Getting one from The Great One

Of all the players, past and present, that hockey hounds love to chase, it’s my guess that Wayne Gretzky would sit atop 99.99% of those wish lists.

After making a quick trip to Tampa this morning and witnessing a hockey hounding rarity -- The Great One signing at least one item for the 35-plus people (lots of dealers, too; there was even some guy in a FedEx uniform) who were outside the team’s Harbour Island hotel -- I can now remove his name from my list.

Not only did Gretzky, coach of the Phoenix Coyotes, sign this Team Canada puck, but he also commented on my offering.

"I think see too many of these," he said. "Hard to believe, isn’t it?"

My response, after thanking him: "The true north, strong and free."