Pleasant surprise

Like most every other hockey hound I know, the upcoming NHL season can't arrive soon enough. Allan, Hound Central 4.0's correspondent in Toronto, got an early start. Here's his report:

Well I'm happy to say that hockey is up and running in the Great White North! Leafs players, I hear, started showing up at their practice rink last week.

Recently, a local sporting goods store held a grand opening with Columbus goalie Steve Mason, who was signing for free. Imagine that? Free autographs from the reigning rookie of the year.

Because there were limits of one per adult and two per kid, I took my two kids. All told, we snagged five autographs - two pucks and the three 8x10s shown below. Mason also brought the Calder trophy with him.

We were about 25th in line and it only took about 15 minutes to go through the line. My kids wanted to go through again, but I didn't want to. I guess we could have, but it didn't feel right.

Mason was a nice kid and posed for photos with the kids. I wished him a great and healthy season, but asked him to take it easy on my Leafs!

Update: 10 Big Sigs

Before the 2008-09 hockey hounding season down here in Hockey Bay, I predicted that these items would be added to the collection.

Let's see how I did:

No. 10: Montreal's Saku Koivu on the Canadiens' legends jersey - Did not obtain

No. 9: Dallas' Brad Richards on a Stars puck

No. 8: San Jose's Dan Boyle on a Sharks puck

No. 7: A team-signed Boston Bruins jersey

No. 6: New Jersey's Martin Brodeur on a replica jersey

No. 5: Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby on Colin's #87 Penguins jersey - Did not obtain.

No. 4: Columbus' Rick Nash on Blue Jackets and Team Canada pucks

No. 3: Pucks from Chicago's Patrick Kane (Blackhawks, London Knights and Team USA) and Jonathan Toews (Blackhawks, Team Canada and University of North Dakota)

No. 2: Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk, Nicklas Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski and Henrik Zetterberg on Red Wings pucks

No. 1: Chicago's Nikolai Khabibulin (provided he stays), Columbus' Fredrik Modin (provided he stays healthy) and Toronto's Pavel Kubina on our Tampa Bay Lightning 2004 Stanley Cup Champions items. - Not a single item.

Looking back, it wasn't a great season, but it wasn't bad. Though Crosby signed during his visits to Hockey Bay, I missed getting him to sign. Perhaps, too, I overshot on the goals for the Red Wings. And Koivu signed a Canadiens team helmet instead.

The biggest disappointment, though, was not adding to the Tampa Bay Lightning 2004 Stanley Cup Champions items. One would think that the No. 1 item on the 10 Big Sigs campaign would take precedence, but a combination of players not traveling to Hockey Bay (Khabibulin and Modin) and simply forgetting (Kubina) worked against me.

Still, I'm happy to have added what we did. I'm sure, too, that this project will return for the 2009-10 hockey hounding campaign. This time, though, I'll have to keep my eyes on the prize, won't I?

Little Gray Box: Rick Nash

Want to know how much I like this new Hound Central 4.0 feature? So much so that I'd post two within three days. I hope you don't mind.

This is our first autograph from Columbus' Rick Nash, snagged when the Blue Jackets visited Beantown during the 2002-03 season.

A tie-breaker?

What Hound Central 4.0 readers couldn't decide, the first round of the NHL playoffs will. For the time time ever, we had a tie among the winners of the last poll, which asked who would win the 2008-09 season's Jack Adams Award, awarded to the NHL's top coach.

Of the four choices, two rose to the top -- Boston's Claude Julien and Columbus' Ken Hitchcock. Each collected 13 of the 36 votes cast.

Though the voting took place at the close of the regular season, it's still a pretty close call. Julien led a somewhat surprising squad to the top of the Eastern Conference standings. Hitchcock guided the Blue Jackets to their playoff appearance.

Given that Boston and Columbus find themselves on opposite ends of the first-round sweep spectrum, perhaps that gives the nod to Julien. Simply getting there, I'm afraid, isn't good enough.

Question: Jack Adams Award winner?

