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!

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.

Seeing doubles

Most years, I pick up two boxes of Rookie Class, Upper Deck's annual 50-card honoring of the NHL's latest stars-in-the-making. I'd put one set away and work the other through hounding opportunities. Given the economy, I wanted to buy just one set. That didn't happen.

The 2008-09 release, which I found at my local Target, had a little surprise inside it this season -- doubles. That's right, doubles. Though the box said a 50-card set, I picked up a few duplicates. I'm not the only one who has come up a card or two short of a full set.

While I certainly won't complain when a hobby box is stacked in my favor with, say, 85 Young Guns, I believe contents should deliver what's been promised.

To me, the term "box set" implies totality. A reasonable person should expect all 50 cards that make up the set.

Just like I got when I bought a second box.

At the least, they could have been of Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos, Columbus' Steve Mason or Boston's Blake Wheeler. Nope, mine were Detroit's Darren Helm and Carolina's Brandon Sutter.

Bottom line, and that's what it's all about with Rookie Class, this is a must-have for any hockey hound. It'll be fun set to chase down.