Can't have it both ways, Marty

So, Marty, you ask Lightning fans to remember all of the years you put in before you selfishly demanded a trade because Stevie Y initially left you off the Team Canada roster. I'm sure there are a few Lightning fans wondering why you didn't do the same before you left the team in the middle of a playoff hunt.

If those years meant so much to you, what's another few weeks?

Up until your childish actions, I told Colin to watch you play, that you were an example for little guys like him to follow. Heck, your Lightning sweater was the first one he had. So, yes, he will remember those lessons.

The last lesson you taught him, though, and the one he'll remember, is that it's not right, as a team player and its captain, to place yourself above your team. A true leader doesn't do that. You did.

As a hockey dad, I'd like to thank you for that final and valuable lesson. Just another reason why he wears #37, not #26.

On a roll

Pretty pumped to share that Colin is now three-for-three with his pink stick-blade tapes raising money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Thanks to Jerry, my best bud from back home, Colin has now raised $95 toward his goal of $125.

Still, we have some work to do. The latest auction, found here, went live moments ago. Opening bid is only $5, but you can get it now by making a $20 bid.We'll even cover the shipping for you.

This week's stick tape was used in three practices and a game with the Pinellas P.A.L. Stars. In that game, he logged an assist in the Stars' 11-1 victory.

The top photo shows the stick tape that you're bidding on. Lots of puck marks, wear and tear. In the game-used arena, more is better.

The second photo, albeit fuzzy, shows Colin (#37, if you don't know by now) and the stick he used in that game.

All proceeds will go directly to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, where 91 cents of every dollar is used for research and awareness efforts.

If you'd like, he's willing to sign the stick tape for you for no additional fee.

As always, we appreciate your support.

Also, if you know of anyone fighting breast cancer, a breast cancer survivor or someone who lost a loved one from breast cancer, please, let us know, We have extra tapes we're live to share with them. Thanks.

Open for auction

After the first two stick blades tapes raised $75, we're using an eBay auction for the third installment of Colin's annual fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

The auction, found here, went live moments ago. Opening bid is only $5, but you can get it now for making a $20 bid.

This week's stick tape saw a lot of use. Three practices, a Lightning Made Clinic sponsored by the Tampa Bay Lightning and a hockey tripleheader with games with the Scoprions and Pinellas P.A.L. Stars, In his last game of the day, he scored a goal with it in the Stars' 7-4 victory.

The top photo shows the stick tape that you're bidding on. The second photo, albeit fuzzy, shows Colin and the stick he used in that game.

All proceeds will go directly to the Breast Cancer Research foundation, where 91 cents of every dollar is used for research and awareness efforts.

If you'd like, he's willing to sign the stick tape for you for no additional fee.

As always, we appreciate your support.

Addendum Oct. 22: Thanks to my buddy Jerry, the auction ended today. Thanks again, sir.

Two for two

Two weeks into his fundraising effort, Colin has raised $75 for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation after Wendy, one of his newest fans, stepped up and donated $40 for this game-used stick blade tape.

Wendy joins Brett, a longtime fan of Colin and our blogs, in getting Colin closer to his $125 goal. Thanks, folks.

For those who don't know, Colin wraps each of his stick blades in pink tape this month. One will be used as an auction piece to raise money. The other will go to someone who is battling or has beaten the disease, or to someone who has lost a loved one or friend to breast cancer. In fact, if you know someone who would like one of these, let us know.

This week's tape, which can be had for at least a $20 donation, should be well used. Between three practices, a Lightning Made Clinic and three games, it should show a lot of wear and tear. In fact, the tip is missing after only two practices.

So, if you'd like to avoid the eBay auction, like Brett and Wendy have, reach out to me through the blog, Facebook or Twitter. Remember, the minimum donation to secure this week's tape is $20. If you want to donate more, it'll be appreciated.

If not, the tape will be put up for auction next Monday on eBay. Minimum bid will be $5 and we'll pick up the shipping.

As always, thank you for your support.

Funny story

So, the big "secret" of the Hockey Bay hounding community Monday was where the New Jersey Devils were staying. They didn't stay at any of the four hotels commonly frequented by NHL teams. Instead, the Devils stayed at the Le Meridien hotel.

Apparently, this information was as guarded as Fort Knox, with looks of surprise (myself included) when a handful of us met near the corner of Florida and Zack in downtown Tampa. Still, though, that isn't the story.

No, I have New Jersey's ageless wonder, Jaromir Jagr, to thank for that.

We saw him leave the hotel, headed out for a walk before the team paraded onto the bus for a practice at the Amalie Arena. Rather than let the opportunity to snag a future Hall of Famer, I gave chase and started jogging down the street parallel to Jagr. That alone, I imagine, was probably pretty humorous.