Boston's Claude Julien: 13 out of 36 votes cast (36.1 percent)
Columbus' Ken Hitchcock: 13 out of 36 votes (36.1 percent)
San Jose's Todd McLellan: 6 outs of 36 votes (16.7 percent)
St. Louis' Andy Murray: 4 out of 36 votes (11.1 percent)

If you haven't already, take part in the current Hound Central 4.0 poll: Will the Lightning trade Vinny Lecavalier? Cast your vote at the top of the sidebar. Don't be shy, either, about checking out past polls.

Don't forget, too, to test your knowledge at Hockey Quiz No. 9.

Playoffs picks

For as long as I can remember, rooting for the underdogs in any playoff series carries great appeal. Still, though, one should be realistic, calling upon intellect, insight and, more importantly, gut instincts.

With that in mind, here are one hockey hound's best guesses at how the 2008-09 NHL playoffs, which begin tonight, will shake out right on through to early June. As you can see, I'm predicting a few upsets:

Opening rounds

Eastern Conference

Boston Bruins (1) vs. Montreal Canadiens (8)
Bruins in five games (Bruins win 4-0)

Washington Capitals (2) vs. New York Rangers (7)
Capitals in six games (Capitals win 4-3)

New Jersey Devils (3) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (6)
Devils in seven games (Hurricanes win 4-3)

Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (5)
Penguins in six games (Penguins win 4-2)

Western Conference

San Jose Sharks (1) vs. Anaheim Ducks (8)
Sharks in seven games (Ducks win 4-3)

Detroit Red Wings (2) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (7)
Blue Jackets in seven games (Wings win 4-0) (Oops!)

Vancouver Canucks (3) vs. St. Louis Blues (6)
Blues in six games (Canucks win 4-0) (Oh, well)

Chicago Blackhawks (4) vs. Calgary Flames (5)
Flames in five games (Blackhawks win 4-3)

Conference semifinals

Eastern Conference

Boston Bruins (1) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (4)
Bruins in seven games

Washington Capitals (2) vs. New Jersey Devils (3)
Devils in five games

Western Conference

San Jose Sharks (1) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (4)
Sharks in four games

Calgary Flames (2) vs. St. Louis Blues (3)
Flames in six games

Conference finals

Eastern Conference

Boston Bruins (1) vs. New Jersey Devils (2)
Devils in seven games

Western Conference

San Jose Sharks (1) vs. Calgary Flames (2)
Sharks in five games

Stanley Cup

San Jose Sharks vs. New Jersey Devils
Devils in six games

Conn Smythe winner: Zach Parise

It wasn't easy

Of all the years that I've been pounding the pavement, braving the elements and dodging vehicles driven by inattentive drivers, this week's two-day adventure for the Columbus Blue Jackets was among the most challenging hockey-hounding opportunities I've encountered.

First off, my initial trip for Columbus, before a Monday afternoon practice, required dancing around raindrops. Lots of them. Big ones, too. My reward? Thirteen autographs, including a dozen pucks.

On game day, an ongoing paver project that just happened to be taking place right where Hockey Bay hounds congregate at the Blue Jackets' hotel presented another obstacle.

Still, though, after having the Blue Jackets add another 48 autographs, including 24 pucks, to the collection, all I can say is that overcoming adversity only makes the effort that much more enjoyable.

Signing pucks, shown above, were:

Top row: Kristian Huselius, from left, Manny Malhotra and Mike Peca; and
Bottom row: R.J. Umberger, from left, Antoine Vermette and Jakub Voracek.

Signing cards were:

Top row: Mike Commodore, from left, Wade Dubielewicz and Kristian Huselius; and
Bottom row: Manny Malhotra, from left, Mike Peca and Jakub Voracek.

