll be back out Friday morning, looking to button up the prospects. I haven't seen Ty Wishart, part of the Dan Boyle deal with San Jose, in camp yet, so he's at the top of the wish list.

Adding value

One of the biggest hits at training camp Wednesday was the discovery that a bunch of big-name team-issued sticks were selling for $12.50 each. That's right. Twelve dollars and 50 cents each.

Being among the first to stumble upon this bargain, I snagged a few team-issued sticks -- including this Dave Andreychuk model. Later Wednesday, before a radio show at the team's training camp hotel, the captain of the 2004 Stanley Cup championship squad was nice enough to sign it for Colin.


The other two sticks? How about Marty St. Louis' Bauer Vapor XXX Lite and the yellow Easton Synergy, with full graphics and not just a name imprint, he used last year.

Standing alone

I suppose the last thing I want to hear out of South Florida is that hockey hounds are having a hard time getting the Florida Panthers to sign. From what I hear, hockey hounds/dealers have been very few and far between over the past week or so.

In fact, there's just one hound that's putting in the time in sweltering South Florida.

Though the lure of air conditioning kept him in his car from time to time, he did post these successes:

~ Jay Bouwmeester signing six cards;
~ Nathan Horton signing three cards;
~ Anthony Stewart signing four cards;
~ pucks collected from practice and signed by Cory Stillman, Richard Zednik (it's good to hear he's back skating, isn't it?), Stewart and Stephen Weiss; and
~ pictures from prospects Stefan Meyer and Tanner Glass.

And then there's this little gem: Weiss got teammate Greg Campbell to sign a Plymouth Whalers project helmet. Both played for the Ontario Hockey League team.

Hopefully, with the Panthers' training camp opening today and practices Saturday, more hounds/dealers will begin their seasons.

Good suggestion

An old friend of mine once told me that the blog needed more pictures of players signing autographs.

I imagine this -- Hall of Famer and Bolts radio color guy Phil Esposito putting the first signature on my Lightning team helmet -- is just what he was talking about.

Stop by later tomorrow. I'll have another interesting item from a future Hall of Famer.

This is more like it

Seeing that I had one of the more embarrassing mornings of my hounding career Tuesday, I wanted to come back with a strong effort as the Tampa Bay Lightning opened its 2008-09 training camp Wednesday at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.

I believe after adding 41 autographs, including 15 cards and 14 pucks (including this Stars puck from Mike Smith), I can lift my sunburned head a little higher. Granted, I made two trips, bringing Colin along to the Lightning radio show Wednesday night at the team hotel.

Besides the pucks above (clockwise, from top left): Brandon Bochenski, Adam Hall, Ryan Malone and Andrej Meszaros, these were among the day's efforts:

~ Getting one of the Lightning's co-owners to do a favor;
~ Snagging three big names at the radio show; and
~ Getting Matt Smaby to re-sign four pucks.

Among the sweeter cards were the four shown below of the 2007-08 Norfolk Admirals team set: Blair Jones, Vladimir Mihalik, Andy Rogers and Radek Smolenak. Training camp is a great, and perhaps only, time to get prospects.

God's honest truth

Among the Lightning brass taking in Wednesday's opening training camp session were co-owner Oren Koules and top hockey guy Brian Lawton.

Recognizing that I had the Holy Grail of Hounding -- time, tools and opportunity -- I asked Koules, of the Saw movies fame, if he'd sign a puck.

After Koules signed both sides of the puck (yes, both sides, but I'm not complaining), I asked whether Lawton, who pulled the "I'm-on-my-phone" card earlier in the day, would be willing to sign a couple of pucks.

Well, not only did Koules ask him, but he took them to Lawton, had him sign both, and walked them back over to the aisle.

I was stunned. I had the co-owner of the Lightning snagging some autographs for me. Now that is customer service.

Roster sheet

Want to know who was part of the Lightning's weekly radio show Wednesday night at the team's training camp hotel: Lightning legend Dave Andreychuk, who really should have his No. 25 hanging from the rafters, and Andrej Meszaros, a recent addition from the Ottawa Senators.

From the looks of it, Colin's working on an alternate logo for the Lightning. Instead, I believe spelling might be in order.

Feeling the moment

It didn't take Tampa Bay coach Barry Melrose to slip into his ESPN experience Wednesday night during a radio show at the team's training camp hotel.

