Road trip souvenirs

By Puckhound
Hockey Hounds Universe editor

Last week, Colin and I took a road trip over to Sunrise, Florida, to watch the Boston Bruins play the Florida Panthers. It was a reward for Colin making the honor roll and being on his best behavior.

Like any tourist, we snagged a few souvenirs -- Colin got a Panthers T-shirt and I bought myself a Panthers cap. It wasn't until we got home, though, that I recognized we also had a few more souvenirs -- a scoresheet and one of the tickets from the game.

Last Saturday, with the Panthers in Hockey Bay to play the Tampa Bay Lightning, I put them to good use, adding to our collection. Florida's Stephen Weiss signed the scorecard. David Booth signed the ticket.

Sure beats them just sitting around gathering dust, doesn't it? We'll try to get Boston's David Krejci to finish the scoresheet, too.

Mix things up

By Puckhound
Hockey Hounds Universe editor

If you're a hound who gets only cards signed, you likely value variety in your offerings. Simply put, variety can range from manufacturers, sets, teams and a team's different jerseys. That's the approach we use anytime an NHL team comes calling to Hockey Bay.

Case in point, these cards signed by Boston Bruins players during their recent visit to Hockey Bay. Among those adding to our collection:

Top row: David Krejci, Adam McQuade and Michael Ryder; and
Bottom row: Dennis Seidenberg, Marco Sturm and Blake Wheeler.

Even the direction of the card, such as these horizontal examples, can be a factor:

Top row: Milan Lucic and Jordan Caron; and
Bottom row: Mark Recchi and Daniel Paille.

Newfound Enjoyment (Part 1)

By Moody
Hockey Hounds Universe senior correspondent

I have found that over the past season as well as during the current season that hounding has become a bit of a chore. It is becoming more difficult to come up with fresh items for today's NHL stars. Sure, I could use the "Go To" items like trading cards and team sheets, but it still is the same players over and over.

Yes, I've mixed it up a bit with my quest to get photos of players in non-NHL jerseys and that has sparked a bit of attention as a standout.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the friends who I've met during my hounding and always look forward to that, it's the repetition of the same players filtering through town that make it seem like I am just going through the motions.

This was laid to rest last week when I went to East Coast Hockey League game between the Florida Everblades and Toledo Walleye and decided to take a shot at getting autographs from them. Not only are there fresh faces that I haven't hounded in the past, but for the hockey purist (there are still a few around), there are some great college and junior players there.

Ross Carlson is a former NCAA champion with the University of Wisconsin Badgers.

Mike Egener is a second-round pick for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Mitch Fadden was a great scorer in the Western Hockey League and a fourth-round pick for the Lightning.

David Fischer is a former first-rounder for the Montreal Canadiens.

Bobby Goepfert was a NCAA standout and sixth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Want to join the team?

Now that Hockey Hounds Universe is on firm footing, meaning we have a good, solid month under our feet, it's time to see how many of you have what it takes to join the lineup.

Hockey Hounds Universe is looking to add correspondents in NHL and AHL locales. So far, we're covered in New England, Miami, Nashville, San Jose, Toronto and, of course, the hotbed of hockey hounding, Hockey Bay.

Here are some of our correspondents' efforts:

~ Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin;
~ catching up with former NHLer Theo Fleury;
~ former NHL defenseman Nolan Pratt's day with Lord Stanley's Cup;
~ a brag book of autographs from the Toronto Maple Leafs; and
~ hounding American Hockey League teams.

What we're looking for are people who can string words into sentences, sentences into paragraphs and paragraphs into quick-hit, must-read monthly reports of hockey-hounding exploits in your area. We're not looking for epics, either. Instead, we want 200 to 250 words that provide useful information for hockey hounds.

It helps, too, if you're handy with a camera or scanner and can provide images of players signing autographs or in-person autographed items.

If you think you have what it takes, tell Hockey Hounds Universe, in 100 words or less, why we should add you to the team. If you make the cut, we'll let you know. Please understand that this is an unpaid position. We're in it for the hobby, not as a business.

As always, Hockey Hounds Universe appreciates your time. Thanks for stopping by.

Puckhound
Hockey Hounds Universe editor

What do you think?

Puckhound, Hockey Hound Universe's editor, weighs in with his theory on NHL players' signing habits on his main blog, Hound Central 5.0.

It joins some of his other tricks of the hockey-hounding trade:

~ How to find NHL teams
~ Recognizing players
~ Hockey-hounding etiquette

Three-day adventure

By Commonkid
Hockey Hound Universe correspondent

Last Saturday, I drove to Riverside Mass., to take train into Boston as its a lot easier than driving all the way. They were working on a bridge, so it turned out to be train to a bus back to the train.

Main thing, we arrived on time as on the day was able to get most of the Ottawa Senators to sign something, except for Alex Kovalev, who claimed he signed for everyone the night before, and Brian Elliot. But, overall, most of us there were pleased with the results.