As I pulled even and prepared to cross the street, I looked up. Here was Jagr headed my way. I was thinking "Hey, that's pretty nice. He's coming over to sign." Must have felt sorry for me, I thought. You know, one old man to another old man.

Guess what? I couldn't have been more wrong.

When I asked if he had time to sign a few cards (shown above), he declined, telling me he would sign only before Tuesday's game. Seeing that I would be at work at that time, it was a big swing and a whiff.

The only thing I got was this story.

Off to a great start

Thanks to Brett, one of Colin's biggest fans, Colin's fund-raising effort for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation is well on its way to reaching its $125 goal. Even before last week was over, Brett, who writes the My Hockey Card Obsession blog, snagged the first game-used stick tape that we'll be auctioning off every week on eBay.

As you can see, the stick blade tape, shown above, received plenty of usage, with three practices and a game with the Pinellas P.A.L. Stars.

It's always nice to get the project started with a bang. Thanks, Brett. I'll be reaching out to provide the necessary information.

Each week this month, Colin will wrap each of his stick blades in pink tape. One will be used as an auction piece to raise money. The other will go to someone who is battling or has beaten the disease, or to someone who has lost a loved one or friend to breast cancer.

We already have the first week's recipient in mind, but will take suggestions for the others in the weeks ahead. Don't worry, too, we'll take care of the postage.

Now, if people want to follow Brett's lead and secure this week's stick blade tape, feel free to contact me through the blog or other social media. The buy-it-now price, so to speak, is $20. If and when it goes on eBay, the opening bid will be $5.

As always, we appreciate your support.

Let's do this

One of my favorite things about Colin playing in the Pinellas P.A.L. Stars organization is that, like no other program we've been with, it's a family. It doesn't matter how long you play; once you're in the family, you're there to stay. It's all about loyalty and looking out for one another.

Each October, and this year's won't be any different, the Stars do their bit to raise awareness for breast cancer research. Throughout the month, players on all Stars teams will use pink stick tape or, like Colin, also wear pink skate laces to raise this awareness.

Because breast cancer has touched our family and friends, we like to take it a step further. That's why, for the second straight year, we'll be auctioning off the game-used tape from Colin's sticks during October, with all proceeds going to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, where 91 cents of every dollar goes to research and awareness efforts.

Last year, he raised $107.50. This year's effort carries more meaning. Jen Boston Baker, one of Colin's hockey friends in Canada, lost her battle to breast cancer earlier this year. And one of my friends back home was diagnosed with it. That's why we're hoping to raise at least $125.

Beginning Monday, Oct. 6, the auctions will take place on eBay. We'll have weekly updates steering folks to these auctions. Starting bids this year will be $5 and the Buy It Now price will be $20. We'll even pay the shipping, no matter the address. Now, if you'd like to avoid eBay, and are willing pay the $20, we can make arrangements for you to reserve your stick tape and help Colin's cause.

As always, we thank you for your time and consideration.

The Hockey Life: Another growth $purt

Over the past few years, a source of concern within the household has been the apparent lack of a growth spurt by the youngest member of the family. Given the disparity in height between his parents, there has been hope that he'd trend more toward the high side.

Thankfully, over the past year, a growth spurt set in, with Colin adding 4 inches in height. He now stands taller than one of us, a point he makes with great delight. It's good, too, as in playing at the bantam level this year, the competition is bigger, too.

Last Sunday, we experienced another growth spurt. Rather than height, though, this one affected his skate size. For the past 10-plus months, Colin's wheels, so to speak, were a size 3.5. Lately, though, his toes were feeling a little cramped. I was a bit surprised, too, when he measured in at a size 6.

Once he turned 13, I told Colin that Christmases and birthdays would likely bring a big-ticket hockey purchase rather than toys or video games. I was hoping we could hold off for another couple of months before buying him new skates, getting a full year out of his most recent pair. Well, that didn't happen.

All told, we spent about an hour looking at skates before settling on a pair. Of course, he wanted a pair, more advanced than his level of play, that tickled $300, before tax. I spied a pair, more fitting to my wallet than his skill level, for $150. In the end, we chose a pair of CCM Tacks, at a little less than $250, tax included. He'll play in them today.

A wise hockey dad, one who has been at it a lot longer than me, told me to never skimp on two things: helmets and skates. Those items, he said, are the most important pieces of equipment. You have to protect the melon and skates form a solid foundation. It was, and remains, great advice.

Merry Christmas, buddy boy, Santa came early this year.

