One and dones

If you're going to hound the Nashville Predators, my advice is to get them early and don't expect them too often. Though the team proved to be willing signers before the morning skate, a number of players refused requests for hounds a little late to the breakfast table.

Following the morning skate, I had to convince Ryan Suter, one of the Predators' talented blueliners, that he hadn't signed for me earlier in the day. Even J.P. Dumont, who signed three pucks for me earlier, shot down another hound's request.

"Sorry, man," Dumont told him, "I signed this morning."

I would've stayed longer, to see how the players were at game time, but we have our final Little League game of the season tonight and I wouldn't want to miss the Mudcats play one more time.

Still, though, it's always a good day when you can score 16 pucks among the 27 autographs collected near the St. Pete Times Forum.

Among those signing pucks:

Top row: Radek Bonk, Dan Ellis and Martin Erat
Bottom row: Pekka Rinne, Ryan Suter and Jordin Tootoo

Those signing Predators cards were, from left,Vernon Fiddler, Scott Nichol and Jerred Smithson.

Also contributing to the collection were:

~ Pucks from Jason Arnott, Dumont, David Legwand and Shea Weber; and
~ cards from Kevin Klein, Rich Peverley and Smithson.