The fun, thankfully, didn't end there:

~ Granting Top Shelf status to Rick Nash after he signed four pucks over two days;
~ Joining the crowd that gathered around rookie goalie Steve Mason any time he stopped to sign;
~ Snagging three pucks each from Danny Gare, Rostislav Klesla and Raffi Torres;
~ Having Michael Peca sign the 300th puck of the 2008-09 hockey hounding campaign;
~ Ending a lengthy wait to complete a hockey card;
~ Beginning another work-in-progress project; and
~ Preaching the virtues of fun with Colin's team and goalie sheets.

Even though it lacks images of Columbus' Nash and Mason, it's still worth the time to check out the Blue Jackets gallery.

Top Shelf: Rick Nash

Excuse me for my pomposity, but any time you add four pucks from Columbus' Rick Nash, one of the NHL's brightest stars, it certainly qualifies for Top Shelf status. Granted, it may taken me two days to get all four, but it just goes to show the rewards of making an effort.

Bring more than one

It should come as no surprise, I suppose, that Columbus goalie Steve Mason, the leading contender for top rookie honors, would draw a crowd during the Blue Jackets' visit to Hockey Bay earlier this week.

Thankfully, he hasn't let his successful season go to his head, showing a willingness to sign multiple items. In fact, a handful of lucky hounds walked away from Columbus' visit with eight items signed by Mason.

Though we didn't snag as many, Mason added two pucks and the right-handed goalie glove to our collection, signing right before Tuesday's game against the Lightning.

Given his age and apparent skill level, I'm sure we'll have plenty of time in the years ahead to add a few more items. Or, at least, I hope so.

A couple of hat tricks

It's always a good feeling when you can get an NHL player to sign three pucks for you. It's even better, however, when two players -- such as Columbus' Rostislav Klesla (top row) and Raffi Torres -- each sign a trio.

These six pucks were among the dozen scored in Monday's rain-filled hounding adventure.

It never hurts to ask

This week's 5 Big Sigs, a feature within each Sunday morning homily where I name the top autographs I hope to get within the next seven days, included a trio of pucks from Columbus' Mike Peca.

A Hound Central 4.0 reader cautioned me, though, that I might have difficulties getting the veteran center to sign even puck for me. Still, I had to ask when the opportunity arose.

I mean, it's not like I've haven't heard "no" before.

Well, not only did Peca sign two of the three pucks listed, but this Maple Leafs puck is the 300th of the 2008-09 campaign.

Catching up, so to speak

Having grown up in Western New York, the Buffalo Sabres are my favorite NHL team. And, of all the players to toil for the Sabres, Danny Gare is my all-time favorite.

Though I loved his pugnacious style and goal-scoring abilities during his days with the Sabres, he became my favorite player after befriending my cousin Suzanne, who, at the time, was fighting an ultimately losing battle with leukemia.

Up until Wednesday, our paths crossed just once -- in Boston, of all places, when he worked Sabres' TV broadcasts -- where we had a nice conversation about Suzanne, the Sabres and our fondness for Buffalo. At the time, I had nothing for him to sign.

As you can see, I didn't make the same mistake twice. Gare, a TV analyst covering the Columbus Blue Jackets for FSN Ohio, signed this trio of pucks after Tuesday's morning skate.

That took a while

When I got Mike York to sign this Upper Deck MVP Excellence card in the 2001-02 season, when he played for the New York Rangers, I never thought it would take until Tuesday for Columbus' Manny Malhotra to complete the card. But it did and now it's done. Finally.

Ironically, both of the Rangers' draft picks are now with Columbus, though York has spent most of the season (he's played one game for Columbus this season) tearing it up for the Syracuse Crunch, the Blue Jackets' AHL farm club.

Here we go

Sure, it may be late in the 2008-08 NHL season, but I'm not going to let that keep me from starting another work-in-progress jersey: a Portland (Maine) Pirates practice jersey.

Columbus defenseman Aaron Rome, who played for the American Hockey League club when he was a member of the Anaheim Ducks organization, kicked off the project Tuesday, signing before the Blue Jackets' game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

I should have little trouble finding former Pirates players to help fill it up, too. Besides the Ducks, the Pirates have served as the top farm team for the Washington Capitals and, currently, the Buffalo Sabres.

