Higher priority

For some reason, I thought that this Hockey USA team jersey would be nothing more than an afterthought throughout the 2008-09 NHL hounding campaign. You know, something that would be remembered occasionally, rather than regularly. A plugger, if you will, for American-born stars from visiting teams.

One day, while doing some hounding homework, I realized that each team, especially the New Jersey Devils and Colorado Avalanche, had quite of few Team USA alums. Big names, too. Mike Modano. Bill Guerin. Ryan Miller. Doug Weight. They join Phil Kessel, whose tiny scribble started it all during the 2007-08 campaign.

All told, we added 20 signatures this past season. It looks like we have room for a few more, too, during the 2009-10 campaign.

Don't listen to Cujo

Though the team's star power may have dulled a bit over the past season, with Mats Sundin's move to southwestern Canada and the deadline-day trades of Nik Antropov and Dominic Moore, that's no reason to take a pass on hounding the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The roster still has a few big names and, despite goalie Curtis Joseph's best effort to ruin our days, not every Leafs player is opposed to signing autographs. In fact, I believe the three pucks shown above -- signed Tuesday before Toronto's morning skate by, from left, Tomas Kaberle, Jamal Mayers and Luke Schenn -- prove otherwise.

All told, another 18 autographs, including a dozen cards, joined the collection. A dozen from the Bolts pushed the day's haul to 30.

Still, though, there was no need for Lord Cujo's vitriol. If a player doesn't want to sign, all they have to do is say no. We're all grown-ups here, except, of course, a certain goalie. We've heard "no" before and we'll likely hear it again.

Dishing out grief while still signing, I'm afraid, is a bush-league move.

One player, however, whose reputation may be in need of changing is Jason Blake. Though I've heard that he's a less-than-willing signer, I've yet to see him decline an autograph request over the past two seasons.

This trip, Blake signed the work-in-progress Team USA jersey. Last trip, he signed a University of North Dakota puck.

Then again, I'm not asking him to sign a stack of 8x10s. I'm not so sure the grumpy label is worth sticking on Blake anymore.

Signing cards were, from left, Nikolai Kulemin, Matt Stajan and Anton Stralman.

Beyond dealing with Lord Cujo, here are the rest of Tuesday's memorable moments:

~ Getting four cards each from Boyd Devereaux and Lee Stempniak;
~ Honoring Brad May's contribution to Buffalo Sabres lore; and
~ Getting some quick positive reinforcement from Tampa Bay's Vinny Lecavalier, Marty St. Louis and Steven Stamkos.

Need a chuckle? Check out the Loafs gallery.

He's a man of his word

Blues center T.J. Oshie was running a tad late to Friday's morning skate when he promised he would sign on the return trip.

I believe his signatures on the Team USA jersey, shown above, and this University of North Dakota puck show that Oshie, a former Fighting Sioux, more than kept his word.

Oshie's distinctive, but legible, signature scores high marks, too.

A cure for cabin fever

After spending nearly 12 hours Wednesday glued to my computer and TV for the NHL trade deadline day coverage, I needed to get out of the house today, heading over to Brandon, where the Lightning were practicing.

Fresh air, bright sunshine and nearly a dozen autographs combined to make the trip well worth the time.

Besides adding these pucks from assistant coach Wes Walz, left, and newly acquired defenseman Noah Welch, I focused my attention on a few work-in-progress team jersey projects:

Center Vinny Lecavalier and winger Evgeny Artyukhin on the Lightning team jersey;

Winger Vinny Prospal on the Lightning team jersey;

Interim head coach Rick Tocchet on the Lightning team jersey;

Assistant coach Mike Sullivan on the Lightning team jersey;

Goalie Mike McKenna, who's living out his dream, on the Lightning team jersey;

Right winger Marty St. Louis on the Team Canada jersey;

Rookie forward Steven Stamkos on the Team Canada jersey; and

Center Jeff Halpern on the Team USA jersey.

Pledging allegiance

With 11 American-born players on their active roster, the New Jersey Devils certainly pay homage to the USA Hockey program. Within those 11 are five with strong ties to Team USA who signed our work-in-progress jersey yesterday:

General manager Lou Lamoriello, who served as Team USA's general manager in the 1998 Winter Olympics.

Right winger Brian Gionta, who has played in the Olympics, World Championships and world Junior Championships.

Center Jamie Langenbrunner, who has played for the United States in the Olympics, World Cup of Hockey and the world Junior Championships.

Center Zach Parise, who played in the World Championships and the World Junior Championships.

Left winger Brian Rolston, who has represented the United States at the Olympics (winning silver in 2002), World Cup of Hockey and World Junior Championships.

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.

Guilty, as charged

Yes, your Honor, I was cherry-picking yesterday with a handful of items for Buffalo's Ryan Miller. I beg for mercy and understanding by submitting these pieces of evidence:

Item: Buffalo Sabres replica jersey, personalized at Colin's request

Item: Team USA jersey, one of nine signatures upon it.

Item: Buffalo Sabres mini helmet, one of nine signatures upon it.

On a side note, he was also one of 20 Sabres to sign Colin's team sheet.

Thanks, Mikey Mo!

Any hounding adventure with the Dallas Stars would be seen as woefully incomplete if it didn't include an autograph (or two) from Mike Modano.

After getting the future Hall of Famer to sign the Team USA team jersey, as well as this Dallas Stars puck, I'm comfortable with the fruits of our labor. He also signed Colin's team sheet, meaning, at day's end, we had another three signatures.

Veteran hounds should notice a difference in his autograph, too. Rather than the nearly letter-perfect signature that we've come to expect, these were the likely result of drawing an expected large crowd.

A word of caution, though. Be prepared to walk -- backwards, even -- to get Modano's autograph. He drew a moving crowd before the Stars morning skate.

Still, though, don't you believe a player of Modano's stature is certainly deserving of a little extra effort? We do.

Rock solid

When it comes to quality individuals within the NHL, there are few who match up with Philadelphia's Mike Knuble. Since his days with the Bruins, I've never seen him refuse a request for an autograph or shy away from a conversation with a fan. Earlier tonight, he signed the Team USA jersey for me.

Waving the flag

Every so often, the luck of a schedule launches a run on a particular item. After adding four players from the Avalanche earlier this month, Florida's Keith Ballard and David Booth signed our Team USA jersey before Saturday's game against Tampa Bay.

Booth's signature, shown above, rests between autographs from Avalanche defensemen Jordan Leopold and John-Michael Liles. That scribble above is from Boston's Phil Kessel. Ballard's signature is below.


Next trip, I'm bringing the Team Canada jersey for Jay Bouwmeester.

Waving the red, white and blue

For the past couple of seasons, this Team USA jersey has been collecting dust in the vault. Aside from Boston's Phil Kessel, who put his tiny scribble on it last season, it has nearly become a forgotten item.

That should change now, especially after the Colorado Avalanche came to town this week. Four players -- T.J. Hensick (from left), Tyler Arnason, John-Michael Liles and Jordan Leopold -- were more than willing to sign the jersey.