The Hockey Life: Doing its job

Before every one of his games, I say a prayer for Colin, as well as his teammates and opponents, that the powers above and our family's angels watch over and keep him safe. Even though we do our best to protect him, from head to toes, in upper-level gear, it never hurts to ask for a little extra help.

Last Sunday, in the Central Florida Hockey League opener, those prayers were answered. Don't believe me, take a look at Colin's helmet. The two colors and the scuff marks, I'll say, were not planned.

Though Colin has a newer Bauer black helmet, one he wears while playing for the Pinellas P.A.L. Stars, he tells me that it bothers his head after a while. That time, it always seems, comes about halfway through a third period. Rather than thinking about the game, he's often fussing with the helmet.

That's why, a few days before the season opener, I bought some matte black paint for his older, but still functional, Cascade M11 helmet. He finds that bucket, if you will, much more comfortable and, as a result, doesn't get distracted. So, I painted the helmet and let it cure for five days, hoping the time would help the paint bond to the plastic.

Sure, I know that painting a helmet nullifies the warranty, among other things. The helmet, though, was three seasons old. Plus, given that he switched to an organization that wears black, red and white, the decision to paint it was one I was willing to live with. I must admit, too, we thought it looked pretty good.

Near the end of Sunday's second game, Colin, skating without the puck, took a hard hit along the boards. The contact, which drew an interference call, sent him crashing into the boards, his right hip hitting first, followed by his upper body and, ultimately, his head.

He got up and headed straight for the bench, a sign I knew hasn't particularly good. I flashed him the OK sign. He replied with the so-so gesture. His coach spoke to him, asking him questions to test for a possible concussion. Colin's answers eliminated the coach's initial concerns, and allowed him to return to the game.

After the game, Colin told me we'd have to repaint the helmet. I asked why. He showed me the side. That blue patch? That's where the paint came off from the hit. Even though he answered my questions, which required him to use mathematics and sequencing to answer, I couldn't help but think he was pretty lucky. That was a hard hit to the head.

Thankfully, the helmet did its job. And, after hearing from a family friend who supervises referees here in the Southeast, we determined it was best to retire that helmet. No need to ask that helmet to do its job twice.

A few days later, I readjusted Colin's black Bauer helmet. He has worn it a couple of times now, in practices only, without any complaint. In a few hours, he'll play his first game of the season for the P.A.L. Stars. We'll see how he and the helmet feels.

And, yes, I'll say another prayer.

The Hockey Life: Catching up

Yes, I know it has been a long time since filing a post. Three months and six days, to be exact. The hiatus, which, surprisingly, I failed to announce, simply took over. I'll blame summer vacation, a 4,308-mile road trip and, quite honestly, my own laziness. Know what? It felt good.

The blog, too, wasn't alone. There are still signed pucks, cards and photos sitting on the dining room table. I'd walk past them, take a quick look and say, to myself, some other day. Well, here we are. It's time, I suppose, to bring the handful of you up to speed.

It has been an interesting spring and summer. Two unbeaten Pinellas PAL Stars rec league seasons. A lackluster tryout. A summer showcase. A pretty significant email. A fellow hockey dad helping out. And, now, we're a week away from the 2014-15 Central Florida Hockey League season, where Colin, now playing at the bantam A level, will suit up for the Tampa Bay Scorpions.

Actually, the "season" started last week, when the Scorpions, with only a single practice under their belts, posted a respectable 2-2 record in the Labor Day tournament. That photo above? Probably Colin's finest moment of the weekend. Playing on a penalty-kill unit, he beat a defender to the puck, sidestepped him, tried a wraparound, drew considerable interest and, finally, got sat upon to draw a whistle.

Over the summer, though, there were two big highlights.

Colin represented Team North Florida in the Hockey Night in Boston Summer Showcase tournament. Though he's not the most skilled player, the coach saw enough to add him to the roster. And while there were some folks and teammates who questioned his presence on the roster, he learned to take a check (getting rocked more than once), overcome the resulting and understandable timidity and, ultimately, earned a spot, as well as heightened expectations, on next year's squad.

The other highlight, which I'll remain very vague about until it becomes a reality, came in that email. Within it was an opportunity that carries with it a very important decision. Life-changing, if you ask me. All I can say now is that, should this happen, the reward of the investment of time, money and his efforts could be very, very handsome. We'll see what happens.

As for hounding, I'll do my best in the weeks ahead to close the books on the 2013-14 campaign. Looking ahead to the upcoming NHL season, we'll make morning-skate trips, as time allows, for a number of NHL teams. To this day, hounding remains a hobby, one that we're not ready just yet to give up.