He's happy with a few

You know, it would be easy to say that Colin had a bad day yesterday working his team sheet, getting only seven signatures on it, as well as one from goalie Wade Dubielewicz, on this goalie equipment sheet.

To him, though, it's more about having fun and interacting with players than it is loading up on his team sheets.

In fact, Colin passed on getting Rick Nash's autograph so the Blue Jackets' captain could put a little "goal-scoring magic" in a Nash-model TPS stick that he'll soon be using in his practices and games.

So, who did sign the team sheet? These guys did: Kristian Huselius (from left), Derek Dorsett, Raffi Torres, Manny Malhotra, Antoine Vermette, Jakub Voracek and Steve Mason.

Gallery: Columbus Blue Jackets

Please accept my apologies for not including photos of Columbus' Rick Nash and likely Calder Trophy winner Steve Mason in this gallery. I was too busy getting them to sign pucks that I forgot to take their pictures.

Sorry.

Instead, these will have to do:

Veteran center Mike Peca, who reportedly can be a rough signer, offered up multiple signatures whenever asked Monday and Tuesday.

Scrappy left winger Raffi Torres signs before boarding the bus at gametime;

Defenseman Mike Commodore, left, and right winger Jakub Voracek sign on the way back from Tuesday's morning skate;

Center Antoine Vermette, who joined the Blue Jackets from Ottawa at the trade deadline, signs Colin's team sheet; and

Colin also had right winger Derek Dorsett sign his team sheet.

Mondays are my Thursdays

Back in my first tour of duty down here in Hockey Bay, a blurred moment of being in my 20s during the 1980s, I had a sour taste for Mondays.

It wasn't that I was hung over (Drinking in excess is stupid, like asking Columbus' Jared Boll if he wants to fight). It had nothing to do with too many people, all in a hurry at all the same time. Can't tell you what it was. Sorry. I just didn't like Mondays.

It's funny how one's perception evolves over time.

These days, Mondays are one of my favorite days. In my work schedule, Mondays -- the day the rest of the world begins its workweek -- are my Thursdays. One more day to go until my "bonus" weekend, beyond the traditional Saturday-Sunday combination.

Except this week. I'm taking off tomorrow to hound the Blue Jackets.

So, that turns today, my usual workweek Thursday, into, technically, a Friday, the start of a three-day weekend. And, yes, we're going to the Blue Jackets-Lightning game.

Sunday morning homily XXVII

It doesn't happen too often, but when it does, it validates the time and effort that goes into producing these annual hockey-hounding blogs. As Colin and I arrived at the Thrashers team hotel yesterday afternoon, two fellow hounds greeted Colin by one of my nicknames for him.

"Hey, Goofy Dude," one said.

I wasn't too sure I believed what I had heard, but once Colin came over and told me about it, I figured it was someone who knew us. In a way, I was correct.

Dave and Brad, two hounds visiting the Hockey Bay area from Michigan, are regular readers of Hound Central 4.0, they told me. The fact they recognized Colin, even asking about his hockey career, confirmed their statement. Any suspicions I may have had quickly evaporated.

Though I approach this blog as a hobby -- it keeps me out of bars and all kinds of trouble -- it's rewarding to hear from someone who takes the time to read your writing. Meeting two readers, especially those from as far away as Michigan, makes it even nicer.

And it's rewards like that, my friends, that provide the motivation to put in the hours it takes to chronicle a season of hounding.

Thanks, guys. Have a safe trip home.

Time's flying by

It seems like only last week that I was sitting in the parking lot of the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon, Fla., waiting for players leaving pre-training camp skating sessions.

But here we are, near the end of March, with only four home games left before the curtain falls on the 2008-09 hockey hounding season down here in Hockey Bay.

I suppose that fast pace means that it's been an enjoyable season, full of great hounding stories from seven-plus months of hounding adventures. I'm thankful, too, that my health allowed me to catch every team I wanted to hound.