With the crowd more tuned into the the Rays-Red Sox game, a loud cheer erupted when Tampa Bay's Gabe Gross and Fernando Perez hit back-to-back homers. Without missing a beat, Melrose, who threw out Monday's first pitch, told radio listeners: "The Rays just hit a second home run!"

Not real smooth, I know. But it worked. By the way, Rays won, 10-3.

Exhibit A

Here's proof, intentionally gathered from Tampa Bay's Jussi Jokinen, of why black is such a bad color for collecting autographs.

Yeah, you can see some of Jokinen's signature. The black masks most everything else.

Unless you use a silver Sharpie, the autograph hardly stands out.

Much better

Using a fresh paint pen, rather than one a little low on ink, perhaps, Lightning defenseman Matt Smaby re-signed these four pucks. It's always better to wipe away a bad signature, no matter whose fault, and replace them with ones that look like this.

Remember the sunscreen

Chances are I'm not the only person down here in Humidity Bay with a sunburned face after a day of hounding at the Lightning's training camp. I'll make sure I use sunscreen tomorrow.

Use a hand towel to keep items from getting greasy.

Stopping by

I'm in between trips to Tampa, so I thought I'd file a quick hounding report from the first day of the Tampa Bay Lightning's 2008-09 training camp. Here's a picture of Vinny Prospal, one of the first players to leave for the day, signing for fans.

Of the 36 autographs we added to the collection, I'd dare say that Hall of Famer Phil Esposito becoming the first to sign the Tampa Bay Lightning team helmet was the best.

We also added another dozen pucks, including the four that defenseman Matt Smaby re-signed using a fresh paint pen.

I'll have more reports later tonight, once we get back from another hounding session at the team's hotel.

Ah, sweet relief

From where I'm sitting in air-conditioned comfort on yet another balmy days here in Humidity Bay, the five people who voted "no" in Hound Central 4.0's first poll of the season are either bald-faced liars or professional hockey players.

Even though I swung and missed, miscalculating the time that players would arrive at camp this morning, it was still refreshing to know that the 2008-09 hockey hounding season has finally arrived. So, too, did an overwhelming majority of participants.

Twenty-one out of 26 respondents, including myself, agreed that they, like the true fans we are, were going through hockey withdrawal this summer. That's a 4-to-1 margin.

As for those other five, well, they could be hockey players. I imagine it might take some doing, after a summer off chilling out far away from early morning check-ins in big cities, to get pumped back up for another season of hockey.

I'll tell you what, though. I'd trade places with them in heartbeat. Wouldn't you?

Question: Are you going through hockey withdrawal?

Yes: 21 out of 26 votes cast (80.8 percent)
No: 5 out of 26 cast (19.2 percent)

Entries, please

Though I see that some visitors are checking out the Win this Autograph feature, I've yet to receive any entries for it.

Look, it's a sweet autograph from Tampa Bay's Olaf Kolzig, a top-shelf NHL goalie. I'll happily vouch for its authenticity.

Best of all, it's absolutely free.

Everything autograph has a story behind it. In 100 words or so, tell me your funniest hockey hounding story. It can be a hit or a miss. It can even be on a wrinkled bar napkin. It's that easy.

Body parts, however, earn bonus points.

Well, this is embarrassing

It seems that I'm the one in need of a little extra homework after making a trip to Tampa this morning in hopes of catching some Tampa Bay Lightning players as they made their ways to the St. Pete Times Forum.

Following published schedules, I incorrectly believed that arriving at least 90 minutes before the beginning of physicals and on-ice testing would put me in the right place at the right time. Well, let me tell you, I wasn't even close.

Instead, players reported at 9 a.m., a fact that had escaped me. My mistake. Hopefully, it won't happen again.

It's just another instance of everyone, and not just the players, needing to work on their game at this time of year. A lesson, I must admit, has been learned.

Quit your whining

Down here in Humidity Bay, where the surprising Tampa Bay Rays have become the top dogs of the local sports scene (sorry, Bucs fans), it would be easy to forget that the Tampa Bay Lightning will open its 2008-09 training camp tomorrow.

Despite the sale of the team, a trade of a popular player and an overabundance of new faces, the biggest question coming into camp -- among fans, hounds and others -- is why did the team move its camp to the St. Pete Times Forum in downtown Tampa from the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon.

If you believe the team, and I have no reason not to, it was simply because the Tampa location offered better facilities, namely a world-class weight-training room, and better logistics, primarily its location to hotels the team uses.

Following that reasoning, the move is a no-brainer.

