Flashbacks 08.10

Here's another player's-only stroll down hockey-hounding memory lane:

March 9, 2009: St. Louis' T.J. Oshie
Jan. 31, 2009: Hall of Famer Joey Mullen
Dec. 28, 2007: Montreal's Carey Price
Nov. 26, 2006: Ottawa's Daniel Alfredsson
Dec. 29, 2005: Toronto's Matt Stajan

Hot trade rumor

Just in case Ottawa Sun hockey columnist Bruce Garrioch, a master of trade rumors, Googles his name between now and Wednesday:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

According to a well-placed source deep inside a secretive intelligence organization scattered across the four corners of hockey's cosmic universe, there's a major trade brewing between two Eastern Conference foes.

The source, who professes allegiance to neither team involved in the pending pre-NHL deadline day blockbuster, dutifully reports, without hesitation and little other confirmation, the deal to end all deals in the history of professional sports:

To Tampa Bay: Goaltender Carey Price and defensemen Andrei Markov and Mike Komisarek

To Montreal: Goaltender Olaf Kolzig and defensemen Andrej Meszaros and Paul Ranger

"Oh, yeah, this is a done deal. It's a win-win situation for both teams. Still, the Lightning might even get Chris Higgins as a sweetener," according to the official, who spoke in hushed tones on these extreme conditions of anonymity: untraceable satellite signals, 37-second tape delay and voice-scrambling technologies while wearing camouflage fatigues in a darkened room at an undisclosed location before face-changing cosmetic surgery.

Sometimes, you ask twice

As a rule, I try not to double-dip on a NHL player within the same opportunity. I'll leave that up to the dealers.

But, I have no problems at all asking a player to sign items -- be it pucks, cards, photos, whatever -- more than once during any given day.

Take Montreal's hound magnet Carey Price, for instance.

After having him sign The Hockey News' Future Watch 2008 before yesterday's morning skate, I asked him to sign the 8x10 above to Colin on his way back to the team's hotel.

As you can see, Price didn't mind.

Glad I missed this

Most times, I regret having to drive home from hounding in Tampa so I can get into the office at the prescribed hour. This past Tuesday, with the Montreal Canadiens, was no different. Because I had to work -- reading back on stories and rewriting the occasional headline -- Colin and I were limited to just the morning session.

From what I hear, though, I should be happy I had to work that evening. No fewer than three hounds told me the game-time hounding session for the Canadiens could be summed up in two words: mob scene.

Between a larger-than-normal complement of Hockey Bay hounds and a sizable clutch of French-speaking Habs fans enjoying a holiday week of Florida sunshine, estimates for Tuesday's game-time crowd ranged from 75 to 100.

The crowd was so big and unruly that hotel security, who tried to escort the Habs' bigger-name players to the team's bus, apparently lost control of the crowd. How bad did it get? Well, the driver of the team's bus reportedly had to keep fans from climbing aboard.

All the time, I was about 20 miles away, content in my chair at the office, knowing full well that we had a solid morning, snagging 43 autographs. And, as you can see, my main project was a Canadiens team helmet, which 22 players and coaches took the time to sign:

Signing the right side, shown above, were, from left: Alex Tanguay (shown, in better detail, at left), Ryan O'Byrne, Maxim Lapierre, Tom Kostopolous, Bob Gainey and Andrei Markov.

Signing the left side were, from left: Carey Price, Guillaume Latendresse, Doug Jarvis, Francis Bouillon and Patrice Brisebois.

Signing the front were, from left: Steve Begin, Ben Maxwell, Mike Komisarek, Roman Hamrlik and Kirk Muller.

Signing the middle were, from left: Sergei Kostitsyn, Josh Gorges, Matt D'Agostini, Tomas Plekanic, Andrei Kostitsyn and Roland Melanson.

Who did I miss? Most of the Canadiens stars, including Alex Kovalev and Robert Lang, who said they'd sign after the morning skate but waited until game time to sign a handful of autographs for the crowd.

We'll also have to add coach Guy Carbonneau and goalie Jaroslav Halak as well as injured players Saku Koivu, Chris Higgins, George Laraque and Mathieu Dandenault.

Still, though, a pretty respectable effort in the morning and certainly no complaints for missing a mob scene.

Other highlights included:

~ veteran defenseman Patrice Brisebois reminding Colin that patience is, indeed, a virtue;
~ Halak becoming the 11th player to sign the Slovakian team jersey; and
~ having a game-used stick for Tampa Bay goalie Karri Ramo, an emergency AHL call-up staying at the same hotel as the Habs and their willing-to-travel faithful.

It'll be the Habs in their 100th

When you get right down to it, any predictions for the upcoming NHL season are nothing more than wishful thinking. Yes, you can do research. You can talk with fellow fans. And, if you're lucky enough, you can even talk to some players.

Still, though, no one knows. Players get injured or traded. A team's chemistry may never materialize. A top pick can become a big flop.

Yet, year after year, we put together, on the Internet, a piece of paper or the darkest recesses of our minds, a set of projections for the season ahead. Talk about optimism, eh?

So, for the record, here are Hound Central 4.0's picks. Remember, too, that they're certainly open for your debate:

Eastern Conference

1.) Philadelphia Flyers
2.) Montreal Canadiens
3.) Washington Capitals
4.) Pittsburgh Penguins
5.) New York Rangers
6.) New Jersey Devils
7.) Boston Bruins
8.) Carolina Hurricanes

Just missing: Buffalo Sabres

Western Conference

1.) Detroit Red Wings
2.) Anaheim Ducks
3.) Chicago Blackhawks
4.) San Jose Sharks
5.) Dallas Stars
6.) Calgary Flames
7.) Nashville Predators
8.) Edmonton Oilers

Just missing: Minnesota Wild

Conference champions

Eastern: Montreal Canadiens over Philadelphia Flyers in six games
Western: Anaheim Ducks over Calgary Flames in five games

Stanley Cup Finals

Montreal Canadiens over Anaheim Ducks in six games

Conn Smythe winner: Montreal's Carey Price

Annual awards

Presidents' Trophy
Detroit Red Wings, 112 points
Hart Trophy (MVP)
Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
Pearson Award (players' MVP)
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Art Ross Trophy (top scorer)
Sidney Crosby, 128 points
Maurice Richard Trophy (top goal scorer)
Alexander Ovechkin, 58 goals
Calder Trophy (top rookie)
Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning
Norris Trophy (top defenseman)
Dion Phaneuf, Calgary Flames
Vezina Trophy (top goalie)
Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens
Lady Byng Trophy (sportsmanlike)
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
Selke Trophy (top defensive forward)
Mike Richards, Philadelphia Flyers
Jennings Trophy (lowest GAA)
Carey Price and Jaroslav Halak, Montreal Canadiens, 2.13 GAA
Masterton Trophy (perseverance)
Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
King Clancy Trophy (humanitarian)
Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins

Bonus predictions

No. 1 pick: John Tavares by the New York Islanders
First coach fired: Tony Granato, Colorado Avalanche, or Alain Vigneault, Vancouver Canucks
Biggest trade: Patrick Marleau for Simon Gagne
Biggest cut: Jeremy Roenick, San Jose Sharks
Fighting majors: Daniel Carcillo, Phoenix Coyotes, 17, with one three-game suspension
Shutout leader: Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils, eight