Adding depth

By Puckhound
Hockey Hounds Universe editor

Some of the first autographs we ever added to the collection came from the Carolina Hurricanes, back when the team moved from Hartford to North Carolina. At the time, we watched them play at the Greensboro Coliseum.

A few years later, when we were living in New England, we got to watch some of the Hurricanes top prospects, including goalie Cam Ward, play in Lowell, Mass., during the NHL lockout of 2004-05. As a result, we've added quite a few from him.

We don't let that stop us, though, from deepening the collection. During Carolina's recent visit to Hockey Bay, Colin scored the 8x10 wallpaper image, shown above, from one of his favorite NHL players.

I took it upon myself to add these pucks, the 10th and 11th (all but one are different) that Ward has signed for us. It'll take another All-Star Game or a trade to make it an even dozen.

Mostly lucky seven

By Scott B.
Hockey Hounds Universe correspondent

Down here in South Florida, the Panthers recently finished a long homestand. As usual, some teams were better signers than others, but there were some surprises also.

Carolina Hurricanes: They are typically a very good signing team. This trip was no exception. We were able to get Eric Cole (6), Joe Corvo (2), Zac Dalpe (Header, or 2005-06 Parkhurst checklist cards with the teams logo on the front), Ron "Mr. I Don't Sign" Francis (1 card and 1 jersey card), Tim Gleason (3), Paul Maurice (Header), Sergei Samsonov (2), Eric Staal, Brandon Sutter (3), Cam Ward (4) and Ian White. Other players who signed, but we missed, were Chad Larose and Justin Peters. Also, we got our first refusal ever for a header card by Jeff Skinner.

Washington Capitals: They are definitely the worst signing team in the NHL. The only one who would sign on the first team bus was coach Bruce Boudreau. Then a few players who rode the second bus who came over. We got Matthieu Perrault and missed Jay Beagle. But then two miracles happened. First, Mike Green signed for three out of four people. Then, Alex Ovechkin actually signed for three of five hounds. Of course, it would have nice for them to sign for everyone, but still a miracle that either of them signed at all.

Nashville Predators: We haven't seen them in two years, so we didn't know what to expect. They turned out to be very good signers. We got Francis Bouillon, J.P. Dumont (4), Cody Franson, Marcel Goc (5), Patric Hornqvist (2), Kevin Klein, Sergei Kostitsyn, Shane O'Brien (3), Pekka Rinne, Jerred Smithson, Alexander Sulzer (Header) and Joel Ward. Also signing was Wade Belak. Shea Weber signed for hounds in the morning only.

New Jersey Devils: They're usually right behind Washington for second-worst in the NHL. But another shock occurred. They actually signed. We were able to get Jason Arnott (2 cards and 1 jersey card), David Clarkson, Patrick Elias (2 cards and 1 jersey card), Mark Fayne (Header), Andy Greene (3), Ilya Kovalchuk (1 card and 1 jersey card), Lou Lamoriello (Header), Adam Oates (1 jersey card), Brian Rolston (2), Travis Zajac (4) and Dainius Zubrus (6). Johan Hedberg signed for those who needed him. Shocking, we usually get Martin Brodeur and Colin White only and then get kicked off hotel premises.

Atlanta Thrashers: They are also really good for hounds. We got Nik Antropov (12), Alexander Burmistrov (Header), Dustin Byfuglien (5), Ron Hainsey (3), Evander Kane, Andrew Ladd (3), Bryan Little, Spencer Machacek (Header), Johnny Oduya (2), Ondrej Pavelec (3), Rich Peverley, Craig Ramsay (Header), Brent Sopel (5), Anthony Stewart, Chris Thorburn, and John Torchetti (Header). Eric Boulton also signed for people who needed him.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Again, we hadn't seen them in two years, so we didn't know what to expect. It turned out to be decent. We got Scott Arniel (Header), Mathieu Garon (5), Rostislav Klesla (2 cards and 1 jersey card), Derek MacKenzie, Rick Nash (1 jersey card), Samuel Pahlsson (2), Anton Stralman, R.J. Umberger (4) and Jakub Voracek. Steve Mason also signed for a few and then bolted for the bus.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Usually one of the better teams for hounds, I guess winning has changed most of them. We got only Victor Hedman and Martin St. Louis. Steve Stamkos signed for everyone, but Vinny Lecavalier and Simon Gagne signed for only a couple of people each. Mattias Ohlund was the first to the bus, said he would sign, then ignored everyone when returning to the bus.

All in all, there was some pretty good hockey hounding down here in South Florida.

