By MikeThe 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.
By Mike
Former NHL goalie Curtis Joseph had a public signing recently where proceeds from the session were donated to a children's hospital. For $5, I had him sign this McFarlane base. He also signed the card they were handing out at the signing session
By Mike
By Mike
An 8x10 signed by Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Keith Aulie; 
an 8x10 signed by Sarnia's Alex Galchenyuk; 
an 8x10 signed by Florida Panthers prospect Erik Gudbranson; 
an 8x10 signed by Sarnia's Nail Yakupov; 
Sarnia Sting pucks signed by Nail Yakupov, left, and Alex Galchenyuk; 
Mississauga St. Michael's Majors puck signed by Devante Pelley-Smith; 
Niagara Ice Dogs puck signed by Doug and Fred Hamilton; 
Kingston Frontenacs pucked signed by Alex and Erik Gudbranson; 
Niagara Ice Dogs puck signed by Ryan Stromme; 
London Knights puck signed by Vladislav Namestnikov; 
Saginaw Spirit puck signed by Brandon Saad; and 
cards signed by Ethan Werek and Philip Grubauer.
By Mike
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.
an 8x10 signed by the Red Deer Rebels' Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, a top-rated prospect for the 2011 NHL Draft;
an 8x10 signed by the University of Notre Dame's Riley Sheahan, taken 21st overall in 2010 by the Detroit Red Wings;
2010 NHL Draft pucks signed by Prince George Cougars' Brett Connolly, taken sixth overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning;
Drummondville Voltigeurs pucks signed by Sean Couturier, a top-rated prospect for the 2011 NHL Draft;
Moose Jaw Warriors puck signed by Quinton Howden, drafted 25th overall in 2010 by the Florida Panthers; and
cards signed by Nugent-Hopkins, left, and Oshawa's Calvin de Haan, taken 12th overall in 2009 by the New York Islanders.
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.
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.
Just because a player isn't in the National Hockey League anymore doesn't mean it's not worth your time to get an autograph. Mike, one of Hockey Hound Universe's two Toronto-based correspondents, snagged this puck from former NHL star Theo Fleury recently.
It's hard saying no to any opportunity to get an autograph from a hockey legend, such as Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur. But when you can do something good in the process, well, that makes it just a little nicer.
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.
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.
It's not that Mike, a Toronto-based hound, is complaining after getting 21 Maple Leafs players to sign this gigantic McFarlane's base. No, he's thinking that he could scored more autographs had Toronto's Dion Phaneuf and Luke Schenn not engaged in a "my-signature-is-bigger" contest along the bottom of the base.