To some fans and hounds/dealers, though, the move is seen as a bid to limit access to players. We all love autographs, even if some do it for financial reasons, and it's common knowledge that getting players to sign in Brandon was pretty easy. To me, thinking that move was meant to limit access is a big steaming pile of hooey.

Though I'm unwilling to share all of my hockey-hounding secrets (and, really, folks, I've shared plenty over the past few seasons), I look forward to having camp in Tampa. From a purely economical standpoint, it's cheaper for me to drive to Tampa than Brandon. Heck, even the parking is free.

Getting players to sign is all about access and putting yourself in the right position at the right time. After spending the past two seasons hounding in and around the St. Pete Times Forum, I'm pretty certain I won't go home empty-handed on any of the three days (Tuesday through Thursday) I'll be at camp. If I do, however, it'll be my fault, not the Lightning's.

Besides, it's about the hockey. Who here doesn't want to watch Steven Stamkos show why Tampa Bay picked him first overall? How about the new guys -- Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts, Mark Recchi, Radim Vrbata and Matt Carle, among them? And, if that wasn't enough, the Penguins and Rangers are in town next week.

For what it's worth, players may sign as they come off the ice following the training camp practices/scrimmages. That alone discredits any conspiracy theories being spouted by some of Humidity Bay's hockey genuises. Sure, people may now have to make an extra effort to get an autograph, but nothing good comes easy.

If you want Stamkos' autograph, or Vinny's, Marty's and Ollie's, well, then, go out and earn it. Do your homework, put in the time and, if necessary, sweat a little. It's all about effort. Sit back and you lose. Make it, however, and you'll be rewarded.

But, if you can't make it to weekday events (I'm thankful my work schedule and vacation time allows for it), the team will hold its annual FanFest on Sunday, where players will sign after their scrimmages. Granted, the event will draw a crowd, and the resulting long lines, to the St. Pete Times Forum. That, my friends, doesn't sound too productive to me.

Bottom line, folks: If you want your autographs, you should do whatever is necessary to make it happen. If you can't, then, please accept my sympathies. If you won't, however, quit your whining.

Harsh? Yes. The truth? That, too. It's your call. Put up or shut up.

Sunday morning homily II

While baseball fans love February and the promise it brings, hockey fans know that September is the best month of the year. The leaves may be turning, but it is our spring, our time of rebirth. A time, as we always do, to look ahead with anticipation.

On Tuesday, the 2008-09 NHL campaign opens in Tampa Bay. Players, many of them new to the team, report for physicals and on-ice testing. Trips to Brandon notwithstanding, it's the official Opening Week of the hockey hounding season.

It should be noted, though, that the appeal goes beyond the accumulation of autographs. No, it's more of the game's sights, like watching No. 1 pick Steven Stamkos pick corners and saucer passes, and sounds, like steel scratching ice and rubber striking iron, that will occupy this week's days.

And that's just the beginning. Though my first steps of this season's journey took place a few weeks ago, the next 10 days represent my annual devotion to hockey. And, if I happen to add to the collection, well, then, so be it. It's something I'm happy to live with.

Last laugh

Matt Carle surely got a chuckle out of a comical scene he caused last week, as he sped up to get his shiny blue truck past a gaggle of hounds/dealers, including one who was resting comfortably in his camp chair, after an informal scrimmage last week in Brandon.

From where I was sitting, that's not how someone replacing Dan Boyle should behave. One would think he's already facing pressure. If the trade from San Jose wasn't enough, there are the expectations that he rebounds from a rough sophomore season.

5 Big Sigs

Training camp offers the best opportunity for these items:

~ No. 1 pick Steven Stamkos on the Lightning and Team Canada jerseys;
~ Bolts hockey boss Brian Lawton on Lightning and North Stars pucks;
~ Lightning and Sharks pucks from defenseman Ty Wishart;
~ an old logo Lightning puck from goalie Riku Helenius; and
~ defenseman Matt Smaby on those four pucks I screwed up

New blog: Puckworthiness

Between trips to Brandon, work and getting Colin ready for Fall Ball, I've quietly added to the roster of hockey-hounding blogs: Puckworthiness.

In it, you'll find easy-to-understand lists that break down a team's roster from a collector's point of view. While I'd seldom turn down an opportunity for an autograph, there are some players that I'd rather have sign a puck or two than, say, two to four cards.

Think of it, please, as more of a guideline. Tailor your collection to your own choosing. Collect a favorite team or player. Collect nothing but goalies. Or No. 1 picks.