Brag Book: OHL team sheets

Hound: Mike, Hockey Hounds Universe Toronto correspondent
Hounding opportunities: Ontario Hockey League games
Where: Ontario, Canada
When: 2010-11 season

Let the bragging begin:

BRAMPTON BATTALION, including Sam Carrick, taken 144th overall in 2010 by the Toronto Maple Leafs; Barclay Goodrow, a 2011 mid-round prospect; Zach Bell, a 2011 mid-round prospect; and Matej Machovsky, who appeared in two games for the Czech Republic at the 2010 World Under-17 championship;

KITCHENER RANGERS, including Ryan Murphy, who Don Cherry said last year would be the No. 1 pick in 2011; and Tobias Reider, a projected second-round pick in 2011;

LONDON KNIGHTS, including Vladislav Namestnikov, a projected mid to late first-round pick in 2011; Scott Harrington, a projected early second-round pick in 2011; Jared Knight, selected 32nd overall in 2010 by the Boston Bruins; Jarred Tinordi, taken 22nd overall in 2010 by the Montreal Canadiens; and Igor Bobkov, the Team Russia's gold-medal-game-winning goalie in the 2011 WJC U-20 tournament;

MISSISSAUGA ST. MICHAEL'S MAJORS, including Justin Shugg, played on the two-time defending Memorial Cup champs Windsor Spitfires and was taken 105th overall in 2010 by the Carolina Hurricanes; Casey Cizikas, taken 92nd overall in 2009 by the New York Islanders; Maxim Kitsyn, who played on Team Russia's gold-medal winning WJC U-20 team; Devante Smith Pelley, taken 42nd overall in 2010 by the Anaheim Ducks; Stuart Percy, a mid-round prospect in 2011; and J.P. Anderson, a San Jose Sharks prospect who was an emergency call-up this month;

NIAGARA ICE DOGS, including Alex Friesen, taken 172 overall in 2010 by the Vancouver Canucks; Mark Visetin, taken 27th overall in 2010 by the Phoenix Coyotes and goalie for Team Canada's silver-medal winning WJC U-20 team; Ryan Strome, a projected top seven pick in 2011; Freddie Hamilton, taken 129th overall in 2010 by the San Jose Sharks; Dougie Hamilton (Freddie's brother), a projected top five pick in 2011; and former NHL player Mike Van Ryn, an assistant coach on the team;

SAGINAW SPIRIT, including Jordan Schwartz, taken 97th overall in 2009 by the Phoenix Coyotes; Ivan Telegin, taken 101st overall in 2010 by the Atlanta Thrashers; and Brandon Saad, a top 10 prospect in 2011; and

SARNIA STING, including Nail Yakupov and Alex Galchenyuk, both projected within the top five prospects for the 2012 NHL draft.

Off to a good start

By Commonkid
Hockey Hound Universe correspondent

Well another American Hockey League season has gotten under way. The usual group of hockey hounds gathered in Springfield, Mass., for the start of our 2010-11 hockey-hounding campaign.

After catching up with what we'd all done over the summer, we talked about what we thought of the new affiliation (The Springfield Falcons are now a farm team for the Columbus Blue Jackets, not the Edmonton Oilers). Everyone agreed the Falcons should better than last year.

The new team means all new faces to learn, for both players and coaches. As the rosters were not exactly set yet, it's been sort of a hit-and-run start. We'll do better as the season goes.

So far, though, we've hounded the Charlotte Checkers (Carolina Hurricanes), Hartford Wolf Pack (New York Rangers), Providence Bruins (Boston Bruins) and, of course, the Falcons. Among the players who've signed for us include Charlotte's Zach Boychuk (shown above), Hartford's Wade Redden (who limited everyone to two autographs and didn't seem too happy to be there) and Providence's Joe Colborne.

Hopefully, the season will be fruitful for us all. And to us TTMers, we're hoping for full mailboxes.

Target-rich environment

When Upper Deck gathered likely members of the 2010-11 NHL Rookie Class at the MasterCard Centre for Hockey Excellence in Toronto earlier this month, it made perfect sense for Al and Mike, two of Hockey Hounds Universe's Toronto-based correspondents, to attend and get in a little preseason hounding.

Really, is there any reason, other than living in Florida, that any hockey hound wouldn't attend an event like this? When you have top prospects like Edmonton's Taylor Hall, shown above, taken first overall in June's NHL draft, in your vicinity, it could be viewed as a crime not to make a play.

Also attending the event were Boston's Tyler Seguin, taken No. 2 overall in June; Edmonton's Jordan Eberle; and Los Angeles' Brayden Schenn.

Al, our senior Toronto correspondent, got Hall to sign this Oilers puck and an 8x10.

Mike, our other Toronto-based hound and resident Ontario Hockey League expert, added these pucks to his collection.

Top row: Edmonton's Magnus Svensson-Paajarvi, Columbus' Ryan Johansen and Carolina's Jeff Skinner; and
Bottom row: Vancouver's Jordan Schroeder, Dallas' Scott Glennie and Seguin.