But more than anything else, it's been a hoot sharing these adventures with you. As always, folks, thanks for reading.

5 Big Sigs

With just the Columbus Blue Jackets coming to town this week, the pressure will be on to fulfill this wish list:

~ Left winger Rick Nash on Blue Jackets, Team Canada and London Knights pucks;
~ Rookie goalie Steve Mason on Blue Jackets and London Knights pucks;
~ Center Michael Peca on a Blue Jackets, Maple Leafs and Islanders pucks (this, I've been told, may be impossible);
~ Tough guy Jared Boll on a Blue Jackets puck; and
~ TV analyst Danny Gare on Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings pucks.

Plan B, as in Bernie

Sitting atop my wish list for the St. Louis Blues last week was none other than Hall of Famer Al MacInnis. Never saw him. So, I had to settle, so to speak, for another Hall of Famer: Bernie Federko. Not bad, huh?

Who's the best young goalie?

Even though my skating skills are suspect at best, manning the pipes is, by far, the last position I'd ever want to play in hockey. Why? There's too much pressure. Slapshots, despite copious amounts of padding, still hurt. And I'm afraid walking would be impossible after my first split save.

Thankfully, my fears, no matter how unfounded and unrealized, are quickly dismissed by the NHL's elite goalies. Pressure? Sounds like breakfast. Stinging shots? They only hurt until the pain goes away. Split saves? That's why you stretch.

To be in a position of deciding any game, where a flick of a glove is the difference between winning and losing, has got to be flat-out funky. Imagine, though, if you were just a kid, relatively speaking, squaring yourself as Washington's Alex Ovechkin tore down the ice.

In a second, you'd face these questions: Will he unleash a bullet? Or, will he dangle? Who's on the off-wing and, really, will Ovie pass? Am I wearing my cup?

Sounds like a job description that only very few people can handle. Sure, all are in the NHL. But these five young goalies, 25 years old or under as of Oct. 4, are the best ones to ask:

No. 5: Kari Lehtonen
Atlanta Thrashers
24 years old (11.16.83)
Drafted 2nd overall in 2002
The skinny: Though whispers on his abilities and conditioning are approaching chatter level, Lehtonen's still among the league's most exciting goalies. He faces a ton of shots (1,560) and puts up solid numbers: four shutouts within a injury-marred 12-win campaign, a 2.90 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. Most teams would love a goalie with his abilities and, um, potential.
Last season's ranking: No. 4

No. 4: Carey Price
Montreal Canadiens
21 years old (8.16.87)
Drafted 5th overall in 2005
The skinny: His performance in the playoffs, exposing a somewhat weak glove, should not be your lasting impression of this could. He played so well that even the most grizzled hockey veteran dared mention his name in the same sentence as Patrick Roy and Ken Dryden. Monster stats, too: Three shutouts within 24 wins, a 2.56 GAA and a .920 SP. I'm thinking, too, that Price, whom I suspect will only climb up this list in the seasons ahead, spent the summer working on his glove hand.
Last season's ranking: first appearance

No. 3: Pascal Leclaire
Columbus Blue Jackets
25 years old (11.7.82)
Drafted 8th overall in 2001
The skinny: After years of waiting for Leclaire to step up and get noticed, the 2007-08 campaign was his coming-out party. Nine shutouts within 24 wins, a 2.25 GAA and a .919 SP validated what many have said about him -- he's a top-shelf goalie. Can he lead the Blue Jackets to the playoffs? If he repeats last season's performance, there's no reason why Columbus won't play past early April.
Last season's ranking: first appearance

No. 2: Cam Ward
Carolina Hurricanes
24 years old (2.29.84)
Drafted 25th overall in 2002
The skinny: To some, last season might be viewed as a disappointment. Still, though, six shutouts in 37 wins is pretty darn good. A 2.90 GAA and a .916 SP are respectable, too. I still have faith in Ward. To me, he's a money goaltender. Hurricanes fans, I hope, will agree. If they don't, I'm sure quite a few NHL teams would welcome his 1,870 saves.
Last season's ranking: No. 5