As always, I'm interested in any feedback. Corrections, too.

Thanks for stopping by.

Man, it was hot

On a day when quality, and even some quantity, ruled the day, all I can say is that today was one of the more brutal days of hounding I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing down here in aptly named Humidity Bay.

It wasn't just the sudden 50-plus degree change in temperature from the crisp Ice Sports Forum rink to the shimmering parking lot outside. Down the road, a bank's thermometer read 93. Given the conditions, it felt like 103. Really!

It was so hot (How hot was it, you ask?), it might have affected one of my usually trustworthy paint pens. Then again, maybe not.

Still, though, no more complaints. Nope, none whatsoever. Not when Tampa Bay's Vinny Lecavalier and Steven Stamkos stopped to sign.

The Lightning team jersey hit double figures as well.

It should be clear, too, that goalies Olaf Kolzig, on the Capitals puck, and Karri Ramo, on the three cards (Is the fading ink on them yet another result of the heat?), were, once again, willing to sign and chat. Shane O'Brien smiled at the words "Portland, Maine." Even tough guy David Koci signed a card.

Yeah, with a day like that, it's easy to take the heat.

Okay, maybe I'm bragging

What's better than getting Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos, the Lightning's No. 1 pick in June, to sign one puck?

How about two pucks?

If you ask me, these will look real nice with the other two -- one from the Sarnia Sting and an official NHL practice puck.

Fast start

Rather than focus primarily on pucks this season, I've introduced a number of projects to keep myself busy. One of those projects is a Tampa bay Lightning team jersey.

At first, I was going to wait until mid-season, once I'd likely run out of items for Lightning players to sign, to begin this particular project. But, like most things, I couldn't wait.

Earlier today, three more players -- Paul Ranger (top), Ryan Craig (middle) and Michel Ouellet -- signed the jersey, bringing the total to 10 so far.

With this kind of start, there's no reason why I shouldn't expect to complete this project by the holidays.

From good to great

It's a good hounding day any time I can get Tampa Bay's Vinny Lecavalier to sign an item for us. But, when he becomes the second player (Dallas' Brad Richards was the first) to sign the Team Canada jersey, an item that presents cherry-picking opportunities, it becomes a great hounding day.

Hopefully, I'll get Tampa Bay's Marty St. Louis and Steven Stamkos to also sign this jersey over the next week. That would be a solid start, don't you think?

Not all that long ago

When you've been hounding for as long as I have, you often watch players grow up from fresh-faced rookies in the American Hockey League to earning a spot on an NHL roster.

Take Tampa Bay's Shane O'Brien, for example. We watched Popeye (a nickname we bestowed upon him for his animated skating style) play on many a Saturday night in Portland, Maine, when the Pirates were the top farm club for the Anaheim Ducks, the team that drafted O'Brien.

A rough-and-tumble guy, he was the heart and soul of a squad that took eventual Calder Cup champion Hershey to a Game 7 in the Eastern finals. Not only did he stick up for teammates and not back away from any scrap, but he also had a little offensive pop.

Good traits, I believe, for a defenseman.

My bad

I guess NHL players aren't the only people in need of getting ready for the upcoming NHL season. After wasting Tampa Bay defenseman Matt Smaby's time earlier today by unknowingly handing him a nearly dried-up (from the heat, perhaps?) paint pen for these four pucks.

Yes, I suppose you can make out each of the autographs. Still, that didn't stop me from wiping them clean. I just hope he'll humor me and, with a fresh pen, sign them again.

Full rinks in Florida

With less than a week remaining before NHL training camps open, more players are taking part in informal drills and scrimmages down here in the Sunshine State.

Here's who's been signing at the Florida Panthers' practice facility in Coral Springs: Craig Anderson, Wade Belak, Radek Dvorak, Nathan Horton, Viktor Kozlov, Kamil Kreps, Bryan McCabe, Ville Peltonen, Alexei Semenov, Karlis Skrastins, Anthony Stewart, Stephen Weiss, Noah Welch, Tomas Vokoun and Richard Zednik.

No further word, though, on former NHL goalie Ed Belfour, who reportedly attended some of the earlier South Florida sessions.

Closer to home, scrimmages are drawing more Lightning players, including some new faces, to the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon: Matt Carle, Ryan Craig, Adam Hall, Jeff Halpern (not skating, though), David Koci, Mike Lundin, Ryan Malone, Janne Niskala, Michel Ouellet, Gary Roberts, Matt Smaby and Steven Stamkos.

