Try getting this set signed

It looks like Upper Deck is borrowing from the Topps Total concept from a few years ago with its upcoming 700-card offering, 2006-07 O-Pee-Chee. (Patience is required.)

A 500-card base set, plus a 100-card Marquee Rookies subset, will be the biggest set of the season. And, for the record, Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin (shown at left, from Upper Deck's Web site) is card #564.

One of the nice things about a set this size is the inclusion of everyday players into the lineup. Among others, you'll find cards for Boston's Mark Mowers, Buffalo's Adam Mair, Detroit's Andreas Lilja, Minnesota's Wyatt Smith, Ottawa's Tom Preissing and Tampa's Nolan Pratt.

Besides Malkin, the rookie lineup includes, as expected, Boston's Phil Kessel, Los Angeles' Anze Kopitar, Montreal's Guillaume Latendresse, Nashville's Alexander Radulov, Pittsburgh's Jordan Staal and San Jose's fuzz-faced trio of Matt Carle, Joe Pavelski and Marc-Edouard Vlasic

Despite Upper Deck's Feb. 27 release date, a Tampa Bay-area card dealer, who I spoke with yesterday at a Toronto Blue Jays spring training game, told me that he's getting the cards next week.

Nice souvenirs

For the most part, our son, Colin, has a souvenir from every hockey game he attends long before the puck is dropped. Tonight's game against the Boston Bruins was no different.

Despite dealing with the aftereffects of a cold, Colin scored 11 autographs on his team sheet (at left) from such players as Zdeno Chara, Marc Savard and Hannu Toivonen. He also added two cards each from his Bruins buddy, Patrice Bergeron, and Tim Thomas.

Once inside the St. Pete Times Forum, though, the gifts kept coming. As he stood along the glass during warm-ups, wearing his autographed Bergeron jersey, two Bruins made sure he went home with ice-cold souvenirs. Andrew Ference and Phil Kessel each skated up to the glass, tapped it, pointed to Colin and tossed a puck over the glass.

Pretty cool, if you ask me, and it certainly was the highlight, even beyond the Bruins' 6-2 drubbing of the Tampa Bay Lightning, of the evening. And you can bet we'll have them sign those pucks when Boston's back in town.

The only bummer of the night was learning that Patrice wasn't going to play. Not only did he tell us before the game that he was going to play, but we also saw him during the warmups. Was Colin disappointed? A little. But he understands that he'll have plenty of time to see Patrice play again.

Back in form

Boston’s Phil Kessel, who had the scare of his young life earlier this season when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, seems to be settling back into the hockey life these days.

One of the first players to leave the hotel this morning, he passed the time waiting for the bus to leave by kicking back, reading USA Today and signing this autograph.

“I’m doing pretty good, thank you,” he said. “Everything seems to be OK.”

For the record, the card is from ITG's 2006-07 Heroes and Prospects set.

Super Bowl XLI homily

Yeah, I know the blog is supposed to focus on hockey. But, as its owner, I can write about what ever I want, even if it is off-topic.

So, on a day when everyone is a football fan, let me go on record, though I’d never wager a quarter, that I believe the Indianapolis Colts will beat the Chicago Bears, 27-24, on a last-second field goal by Adam Vinatieri, in today’s Super Bowl XLI in Miami.

And, yes, Peyton Manning will named as the most valuable player. Also, Chicago’s resident thug Tank Johnson (given his recent scrapes with the law, shouldn’t he be playing for the Cincinnati Bengals?) will play the entire game without getting arrested.

Now, I promise, we’ll get back on topic.

Busy, busy, busy

Way back in September, just as the 2006-07 season was kicking off, I was looking forward to February 2007. Not only will some of our favored Eastern Conference hounding opportunities (Washington, Boston and Pittsburgh) be in town, but it’s a month of promising Western Conference opportunities –- the Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Coyotes and the Dallas Stars.

Just think. Conditions, unlikely or not, exist to add pucks from Rob Blake, Wayne Gretzky (yeah, right), Alexander Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby (yeah, right II) and Mike Modano.

Even better is that we have tickets to see the Lightning play the Kings, Coyotes, Bruins, Penguins and Stars.

Don’t underestimate youth

If you get a chance, take a few minutes and read The Hockey News’ Jan. 30th cover story on Boston’s Phil Kessel and his recent dealings with testicular cancer.

Though the writing is somewhat predictable, as if often the case with that publication, the piece does dig into Kessel’s psyche when, at only age 19, he is faced with a potentially fatal disease.

I got a kick, too, of a quote from Boston’s Glen Murray, saying that Kessel probably needs some time to mature into a bonafide NHL star. Given what Kessel has gone though, perhaps its Murray, as well as the rest of the woefully inconsistent Bruins, who could learn a little about adversity from Kessel.

