Less than convincing

Now that we find ourselves mere hours away from the first overall pick being made in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft in Montreal, Hound Central 4.0 readers are far from certain that the New York Islanders will, indeed, select John Tavares.

Of the 14 votes cast (a low number, curiously), only eight felt that the Isles will pick Tavares to lead them to the promised land. Sure, it's a majority, but it's hardly a ringing endorsement.

So, what going to happen? Hard telling. We'll have to watch the draft at 7 tonight on Versus to find out.

Question: Will the New York Islanders take John Tavares first overall?

Yes: 8 out of 14 votes cast (57.1 percent)
No: 6 out of 14 votes (42.9 percent)

Now, while you still have on your general manager/player personnel hat, feel free to take part in the latest Hound Central 4.0 poll, which asks what is the best way to build an NHL team.

You're on the clock

With only a handful of days before the 2009 NHL Entry Draft in Montreal, it's time we all put on our general manager/player personnel hats and figure out the top 30 NHL draft prospects.

Though the top two picks are easy, either John Tavares or Victor Hedman, it gets a little tricky after that. Will teams pick the best available player or try to fill an institutional need?

Barring any last-minutes trades (think Toronto trading for the Islanders' No. 1 overall pick), here's a lineup of the draft order for the first round. If you'd like to participate, feel free to share your insights in a comment.

In the meantime, here are my picks:

No. 1: John Tavares, C, New York Islanders
No. 2: Victor Hedman, D, Tampa Bay Lightning
No. 3: Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson, LW, Colorado Avalanche
No. 4: Matt Duchene, C, Atlanta Thrashers
No. 5: Evander Kane, C, Los Angeles Kings
No. 6: Jared Cowen, D, Phoenix Coyotes
No. 7: Brayden Schenn, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
No. 8: Dmitry Kulikov, D, Dallas Stars
No. 9: Nazem Kadri, C, Ottawa Senators
No. 10: Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D, Edmonton Oilers
No. 11: Zack Kassian, RW, Nashville Predators
No. 12: Jordan Schroeder, RW, Minnesota Wild
No. 13: John Moore, D, Buffalo Sabres
No. 14: David Rundblad, D, Florida Panthers
No. 15: Simon Despres, D, Anaheim Ducks
No. 16: Dylan Olsen, D, Columbus Blue Jackets
No. 17: Scott Glennie, C, St. Louis Blues
No. 18: Louis Leblanc, C, Montreal Canadiens
No. 19: Carter Ashton, LW, New York Rangers
No. 20: Jacon Josefson, C, Calgary Flames
No. 21: Robin Lehner, G, Philadelphia Flyers
No. 22: Ryan Ellis, D, Vancouver Canucks
No. 23: Chris Kreider, C, New Jersey Devils
No. 24: Ryan O'Reilly, C, Washington Capitals
No. 25: Stefan Elliott, D, Boston Bruins
No. 26: Calvin deHaan, D. New York Islanders
No. 27: Carl Klingberg, LW, Carolina Hurricanes
No. 28: Landon Ferraro, LW, Chicago Blackhawks
No. 29: Kyle Palmieri, C, Detroit Red Wings
No. 30: Tim Erixon, D, Pittsburgh Penguins

No surprise here

Eyebrows didn't even flinch this time. Going in, I knew, without even a hint of doubt, that Hound Central 4.0's readers would show off their hockey IQ. Know what? I wasn't disappointed.

An overwhelming majority, picking with their heads more than their hearts, said John Tavares would be picked first overall at next Friday's NHL Entry Draft in Montreal. Hands down, too.

The margin of victory? Not even close. Huge, even. Then again, that was a given. Not even Victor Hedman and Matt Duchene combined could top the Next One of 2009.

The $10 million endorsement deal question now -- across the hockey spectrum, including here at Hound Central 4.0 -- is whether or not Tavares lands on Long Island or, perhaps, elsewhere. I know there's a few Loafs fans who think he'd look real good in blue and white.

It won't be long now.

Question: No. 1 overall pick

John Tavares: 20 out of 36 votes cast (55.5 percent)
Victor Hedman: 10 out of 36 votes (27.8 percent)
Matt Duchene: 6 out of 36 votes (16.7 percent)

Flashbacks 04.22

Like reading about or looking at hockey autographs? Me, too.