Familar faces are Chris Gratton, Olaf Kolzig, Vinny Lecavalier, Shane O'Brien, Vinny Prospal, Karri Ramo, Paul Ranger, Mark Recchi, Mike Smith, Marty St. Louis and Jason Ward.

Dallas' Brad Richards, Ottawa's Filip Kuba and free agent Nolan Pratt have been around, too.

Thanks to Moody and Chris F. for the information.

Hooky for hockey

You know, I hope Mrs. Gestoso, Colin's second-grade teacher, doesn't read this blog. If she does, I know of a couple of Very Goofy Dudes who both might be in a heap of trouble.

It seems that someone called his school this morning, saying the young lad wasn't feeling too well and, rather than potentially spread a brewing cold among classmates, he would be staying home for the day. If that were only the case.

Nope, well-placed sources tell me that instead of staying home and filling up on chicken noodle soup, the aforementioned Dudes made a trip to Brandon to take in an informal scrimmage with quite a few members of the Tampa Bay Lightning. If memory serves me correct, I believe the exact phrase was a "father-son bonding moment."

Apparently, too, time was put to good use. The source, whose identity I'd never reveal, also related how Colin enjoyed his first hounding day of the season.

Just take another look, please, at that hand-drawn team sheet, a favored item from the 2007-08 NHL season. Fourteen players, in all, took the time to sign after the session. Among them: new faces Matt Carle, Adam Hall, David Koci, Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts and, yes, the team's 2008 No. 1 draft pick, Steven Stamkos.

It's no surprise, either, that Stamkos, who looked quite at home among the veterans, was the main draw.

Besides the team sheet and a special photo, Stamkos also signed this puck, an errant shot that was picked up by you-know-who.

And, just in case Mrs. Gestoso does stop by, Colin's feeling much better. He'll be back in class tomorrow.

That didn't take long

Going into any NHL season, I have one special item(s) that, for whatever reason, I must get signed. A couple years ago, it was Mike Modano on two distinct pucks. Last year, Colorado's Joey Sakic more than exceeded my expectations.

This season's item is a photo of Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos, the overall No. 1 pick in June's draft, signing Colin's Lightning jersey during a meet-and-greet for season-ticket holders earlier this summer. My only question was how long it would take.

Well, after this morning's trip to Brandon, where Stamkos was among a large contingent of skaters taking part in an informal scrimmage, I got my answer -- not very long.

One's better than none

To be honest, I can't remember how many cards we sent last season to Boston's Phil Kessel. It could have been three, but, most likely, it was four.

Still, though, we're happy that he signed and returned this one card for the collection.

It makes me wonder what a player does with the other cards. Rather than throwing them away, I'm hoping they're put to good use -- signed and handed out to children during charity events.

Based on some advice Hound Central 3.0 received last season, future through-the-mail (TTM) requests will be limited to two cards.

Hockey Quiz No. 2

Well, what do you know? I finally was able to stump Hound Central 4.0 readers with the latest Name this logo contest in the first Hockey Quiz of the 2008-09 NHL season.

While two of Hound Central's most loyal readers correctly made their way through the quiz, I must admit to a little delight that the logo, of the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, was able to stump them.

Let's see how we all do with this edition. Please leave your answers in a comment.

Name that logo

The only hint I'll provide for this edition is that I'm pulling logos from any established professional hockey league within North America.

Still, I'm thinking that this one should be easy. All it takes, I believe, is a little research.

Hockey Word Association

Alexander Radulov =
Training camp =
Chicago Blackhawks =
Richard Zednik =
Herbies =

Hockey, scrambled

Alyi Gazbrovy =
Nriba Srotoln =
Tosct Damienryree =
Naswh Forcfho =
Velap Nibuka =

Hockey math

Billy Blocker made 1,967 saves on 2,155 shots in 67 total games. What is Billy's goals-against average and save percentage?

A.) 2.81 GAA, .913 SP
B.) 2.79 GAA, .915 SP
C.) 2.89 GAA, .909 SP
D.) 2.85 GAA, .911 SP

Answers to Hockey Quiz No. 1

Name that logo: Gatineau Olympiques, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
Hockey, scrambled: David Legwand, Braydon Coburn, Mason Raymond, Petteri Nokelainen and Robyn Regehr
Hockey math: B. Gerry Glovehand posted a 2.58 GAA and a .914 SP