A couple from Kessel

It was no surprise that Phil "The Thrill" Kessel, Boston’s No 1 pick in the 2006 draft, drew a crowd outside the team’s hotel in Tampa this morning. What surprised him, though, was that he was quickly recognized and that everyone, myself included, wanted autographs.

He signed pictures, large and small, from his days with Team USA as well as his new Bruins images. He even accommodated one dealer’s request to sign within the white of his jersey on two poster-sized prints.

He didn’t stop there, though. He signed team sticks and one of my cheap-skate cards. And he signed pucks, a bunch of them, including the Bruins and University of Minnesota pucks shown above.

He may be a rookie, but "The Thrill" knows the drill.