Check out these installments from past hockey-hounding campaigns:

Jan. 16, 2008: Colorado's Joey Sakic
Nov. 4, 2007: Hall of Famer Phil Esposito
April 16, 2007: Cup winner Glenn "Chico" Resch
Sept. 24, 2006: Dallas' Mike Modano
Nov. 26, 2005: Los Angeles' Yutaka Fukufuji

Got lots of time? Find hundreds of more adventures at Hound Central 3.0, Hound Central 2.0 and, most certainly, Hound Central 1.0.

As always, thanks for stopping by.

They didn't get any beads

For those of you unfamiliar with Tampa Bay area festivities, the annual Gasparilla Day event -- from the flotilla to the parade along Bayshore Boulevard -- is one reserved for adult drunkenness and R-rated debauchery.

It's a day for people, from all walks of life, to dress up as pirates. The drinking? It starts before sunrise. No wall, or tree, is safe from bloated bladders. If you're lucky, you'll even see an impromptu striptease by a fetching young woman as she bumps and grinds her way to the currency of the day -- a string of beads.

Thankfully, I suppose, members of the New York Islanders behaved themselves Saturday. Not a single one, when asked, fessed up to receiving a strand of beads. There wore no tri-colored hats nor carried any plastic swords. Even better, not a single "Aaarrrggghhh" was uttered.

What the Islanders did do, however, was sign for anyone who asked. Though a Saturday morning shift at the paper limited my hounding to the gametime bus, I won't complain after adding 26 autographs, including 18 cards, to the collection.

Among the best signers: Defenseman Brendan Witt (top photo) and winger Blake Comeau (who signed the 500th card - the H&P on far right -- of the 2008-09 campaign), who each inked four cards.

Islanders captain Bill Guerin helped to complete our NHL career collection by signing this Edmonton Oilers puck.

I don't mind sounding like a skipping 33-rpm vinyl record (remember those?), but Guerin is one of the more approachable players not just on the Islanders, but in the league as well.

For my own selfish reasons, more NHL players, from top stars to seventh defensemen, should follow his lead. Then again, I stand a better chance of winning a $247 million Powerball jackpot than that happening, eh?

Also signing cards Saturday were, from left, Chris Campoli, Bruno Gervais and Radek Martinek.

Other highlights of the abbreviated hounding session:

~ Forward Doug Weight redoing a couple of pucks, initially scored during the Islanders' first trip to Hockey Bay this season, that didn't pass Hound Central 4.0's quality-assurance standards;
~ Forwards Kyle Okposo, Guerin and Weight on the USA Hockey team jersey; and
~ Rookie Josh Bailey sticking with silver for a pair of pucks and cards.

The trip for the Islanders also produced a new Hound Central 4.0 feature -- Gallery, a photographic exhibit of NHL players signing for Hockey Bay hounds.

Worth the Weight

To be honest, I really didn't want to drive over to Tampa yesterday to hound the New York Islanders. Between rising early and heading into work, the imagined hassle of driving through Gasparilla Parade traffic and the promise of eight hours of televised hockey, it took a rock-solid reason for me to make the trip.

What motivated me? The prospect of getting the Islanders' Doug Weight to re-sign these pucks for the collection. He had signed during the Islanders' visit last October, but the signature came out pretty thin. Rather than having terrible-looking autographs, both were removed, using Goo Gone, from the pucks.

With the Islanders making their last trip of the season to Hockey Bay, and given Weight's vintage status, there were no guarantees I'd have another opportunity to have him sign these pucks.

I made sure, too, to use a fresher paint pen.

Thanks, guys!

At first, I thought I'd have to make two or three scans to create images of the latest additions to the USA team jersey. But after the Islanders' Bill Guerin, Kyle Okposo and Doug Weight pledged their allegiances yesterday before a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, it's apparent a single scan captured the tight grouping.

Okposo, who represented the United States for USA Hockey at the IIHF World Juniors in 2007, added the 12th autograph to the 2008-09 project piece.

Silver works

Normally, I like saving the silver paint pen for pucks, but there are times, like yesterday when Islanders rookie center Josh Bailey came over to sign, when any pen will do on cards.

Though a blue Sharpie was in my hands, I couldn't switch pens quick over as Bailey turned his attention from to cards (shown below) from pucks (shown above). I even slid my Blue Sharpie close to his hand, but he didn't take the bait.

By the way, that's a sweet Windsor Spitfires puck, saluting Windsor Arena, or, as it's known, the Barn, the team's home from 1924 to 2008.

