New blog for Puckhound

C'mon now, did you really think I'd stop blogging about hockey and hounding? well, I haven't. If that disappoints you, well, oh, well. If it doesn't, feel free to check out The Hockey Life.

It'll be a little different that the Hound Centrals. A little less on hounding, but a lot more about living the hockey lifestyle.

With Colin embarking on another season of travel hockey, making the Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning Squirt A squad for the 2011-12 campaign, I'll share what it means to be a hockey parent.

Nice souvenir

By Colin
Hockey Hounds Universe correspondent

When we hounded the Atlanta Thrashers last Sunday, I did a team sheet. But I also got a puck signed by Andrew Ladd, who flipped it to me over the glass before the game the last time they were in.

I told him that he gave me the puck and asked him to personalize it for me. I had to tell him how to spell my name.

Then, some dealer said "That won't end up on eBay." I'm not sure why he said that because we keep all of our pucks. That was weird.

We still had fun and a great time.

Rock solid

By Puckhound
Hockey Hounds Universe editor

After a couple of hockey-hounding seasons of working his hand-drawn team sheets, Colin finds himself running into teams during the 2010-11 campaign that have already filled out one of his creations. The Montreal Canadiens, who visited Hockey Bay last week, is one of those teams.

Rather than work cards, though, we opted for something a little different for his Habs team sheet. After Googling the term "Montreal Canadiens wallpapers," I came across this image, showing a Canadiens logo crafted out of stonework. Fifteen minutes later, it was being printed at our local drugstore.

Pretty cool, if you ask me, and most definitely beyond the ordinary. Montreal players, coaches and geenral manager must have thought so, too, as Colin scored 27 autographs, including such players as Mike Cammalleri, Brian Gionta, Scott Gomez, Roman Hamrlik, Tomas Plekanic, Carey Price and P.K. Subban, within a couple of hours.

Don't be surprised if we use this idea again. It works, doesn't it?

My Lightning buddies

By Colin
Hockey Hounds Universe correspondent

On Monday, my Dad (Puckhound) and I went hounding the Carolina Hurricanes and the Tampa Bay Lightning. After getting Hurricanes players to sign before the morning skate, we went over to catch the Lightning.

During my Thanksgiving break from school, I got my picture taken with nine Lightning players. On Monday, I got four of those pictures signed. I could have gotten five signed, but my Dad forget that we had a picture of me with Pavel Kubina.

Though I didn't have a picture with Victor Hedman, we did have cards for him to sign. I was going to ask him if he could come to my hockey practice while he signed my cards, but I remembered we didn't have one this week. Maybe next time, as that would be pretty cool.

Besides Tampa Bay's Marty St. Louis (shown above), here are the three other Lightning players who signed their pictures with me:

goalie Dan Ellis;

defenseman Mike Lundin; and

forward Dana Tyrell.

With two more hounding trips during my Christmas break, for the Boston Bruins (my favorite Eastern Conference team) and the Montreal Canadiens, maybe I get more of my Lightning pictures signed. Maybe this time my Dad won't forget about Pavel Kubina.

Thanks, Mr. Crisp

By Colin
Hockey Hounds Universe correspondent

While hounding the Nashville Predators not too long ago, I got a compliment about my team sheet from Terry Crisp, a former NHL coach and now a color commentator for the Predators:

"Did you draw that," Mr Crisp asked me.

"Yes," I said.

"Good job," Mr. Crisp said.

All told, I got 16 autographs on the sheet. Players who signed included Shea Weber, Patric Hornqvist, Martin Erat, Jordin Tootoo, David Legwand, Pekka Rinne and my new buddy, Colin Wilson. He's got a cool first name, if you ask me.

Heard of these guys?

By Colin
Hockey Hounds Universe correspondent

Last Sunday, it was a hockey day. We hounded the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins before going to the Tampa Bay Lightning game.

Finally, after three times, I got Sid the Kid to sign for me. Thanks the Lord. I got him on the McFarlane base (shown above) showing him in the 2008 Winter Classic.

Me and another kid were the only ones to get him when we saw him, though Daddy tells me that he signed for others earlier in the day. In total, we got 34 autographs from the Penguins.

I also got Evgeni Malkin on this Russian hockey card. Like Sidney, me and another kid were the only ones to get Geno as he headed out for lunch.

I didn't do a team sheet for the Penguins, just cards.

It was hectic with the Pens. Boy, am I glad it's over with.

Off to camp

By Colin
Hockey Hounds Universe correspondent

On Sunday, we went out to Brandon for the Tampa Bay Lightning training camp. We got there about 8:15 a.m., but we had to wait 45 minutes before it started.

After getting 95 points on a score-on-a-goalie game, my Dad and I went to get some autographs. First, we watched the Black and White teams practice before their scrimmage. I got about 20 autographs then on my first team sheet.

Then, we got something to eat. My Dad had two hot dogs. Well, I had some popcorn. Then we went to watch the Black Team again. I only got about six autographs then because I already had some of the players.

Then we went outside. Besides filling up the one team sheet and starting another, I got 14 cards. Daddy got a picture and a puck signed. In total, we got 58 autographs (including 42 on the team sheets).

We had a heck of a day.

Editor's note: This is Colin's first-ever blog post.

Top: Far too many to identify in any orderly fashion. Please take our word that Steven Stamkos, Marty St. Louis, Victor Hedman, Steve Downie and Ryan Malone were among the signers.
Smaller image: Carter Ashton, from left, Dave Andreychuk, Mattias Ohlund, Steve Downie, James Wright, Dominic Moore (it's upside down) and Brett Connolly.