Useful, I'll tell you

By Puckhound
Hockey Hounds Universe editor

I had this Lowell Devils pucks kicking around the stockpile, when I remembered that Florida Panthers goalie Scott Clemmensen came up the the AHL team's parent club, the New Jersey Devils.

A little research showed that Clemmensen played a few games in the Massachusetts mill city during the 2206-07 and 2008-09 seasons. Not wanting to let this puck collect any more dust, I made it part of the late-season push to top 2,300 autographed pucks for the collection.

Farm hands

By Mike
Hockey Hounds Universe Toronto correspondent

The Toronto Marlies, the Maple Leafs AHL club, held an open practice recently at Burnhamthorpe Arena in Mississauga. Afterwards, the team had a free signing session. That's where I added these:

Signing the cards shown above are Joe Colborne (top) and Fabian Brunnstrom.

Signing these pucks were Colborne, left, and Jake Gardiner.

Certainly worthy

By Puckhound
Hockey Hounds Universe editor

Earlier in the 2020-11 season, I found some American Hockey League pucks on clearance at the league's website. Seeing that the New York Islanders visit Hockey Bay twice a season, I figured it wouldn't hurt to snag a couple of Bridgeport Sound Tigers pucks.

I finally put them to good use earlier this week, when defenseman Travis Hamonic, left, and left winger Jesse Joensuu, a couple of second-rounders, made the trip to Hockey Bay. Perhaps I should've held out for Kyle Okposo and Andrew MacDonald, but I'll take these. A second-round pick is definitely worthy of adding to a puck.

Trading hat tricks

By Puckhound
Hockey Hounds Universe editor

Sometimes, within the hockey world, the stars align for an NHL player. Not too long ago, it happened for Tampa Bay's Teddy Purcell, when he logged his first-ever hat trick.

The following day, Purcell made a public appearance at a motorsports dealer in Brandon, Fla. To commemorate the occasion, we had Purcell, who broke into the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings, sign this trio of pucks.

The puck on the far right, honoring the NHL's Hockey for Huggies campaign, carries special significance. It was a fundraising giveaway, so to speak, before the game when Purcell logged his hat trick. What better way, I thought, to remember Purcell's achievement?

Brag Book: Phoenix Coyotes

Hound: Puckhound, Hockey Hounds Universe's editor
Hounding opportunity: Phoenix Coyotes trip to Hockey Bay
Where: Westin Harbour Island hotel, Tampa
When: February 2011

Let the bragging begin:

Sean Burke, top, and Andrew Ebbett;

Vernon Fiddler, top, and Lee Stempniak; and

Kyle Turris.

Whale of a time

By Commonkid
Hockey Hounds Universe correspondent

For those who don't know this, the Whale Bowl was a series of games lasting over a week, played outdoors at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn. It started with college and high school games, but the two big games were both on Saturday, Feb. 19.

The first game featured the Boston Bruins Alumni vs. Hartford Whalers Alumni. Joining them were the Hanson Brothers from the hockey cult classic Slap Shot. The alumni game was followed by the Connecticut Whale meeting the Providence Bruins in an American Hockey League game.

The hounding started Friday afternoon at the hotel where many of the players were staying for the weekend. First one I saw was Derek Sanderson, who asked for directions to the parking garage. We ran down to the walk-in entrance, getting him to sign before he got on the elevator. This worked for Brad Park and Reggie Lemelin as well.

The hotel, however, wouldn't let us wait inside. It was good luck that the weather was not all that bad, about 40 degrees out during the day.

On Saturday, we got to the hotel around 9 a.m. and some players were there already. The weather turned nasty, however, and it didn't get over 15 degrees with wind gusts up to 40 knots. For three of the dealers, this was too much. They paid for a room so they could wait inside. This turned into waste of money as security relented and let us all in about 30 minutes later.

Even at the game, it was good luck to get autos, as you could go out between the games and get the alumni as they left. Only four people were out there.

For the two-day total, I scored 117 cards, 28 8x10s and 16 pucks. I'm hoping they do this next year as well.

Besides Hall of Famer Brian Leetch, shown above, others signers included:

Whalers legend Ray Neufeld; and

Bruins legend Derek Sanderson.

From cards to a classic

By Commonkid
Hockey Hounds Universe correspondent

Doing the American Hockey League here in Springfield, Mass., and Hartford, Conn., I get to see how different collectors go about getting things done. Most here go the card route, with some adding a few 8x10 pics and a few pucks thrown in.

With most collectors trying to get nine boards done, that can get pricey as even the lowest-priced rookies can add up. Sometimes, I think a 8x10 costs less.

Another difference is how they present them to get signed. The old standard here is a piece of cardboard and photo corners, though some will use tape as well. A second way is to cut out nine pocket pages, but this is rare. On trips to Boston, I see more photos then cards and a lot of them get sticks or other team stuff signed.

With the NHL's collective bargaining agreement the way it is, many new opportunities for us hounds of the AHL have opened up. Players like Wade Redden, shown above, in Hartford and Jay Pandolfo in Springfield, who recently retired, mean that a lot of us are now able to players that unless we traveled to a NHL city would never have gotten.

The Connecticut Whale, a recent name change from the Hartford Wolf Pack by new ownership, are having an outdoor game, called the Whale Bowl 2011, against the Providence Bruins in February. For the two weeks leading up to it, many high school games as well as some college games have been scheduled.

The highlight for me comes Feb. 19 with a Hartford Whalers-Boston Bruins alumni game. To help promote the it, the team is bringing in former Whalers players for signings. In the past, the team has brought in Pat Verbeek and Nick Fotiu, shown above. Coming up will be two former Bruins stars Rick Middleton and Rejean Lemelin.

Among the rosters for the alumni game are Brian Leetch, Brad Park, Ken Linseman, Ken Hodge and Don Marcotte for the Bruins and Nelson Emerson, Gordie Roberts, Darren Turcotte and Dave and Wayne Babych for the Whalers.

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.

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.