Small price, I'd say, for getting four autographs, rather than two.

Sunday morning homily XXI

Add the New York Islanders to the list of NHL clubs that schedule an annual fathers trip during a team's road trip. Yesterday, as a handful of hounds waited for Islanders players to board the gametime bus, we had the pleasure of meeting a few of the dads.

The man who made the biggest impression was the father of Islanders goalie coach Mike Dunham, former NHL goalie and University of Maine Black Bear. Less than 30 seconds into a conversation, you could tell the man was one of the proudest fathers on the trip.

He walked up to us and asked what cards we had for his son.

"That's my boy, you know," he said.

And, after getting a few cards that he didn't have, he promised to send his son right over.

"I'll make sure he does," he said.

Sure enough, Dunham soon left the hotel, came over and signed. When told that we had meant his father, and that it was very easy to see how proud he was of his son, Dunham could only smile.

"I can't take him out anywhere," Dunham said, laughing.

Being the father of a budding hockey player, I can only hope I get to relive that scene some day. For now, though, I'm happy with our trips to rinks. That's all the reward I'll ever need.

"Real" Pirates

Yesterday in Tampa, pirates took over the city during the annual Gasparilla Day festivities. There was a giant flotilla escorting the pirate ship Jose Gasparilla. There were thousands of beads tossed from floats to outstretched hands. And, unfortunately, there were plenty of drunks staggering the streets, as early as 3 p.m.

Mostly, though, it's a day for adults to dress up like pirates, pulling together costumes that, on some cases, look like they came out of an adult "novelty" store. I even managed to get into the spirit, but didn't have to add makeup or wear some trashy, beer-soaked costume.

No, all I had to do was wear one of the two Portland Pirates practice jerseys I own, picked up a few years ago in after-season sales at the AHL club's team store in downtown Portland, Maine. The jersey, complete with pucks marks, drew appreciative looks.

And, like I told most, the jersey, which features the updated Salty Pete logo, was what real pirates would wear, not drunken amateurs decked out in dime-store designs. Sadly, most were too inebriated to respond.

I'm sure these folks had "fun." I know I did. Got a few autographs, caught up with a Boston-based hound, mimicked some drunken gaits and did enough people-watching to last a week or so. The only differences -- I remember every moment and didn't wake up with a screaming headache.

5 Big Sigs

Hounding activities pick up this week, with Atlanta, Toronto and Washington all traveling to Hockey Bay. A previous commitment, though, will keep us away from the Capitals.

Still, there are plenty of items we hope to add:

~ Atlanta's Ilya Kovalchuk on a Team Russia puck;
~ Atlanta's Kari Lehtonen on a Team Finland puck;
~ Atlanta's Zach Bogosian on Team USA, Peterborough Petes and Cushing Academy pucks;
~ Toronto's Jason Blake on a University of North Dakota puck; and
~ Toronto's Luke Schenn on Maple Leafs and Kelowna Rockets pucks.

Gallery: New York Islanders

Yes, I got a new toy -- a digital camera. A nice one, too. It has 12x optical zoom, a wide LCD screen and its fully automatic. As a result, Hound Central 4.0 has a new feature -- photographic galleries, so to speak, of an NHL teams signing for Hockey Bay hounds.

The initial installment in this occasional feature features the New York Islanders, taken earlier today before their game against the Tampa Bay Lightning:

Islanders captain Bill Guerin fulfilled his hound-friendly reputation;

Islanders defenseman Brendan Witt signing for the same fan before Saturday's game; and

Islanders forward Frans Nielsen signs for a hound visiting from Boston.

A sense of place

Given the quality of the 11 top-shelf entries for Hound Central 4.0's most recent Win this Auto contest for this puck, signed by Hall of Famer and Islanders legend Denis Potvin, this was the most difficult to judge. Entertaining to enduring, each brought smiles to my face.

As expected, there were common themes: parades, eating and drinking and, of course, keeping it warm by taking it to the local barn. It would've been a privilege to attend every one.

To cull the entries, any that mentioned charitable or community events, anything that helped to create or further bonds, moved ahead. Beyond that, purpose became important. So did fun.

In the end, though, it came down to sense of place. Where would 24 hours with Lord Stanley's hallowed cup make the biggest impact? Given Potvin's triumphs on Long Island, this puck belongs to an Islanders fan:

Here's what nyi44, the winner of January's contest, had to say:

"Having the Stanley Cup for a day would be quite a thrill.