Welcome to the club, kid

A quick shout-out to Andrew, who made his NHL hounding debut yesterday in Tampa, getting a ton of Lightning players to sign a goalie stick and then loading up on Rangers players with a handful of pucks. He also got to see, from about the third or fourth row, the Lightning beat the Rangers, 3-2.

Addicted to Hockey? All Star Game edition

In honor of tonight's All Star Game at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, this round of questioning, to determine whether you're addicted to hockey, will take, maybe even predictably, an All Star Game slant and could even have a few rants.

Let's see, shall we?

Are you addicted to hockey? Should you answer "yes" to a majority of the following questions, I suggest you book a flight to Atlanta, Ga., on Jan. 14, 2008, book a room at a nice hotel near the Philips Arena through Jan. 17, 2008, and get yourself some tickets to the 2008 NHL All Star Game.

Make sure you buy one for me, too, because, after all, it was my idea.

Getting back on point, so to speak, here are some ways to tell whether you're addicted to hockey:

~ You'd gladly trade places with Martin Brodeur, Cristobaul Huet, Miikka Kiprusoff, Roberto Luongo, Ryan Miller and Marty Turco, even if it meant being the biggest duck in the shooting gallery. Granted, the players would be trying to shoot past you, but you could actually get hit by one of their shots. Trust me, if hockey balls at 20 mph hurt, just imagine frozen pucks in excess of 85 mph.

~ You're wondering why in God's name did the NHL hold the game on a Wednesday night. For poor saps like me, who had to work, I missed out on the game. Why not have it on the weekend before the NFL's Super Bowl? I'm certain, too, that with the 2008 event set for Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2008, I'll raise this question again.

~ A smile broke across your face when the Eastern Conference line of Philadelphia's Simon Gagne and Tampa Bay's Marty St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier formed an updated version of the famed Buffalo Sabres' French Connection. The coach that put tonight's line together? None other than Buffalo's Lindy Ruff. I'm sure Richard Martin, Gilbert Perreault and Rene Robert wouldn't mind.

~ Speaking of Buffalo, you knew that MVP honors would go to a Sabres player. Daniel Briere, shown above, may be small, but he is the heart and soul of the Sabres, far more than Chris Drury. Also, Danny, if you're not sure what to do with that 2007 Dodge Nitro, feel free to call. I've got a spare spot in the driveway.

~ Believed Boston's Phil Kessel, considering what he's dealt with this year, was far more worthy of the YoungStars Game MVP award than New Jersey's Zach Parise.

~ Wondered why Toronto's Chad Kilger, who nailed a 106.6-mph slap shot during the Maple Leafs' team competition, wasn't involved in the hardest shot contest in the SuperSkills competition. For the record, Boston's Zdeno "The Prudential" Chara won individual honors with his 100.4 mph-laser.

~ Asked the American Airlines Center crew for the targets broken by Atlanta's Marian Hossa or Carolina's Eric Staal during the Shooting Accuracy contest. I also wonder how long it'll be before all four Staal brothers (Eric, Jordan, Marc and Jared) will play in an All Star game.

~ You spent $350 on one of those authentic RBK Edge jerseys so you would feel lighter and not worry about perspiration while standing in the beer line at your home rink. And then you plopped down another $75 to have your own name and "07" put on it.

~ Spent the past three days living out of your car because you couldn't find a hotel room with 100 miles of Dallas charging less than $300 a night, not including armadillos and cockroaches, and you bought one of those RBK Edge jerseys.

~ You considered this week, even if the All Star Game was the highlight, the longest of the year because you haven't seen a real game since this past Saturday.

Rent, don't buy

Now that Mike Comrie (at right) has played his first game with Ottawa, logging two assists in the Senators' 6-3 thumping of the Buffalo Sabres earlier tonight, I have to ask this question -- What's the deal with him?

With injuries to Ottawa's Jason Spezza and Mike Fisher forcing the deal, the Senators are Comrie's fourth team in six seasons. This is also the second time he's been traded during a season.

I understand that an extended holdout wore out his welcome in his hometown of Edmonton, but one has to wonder how a guy like Comrie, who can put some points on the board, can't seem to stay in one place for a long time.

If Comrie keeps it up, he could be his generation's job-hopping Mike Sillinger, now with his 12th organization in only 15 seasons.

Just a hunch

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Chicago Blackhawks, despite their owner's skinflint reputation, make a strong financial move to lure Team Canada's shootout specialist Jonathan Toews (pronounced Tayvs) away from the University of North Dakota. Toews was the third overall pick in the 2006 draft.

The Thrill is back

Here's some great news. Less than a month after having surgery for testicular cancer, Boston rookie Phil "The Thrill" Kessel skated earlier today with his Bruins teammates.

Sunday morning homily VII

To become a fan of any team in any sport requires making an investment.

Of course, there's the emotional investment, in which we pour our hearts and souls into following and believing in our chosen team. And then there comes the investment of time, where we set aside work, play and family, as another sign of commitment. Finally, and probably most importantly, comes the financial investment.