No. 1: Marc-Andre Fleury
Pittsburgh Penguins
22 years old (11.28.84)
Drafted 1st overall in 2003
The skinny: In a team loaded with superstars, Fleury is likely the most unheralded. Last year's playoffs, though, should support his rising through these rankings. A 1.97 GAA and a .933 SP should have been good enough to win the Cup. Unfortunately, Pittsburgh ran into the Red Wings. Barring injury or burnout, this kid is the best goalie, age notwithstanding, in the NHL.
Last season's ranking: No. 3

Ones to watch

These five young keepers, listed in alphabetical order, should soon become the next wave of elite goaltenders:

Jonathan Bernier, Los Angeles Kings
20 years old (8.7.88) / 11th overall in 2006 Draft
The skinny: Yes, he could use some AHL seasoning. But, the Kings will give him a chance this season. Given the revolving door in the Kings crease last year, he should have the chance to earn a starting gig. The smart money, however, has him starting in a couple years.

Jaroslav Halak, Montreal Canadiens
23 years old (5.13.85) / 271st overall in 2003 Draft
The skinny: As much as I hate to admit it, the Canadiens look stacked in net for years to come. Halak performed admirably in a handful of games last season. The big question, though, is where does he play: Montreal, watching mostly from the bench, or Hamilton, where he'll get playing time?

Karri Ramo, Tampa Bay Lightning
22 years old (7.1.86) / 191st overall in 2004 Draft
The skinny: Last season's run with the Lightning showed that Ramo wasn't quite ready for the NHL's prime time. Still, his aggressiveness in net and competitive spirit bodes well for the Lightning. Like Lehtonen, he's another top young Finn goalie.

Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
25 years old (11.3.82) / 258th overall in 2004 Draft
The skinny: Let's see, Chris Mason runs off Tomas Vokoun. Dan Ellis sends Mason packing to St. Louis. Rinne, another Finnish product, could easily send Ellis to the bench or who knows where. Stuck in the AHL for the past few seasons, this is his opportunity to show what he can do. He had five shutouts and 37 wins as Milwaukee's starter last season.

Tobias Stephan, Dallas Stars
24 years old (1.21.84) / 34th overall in 2002 Draft
The skinny: Though he won't make anyone forget about Marty Turco, this season will either spent riding the pines or starting for AHL Iowa. Six shutouts within 26 wins, even at the minor-league level, isn't anything to sneeze at. Dallas, it seems, is set in goal for the next few years.

Feel free to check out Hound Central 3.0's best young goalies.

Who's the best young tough guy?

When kicking around the idea for this feature, profiling the NHL's top young tough guys, the last thing I wanted to do was focus on fighting. Though I see a role for enforcers in today's game, I'm not convinced that a one-tool player deserves to take up valuable space, both on an NHL bench and within a team's salary cap.

Today's players have to be able to skate and score. They have to be able to dish out hits. They must bring pause to any opponent with a tendency toward shenanigans. And, yes, they have to be able to put up their dukes.

Having said that, though, they don't have to be among the team's leaders in scoring or, in one case, even penalty minutes. Nope, all they have to be are solid all-around contributors.

That's why I believe these five young players, defined as 25 years old or under as of Oct. 4., best typify what every team longs to have -- a bona fide, three-tool tough guy.

No. 5: David Clarkson, right wing
New Jersey Devils
24 years old (3.31.84)
Undrafted; signed as a free agent in 2005
The skinny: At 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, size plays a big role in his game. His 193 PIMs, including 21 majors, and his 150 hits show he's not afraid of the rough stuff. Of his 22 points last season, nearly half (9) were goals. The kid's a winner, too, playing for the Kitchener Rangers' 2003 Memorial Cup championship squad.