"I think I would start the day off eating Cheerios and milk straight from the cup. (Hey, dogs have eaten out of the cup....so can I!) Next, I would bring the cup to my classroom for the day. I'm sure my fifth-graders would enjoy seeing it in person, and I could definitely turn the experience into a history lesson regarding the cup's past and origins.

"After school, I would drive home as slow as I ever have; the cup strapped into my passenger seat. I'm sure people would stare, and I would just respond "Yeah, it's the Stanley Cup."

To finish off the day, I would enjoy a beverage or two from the cup and tuck it into bed right next to me. I'm sure my girlfriend wouldn't mind too much .....right?"

Not what you were expecting, eh? I was swayed by the fact that he's a teacher. Fifth-graders, too; not a particularly easy group to engage.

If this puck, a humble replacement for a day with the Stanley Cup, can provide a lesson and help nyi44 create a connection with some, or even one, of his students, then, to me, it's a highlight-reel, tic-tac-toe, Stanley Cup Game 7 overtime winner.

Now, all I need is for nyi44 to provide his address, using the e-mail address on my profile, and we'll get this puck rolling.

Feel free, too, to take part in February's Win this Auto contest for a dozen autographed cards.

Sunday morning homily XX

For all of the right reasons, a short post about some hounding foolishness up in bitter-cold Chicago struck a chord with a Hound Central 4.0 reader from Canada.

It seems Mark has heard complaints about kids getting stuff signed for their dads. Because I've been accused of that, mainly by one particular person in New England, the subject matter hit close to home.

His point was that those complaining can sometimes forget that whatever images the kid is exposed to can create lasting memories. That's why Mark tries to help kids, say, under the age of 12, get up front whenever a player stops to sign.

"You know at the end of the day," Mark surmises, "they will be the ones talking about their experiences for many years to friends and family and drawing them in to this great sport as fans."

Mark's right. Kids, no matter their daddy's motivation, should go first. Always. Players come over because of them and, really, that's what it's all about.

Having said that, though, what about the autograph dealer/dads who have their kids/wives/girlfriends make two, sometimes three, trips per player, or hire other kids for hounding? Do they get to cut into line every trip? Thankfully, the ones down here are pretty well behaved, waiting for their seconds (or thirds) until everyone else gets their autographs.

Then, there's hounds/dads like me, who know full well that his kid/wife/girlfriend often helps draw players. Is that crossing a line? I don't think so, but it's hard for me to be objective. Besides, I can't remember the last time one of us pitched a fit over not going first, though I met a grandfather a few seasons ago who now likely regrets slipping his Sidney Crosby jersey in front of Colin's.

Our difference, I hope, is that we're building a collection, not adding to the gross national product or the sports memorabilia market. Sure, we might each approach a player, but we make just one trip. Colin, for the most part, collects on a team sheet, stick or the jersey he's wearing -- all items he'll have for life.

It's like I always say, and Mark's reasoning reinforces my point: Hounding and hockey are bonds I'm building with Colin. It's okay, too, if other daddies, no matter their motivation, follow suit.

My Super Bowl XLIII memory

Every person attending Super Bowl XLIII festivities here in Tampa Bay will likely go home with a favorite moment. Mine involved legendary announcer and former NFL kicker Pat Summerall.

Being the only person who recognized him as he ambled toward his hotel Friday, I thanked Mr. Summerall for providing voiceover work -- free of charge -- for the St. Petersburg Times' popular multimedia series on the 50 best moments in Super Bowl history.

And, yes, I also thanked him for signing this Super Bowl XLIII mini helmet.

For the record, I have to go with my head, rather than my heart, in picking the Pittsburgh Steelers to beat the underdog Arizona Cardinals, 27-23, to win Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa. Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger will be the game's MVP.

5 Big Sigs

I'm going to have to wait until Saturday afternoon, just before the New York Islanders play the Lightning, before trying to add these to the collection:

~ Captain Bill Guerin on an Edmonton Oilers puck and the USA team jersey;
~ Center Doug Weight to redo a couple pucks and sign the USA team jersey;
~ Center Richard Park on the USA team jersey;
~ Wingers Blake Comeau, Trent Hunter, Richard Park and Jeff Tambellini on three cards; and
~ Rookie center Josh Bailey on an Islanders puck.