A fan's financial investment comes in many forms. There is the buying of jerseys, T-shirts, hats, bumper stickers, etc. Using vacation or personal leave time also represents one's financial resources. But for most fans, the biggest financial investment they will make will be in the buying of tickets, either for a single game or for one or more of the many ticket-plan options made available.

This season, having left the hockey-rich environment of New England for the sweat-inducing humidity of Tampa Bay, we stepped up and made a financial commitment, in the form of two different ticket plans for the three of us, to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

After last night's disappointing show of effort against the Carolina Hurricanes, characterized by a lack of fundamentals (namely shooting the damn puck at the net at each and every opportunity) and a discouraging absence of ambition, I want our money back.

I'm tired of watching Brad Richards, the Lightning's highest-paid player at $7.8 million this year, provide a dime-on-a-dollar return with his effort. I'm tired of watching players, even Vinny Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis, pass up shots in favor of making yet another low-percentage tic-tac-toe play just in case it might end up as one of the nightly Top 10 Plays on ESPN's SportsCenter. And I'm tired of watching Marc Denis and Johan Holmqvist get hung out to dry by defensive lapses that most often occur deep in the opposing team's defensive zone.

Most of all, though, I'm tired of watching players, such as Eric Perrin (making $450,000 this year), Paul Ranger ($450,000) and Doug Janik ($450,000), see their hustle and effort wasted by their bigger-name and higher-paid teammates. Here are three young players, busting their butts on a nightly basis, only to watch a teammate, such as Richards, look toward the heavens after yet another errant, and mindless, pass.

Granted, these kids, so to speak, may make some mistakes that lead to opponents' goals, but at least they're playing their guts out for the team, rather than themselves. And I'd rather see a error of commission, than one as a result of omission.

Going forward, and knowing that any request for a refund on the remaining games of our packages will fall on deaf ears, I know we'll be more judicious in our investment -- financially foremost -- of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

~ Count me among those relieved to hear that Boston's Phil Kessel was told that his testicular cancer, for which he underwent surgery this past Monday, had not spread, and his prognosis for recovery, as reported by NHL.com, is excellent.

It seems that my prayers, as well as others who asked for divine intervention on behalf of the 19-year-old, have been answered.

Even better, for Bruins fans at least, is that Kessel could be back skating shortly after Christmas and will return to play this season.

~ Now that I've had time to sleep and reflect upon last night's encounter with Hall of Famer Scotty Bowman, here's my proposal. I'm calling for a Get Scotty's Autograph Night for Saturday, Dec. 30, when one of Mr. Bowman's former teams, the Montreal Canadiens, will be in town to most likely beat the snot out of the woeful Lightning.

Anyone willing to join me in this effort that night should gather near Section 310, in the upper level of the St. Pete Times Forum, just before each intermission. Though you're welcome to bring your own materials for autographs, such as photographs, pucks, cards and, even, mini Stanley Cups, I'll have index cards and Sharpies for anyone arriving emptyhanded.

Once we've peacefully assembled (as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution), we'll make our way over to the last row of Section 314, just in front of the Forum's press box, and ask, ever so politely, Mr. Bowman for his letter-perfect signature.

Granted, Mr. Bowman will have to be in attendance (one would like to think, though, that he still has a soft spot for Le Bleu-Blanc-et-Rouge) for this to take place. Chances are, too, that he'll be less than thrilled by all of the attention and could seek the assistance of the Forum's security staff as well as a pair of do-nothing Tampa cops to maintain order.

But, hey, why not have a little fun of the penultimate (look it up if you don't know what it means) night of the year?

~ Want a good chuckle? Check this out. A little patience will be required.

Keep Kessel in your thoughts

Some unsettling news out of Boston, I'm afraid to say, is that Bruins rookie Phil Kessel has been diagnosed with testicular cancer. Though his family and Bruins have yet to confirm this, please join me in adding Phil to your prayers.

Having just had my own scare with cancer (biopsy results came back negative, a second doctor told me today), I can only imagine what's going through his mind. Perhaps knowing that his hockey family (players and fans alike) are thinking of him will provide the strength he'll need.

Yes, indeed, we’ll wait for Malkin

A few weeks ago, when I came across the 2006-07 Young Guns checklist, I said we’d have to wait until the release of the Series II Young Guns for this season’s Holy Grail of hockey hardboard, a Young Guns card of Pittsburgh's uber-rookie Evgeni Malkin.

A glance at the back of the Phil Kessel Young Guns Checklist (#250), above right, proves the point. Malkin, I’m afraid, isn’t listed.

After reviewing the checklist, though, I feel the need to add to the must-haves of the Series I Young Guns, namely Pittsburgh’s Jordan Staal (#239). As you can see, above left, I pulled the Young Guns card for San Jose’s Matt Carle (#241). The Stastny brothers, Paul and Yan, are worth the chase, too.

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.