No. 4: Jared Boll, right wing
Columbus Blue Jackets
22 years old (5.13.86)
Drafted 101st overall in 2005
The skinny: Who's says Southern boys can't play hockey? Born in Charlotte, N.C., the Blue Jackets resident enforcer turned heads and flattened noses by making the Columbus squad out of camp. Not only did he rack up an NHL-leading 28 majors within his 226 PIMs, but he also logged 135 hits. Hopefully, he'll improve upon his offense (5-5=10 in 75 games).

No. 3: Dustin Brown, right wing
Los Angeles Kings
23 years old (11.4.84)
Drafted 13th overall in 2003
The skinny: One of my favorite players in the NHL, he's also the subject of one of my favorite hockey stories. It seems that he wasn't making any friends among teammates during his rookie AHL season because he kept knocking the tar out of them in practice. His coach told him not to worry about making friends. Last year, his 311 hits led the NHL. And though he had only 55 PIMs, 15 of those came from fights. His 60 points, including 33 goals, round out the package.

No. 2: Dion Phaneuf, defense
Calgary Flames
23 years old (4.10.85)
Drafted 9th overall in 2003
The skinny: To players of Phaneuf's caliber, it's s compliment to say he's scary good. This blueliner, however, is simply scary. He loves to hit (194) and most are punishing. He's not afraid to fight, picking up 10 majors among his 182 PIMs. Oh, yeah, he scores, too -- 17 goals among 60 points in 82 games.

No. 1: Daniel Carcillo, left wing
Pheonix Coyotes
23 years old (1.28.85)
Drafted 73rd overall (Pittsburgh) in 2003
The skinny: The only thing to say about Carcillo's season last year? Geez, what could have been. For a guy who missed more than a quarter of his season, he posted impressive numbers: 24 points, including 13 goals, in 57 games as well as 109 hits. And let's not overlook his NHL-leading 324 PIMs (20 majors). Sure, his actions sometimes hurt the Coyotes, and he paid the price. Opponents, however, take great pains to notice whenever he's on the ice.

Ones to watch

Keep an eye on these five players, listed in alphabetical order, as they're likely to make some noise by banging some bodies this season:

Adam Burish, Chicago Blackhawks, right wing
25 years old (1.6.83) / 282nd overall in 2002 Draft
The skinny: Scoring (8 points in 81 games) will never be his strong suit, but 16 majors with 214 PIMS, as well as 89 hits, shows that physicality often earns a spot on a NHL roster.

Hugh Jessiman, New York Rangers, right wing
24 years old (3.28.84) / 12th overall in 2003 Draft
The skinny: Long called the Huge Specimen for his formidable size (6-foot-4, 200 pounds), the Dartmouth product is my sleeper pick to make the Rangers and start mixing it up in the Big Apple. Sure, he's a long-shot, but imagine the fun you'd have watching him crash, bang (154 PIMs in AHL Hartford) and light the lamp (18 goals in 71 games in AHL Hartford).

Milan Lucic, Boston Bruins, left wing
20 years old (6.7.88) / 50th overall in 2006 Draft
The skinny: He's tough as nails and brings a hard-hat approach to every game. That's why the Black and Gold gave him the Seventh Player Award last season. You gotta love his beak, too. Scoring 27 points in his rookie campaign was impressive, as were the 13 majors (65 minutes worth) within his 89 PIMS. His 181 hits show he's a willing banger, too.

Shane O'Brien, Vancouver Canucks, defense
25 years old (8.9.83) / 250th overall (Anaheim) in 2003 Draft
The skinny: If you watch this kid, you can tell he loves to play the game. He can score (21 points, including four goals, in 77 games), skates like Popeye, loves to hit (128) and isn't afraid to drop the mitts (six majors within 154 PIMs). There were times last season, though, where his penalties were problematic.

Zach Stortini, Edmonton Oilers, position
22 years old (9.11.85) / 94th overall in 2003 Draft
The skinny: Among the league leaders in majors (23) within his 201 PIMs, he's someone the Oilers know will keep opponents honest. Personally, I'd link to think there's room for improvement in scoring (12 points, including three goals, in 66 games) and hits (99).