Don't delay

Only hours remain to enter January's Win this Auto contest -- this puck signed by Hall of Famer and Islander hero Denis Potvin.

Really, how often do you get the chance to obtain, for a mere 100 words on how you'd spend a day with Lord Stanley's Cup, an autographed puck from one of the game's best defensemen?

It's not just that, either. That's a pretty sweet autograph.

I even pick up the shipping.

Time's running out

With only one week left in the month, I'm hoping for a more entries into Hound Central 4.0 Win this Auto contest for January, featuring Hall of Famer and Islanders legend Denis Potvin.

Tell me, in 100 words or less, what you'd do with your day with Lord Stanley's Cup.

We've got five solid entries so far. I'd like to think that Potvin is certainly worthy of a few more entries.

Now, if you need to get your creative juices flowing, take the latest Hound Central 4.0's Hockey Quiz.

Win this auto: Denis Potvin

Of all the duplicate autos that I've picked up, this official Team Canada puck -- signed by Hall of Fame defenseman Denis Potvin -- represents two instances of historical significance for Hound Central 4.0's Win this Autograph exercise.

First and foremost, the puck is, by far (at least in my book), the biggest name to be offered. Potvin, captain of the four-straight Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders dynasty, could skate, score and hit.

Hence, the ticket to Toronto.

It's also fairly recent, obtained Dec. 27 when the Florida Panthers played Tampa Bay. Potvin, a three-time Norris Trophy and 1973-74 Calder winner, now provides commentary during Panthers TV broadcasts.

As always, my loss is your gain. Tell Hound Central 4.0, in 100 words or less, what you would do with your day with the Stanley Cup. Please, no debauchery. We have some young readers.

If you want to win, you have to participate. Answers must be left in a comment. I'll notify the winner in early February.

Have fun.

Addendum (Feb. 5, 2009): Two other entries were left on this post.

Perfect sense, I hope

Here's a bit of advice. If a team's television analyst is a Hall of Famer, like Denis Potvin is for the Florida Panthers, it's always a good idea to carry some items for him. The legendary Islanders defenseman signed these cards for Colin before last Saturday's game against Tampa Bay.

Look past the record

For a team that's apparently in a rebuilding mode, the New York Islanders carry a lineup that offers a respectable collection of NHL veterans. From captain Bill Guerin to defenseman Brendan Witt to goalie Rick DiPietro, it's easy to look past the team's mediocrity when it comes to hounding.

Thursday morning, before the Islanders' game against the Lightning, the team proved once again that it's well worth the effort to snag a few autographs. Need proof? How about three dozen autographs, including 11 pucks, in less than two hours. Not too shabby, I'd say.

Among the biggest surprises to me was the accessibility and affability to players like Guerin and Doug Weight. Both signed before and after the morning skate. So did rookies Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen. well, to be honest, just about every player did.

One word of caution, though: Look for DiPietro and Trent Hunter to slide out back or side doors of the team's hotel. Both did before the morning skate, but signed after being spied on the way back to the hotel.

Pucks, shown above:
Top row: Freddy Meyer, Kyle Okposo and Mark Streit
Bottom row: Thomas Pock, Doug Weight and Brendan Witt

Cards, show below:
Top row: Rick DiPietro, Bruno Gervais and Bill Guerin
Botton row: Andy Hilbert, Richard Park and Jeff Tambellini

Puck No. 1,600

Of the 36 autographs I collected yesterday from the New York Islanders, only one of the 11 pucks signed carried true significance.

When forward Mike Comrie signed this Kootenay Ice puck, it became the 1,600th autographed puck of the Hound Central collection.

Next stop: 1,700 autographed pucks.

Building his fan base

You hear no complaints from me, especially whenever Islanders' captain Bill Guerin signs a couple of pucks, like he did Thursday before New York's morning skate at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Guerin, in my estimation, is one of the most approachable star players in the NHL, often thanking people after he signs items for them. It's too bad more players don't follow his example.

Beyond basics

It's always nice knocking out a couple of cards from some of specialty sets I've collected over the years. Usually, I'm happy to get two or three from each trip

On Thursday, though, I added eight of these cards from either Upper Deck's 2007-08 Rookie Class offering or AHL All Stars or Prospects sets.

Among those signing were Rick DiPietro, Bruno Gervais, Joey MacDonald, Frans Nielsen and Jeff Tambellini.