Did the quick walk over to the TD Banknorth Garden and did the Boston Bruins there. The only ones who didn't stop were Shawn Thornton and Brad Marchand. Tim Thomas only signed for the kids that day. But I was happy to get Tyler Seguin.

On Sunday, we shot over to Mansfield, Mass., for a show. Reason being, Bruins legend Terry O'Reilly did a signing. Then, down to Providence for the Abbotsford Heat, the Calgary Flames' AHL team. Again, a very good signing team, as all the players and coaches signed. One of the Heat's goalies, Leland Irving, was great as he signed everything we had.

Well, back to Boston on Monday for the New Jersey Devils. Due to traffic, we thought we might be late, but arrived about three minutes before the players boarded the bus for a optional skate. One of which was Martin Brodeur, who signed the 8x10 shown above.

Then, we went over to the Garden where I was able to get most of the players I missed Saturday. Missed Patrice Bergeron each time, as he walks out a different entrance. Next time, though, I'll stake out that area. After lunch, we went back to the Devils' hotel and was able to get a few more players, including another Brodeur and Ilya Kovalchuk.

Some of the other items I got signed:

An 8x10 from Boston's Tyler Seguin, the No. 2 overall pick at the 2010 draft; and

An 8x10 from Boston's Tim Thomas, taken after the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park.

How many is too many?

It's not uncommon to see a hound offering a hockey player a sheet of nine cards for signing. Yes, that's right. Nine cards. That's why, across the land, these sheets are called nineboards. Here in Hockey Bay, it's an occasional topic of discussion, one that lacks a specific prevailing view. Some hounds practice this approach, with varying degrees of success. Others, though, view the use of nineboards with something just shy of disdain.

Apparently, though, it's not an issue among Hockey Hounds Universe readers, where a majority said that offering nine cards to a player at one time wasn't nearly enough. Wishful thinking? Perhaps. But it would be cool, in a way, to score 10 or more autographs from a player.

More than anything else, it takes a certain commitment to offer that many cards at one time. Just think of how long it takes to get that many cards ready for one player. Now, multiple that by at least 12 to 15, as most players have been around enough to accumulate that many different cards. You'd hope that kind of effort would be rewarded.

Another aspect to consider is what do players think about it? Do they view nineboards as a sure sign of a dealer, especially if half of the cards are the same? If not, do they view it as being greedy. Those answers come easy. If a player signs all nine cards, he doesn't have a problem. If he signs just one, well, then, that answer is pretty clear.

Bottom line, it depends on the hound. If you have that many cards and that kind of time, why not. The worst thing that can happen, besides not getting any at all, is getting only one or two cards signed. The best-case scenario, though, means going home with 2-inch thick stack of signed cards.

Question: Nineboards?

Not nearly enough: 10 votes out of 23 cast (43.5 percent)
Too many at one time: 7 votes (30.4 percent)
Just the right amount: 6 votes (26.1 percent)

Filling it up

Mike, one of Hockey Hounds Universe's two Toronto correspondents, might be running out of room soon on this McFarlane base for Maple Leaf alums.

This past weekend, Mike added signatures from Darryl Sittler and Rick Vaive.

In all, Mike's scored 17 autographs on the piece. Among the others who've signed are Dave Andreychuk, Johnny Bower, Wendel Clark, Mike Gartner, Doug Gilmore, Mike Palmateer and Darcy Tucker.

Brag Book: Toronto Maple Leafs II

Hound: Mike, Hockey Hounds Universe Toronto correspondent
Hounding opportunities: Ontario Hockey League games, personal appearances and the MasterCard Centre of Hockey Excellence
Where: Various locales in Ontario
When: September and October 2010

Let the bragging begin:

Leafs legend Doug Gilmour on a couple of Tall Boy cards;

Wendel Clark, another Leafs legend, on a handout card;

An 8x10 signed by Doug Gilmour, left, and Wendel Clark;

An 8x10 from Phil Kessel;

Pucks signed by Francois Beauchemin and Jean-Sebastien Giguere;

Wendel Clark on a McFarlane base; and

Goalies Jonas Gustavsson, top, and Jean-Sebastien Giguere on McFarlane bases.

Beggars can't be choosers

By Puckhound
Hockey Hounds Universe editor

It must be rough being Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin, getting hounded every place you go. That must be why this is what passes for his autograph these days.

It's not that I'm complaining. I'm more than happy to add it to our collection. It's a shame, though, that such a good player has a scribble of an autograph.

Praise for the Panthers

By Scott B.
Hockey Hounds Universe correspondent

As usual, the Florida Panthers showed why they are the best-signing team in the NHL. At rookie and training camps, the only players who wouldn't do more than three cards were Cory Stillman and Bryan McCabe.

The Tampa Bay Lightning were the first team to visit down here in South Florida. They used to be great signers. But now only Steven Stamkos, Marty St. Louis, Pavel Kubina, Mattias Ritola and Dominic Moore would sign.

More teams start rolling in in the next few weeks and I'll have updates. If anyone needs anything signed by the Panthers, please e-mail me and maybe you can help me with your local teams.