As always, folks, I appreciate those of you who stop by to read my ramblings and accommodate my penchant for showing off autographs. Hopefully, we'll have some good stories to share in the months ahead.

I'll be in touch.

By the way, we're now on Instagram: cms37 and flahockeydad.  Feel free to check them out.

Hounding report: New York Islanders

The schedule hasn't allowed too many opportunities to test the theory that day-before-gameday hounding is the best time to snag autographs from visiting NHL teams. Last Wednesday, with the New York Islanders in Hockey Bay, afforded one of those opportunities. So, with Colin on his spring break, we gave it a try.

Though we didn't snag too many of the big names -- with John Tavares out for the season with a knee injury and Josh Bailey and Kyle Okposo winning at a game of hide-and-seek -- we still came home with 33 autographs, a respectable number, even for a tag-team effort.

All told, our spring break efforts, including the Ottawa Senators,  netted us another 65 autographs for the collection. Within them, too, we added the 500th autograph of the 2013-14 hockey-hounding campaign.

Signing the pucks, shown above, were Islanders' recent No. 1 picks Calvin de Haan, left, and Ryan Strome.

Highlights included getting four players and a coach to sign four cards each:

Cal Clutterbuck, who signed the 500th autograph (second from right) of the campaign;

Travis Hamonic;

Matt Martin;

Frans Nielsen; and

Doug Weight.

We added specialty cards, shown below, from de Haan, from left, Thomas Hickey and Strome:

Also signing cards, shown below, were Colin McDonald and Evgeni Nabokov:

We also employed a trio of cheapskates cards, shown below, signed by Brock Nelson, from top, Anders Nilsson and Strome.

The Hockey Life: Spring break

No, no, no. I'm not taking off this Sunday. In a way, I wish I was. It has been a busy week, all capped by a road trip we made this morning to Kissimmee this morning for a benefit hockey tournament.

Today started around 4:30 a.m, when we all woke up, trudged around the house and made it to Largo, where we caught a ride with one of Colin's teammates on the Pinellas P.A.L. Stars squad. From there, around 5:30 a.m., we headed east, watching the sun rise. Haven't done that in a long, long time.

The kids are playing in a round-robin mini tournament, with four 15-minute games, to raise money for the family of a fallen police officer. So, not only does Colin get in some more ice time -- after scoring a goal Saturday in his first game since breaking an ankle six weeks ago -- but it's also for a good cause.

That's one of the many things I love about living the hockey life. This is the type of event where winning games and scoring goals isn't important. Helping out ... that's what's important.

I must say, though, that this was about the earliest I've ever gotten up for a game. We've had alarms go off at 5 a.m. a time or two, but that alarm came pretty darn quick today. Remember, too, my job keeps me up late at night. I seldom get to sleep much before 2:30 a.m.

So, if I seem a tad grumpier than normal or particularly whiny today, that'll be my story. And, yes, I'm sticking to it.

Off to the races

With two NHL teams visiting Hockey Bay last week, it's no surprise that we added another 65 autographs to the collection. We did real well with the Ottawa Senators and the New York Islanders. The biggest thrill of the week, however, didn't come from an NHL player.

Instead, it came from racing legend Mario Andretti, who we saw the the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. As you can see, Colin had his photo taken with him. I'm not sure, though, who was more psyched about it -- Colin or me.

What was funny, however, was after Mario signed Colin's ticket stub (yes, we were under prepared), Mario raised his fist, wanting to give Colin a fist bump. It took Colin a few seconds to recognize the offer and, thankfully, took full advantage of it.

"I can't freaking believe I just fist-bumped Mario Andretti," he told me.

It's memories like that that last a lifetime.

Hounding report: Ottawa Senators II

With Colin off this week for spring break and two teams coming into Hockey Bay, it was time for some father-son hockey-hounding bonding, kicking off with the Ottawa Senators earlier this week. Of course, Colin scored the lion's share of our 32 autographs, but that was by design.

After all, the torch was passed a long time ago.

Sure, I still identify the players for him. That's only fair. He has enough other things to keep his active mind busy. In the meantime, I focus my efforts on pucks, like I always have. Cases in point, perhaps, are the three, shown above, signed by Ottawa's Ales Hemsky, who did two, and Bobby Ryan.

Beyond that, the rest of the day's haul were cards:

Top row: Jared Cowen, Erik Karlsson, Clarke MacArthur and Milan Michalek; and

Bottom row: Chris Neil, Chris Phillips, Kyle Turris and Mika Zibinejad.

Two Senators players signed four cards each:

Craig Anderson and

Bobby Ryan.

The haul also included these set cards signed by, shown below from left, Cody Ceci, Hemsky and Jason Spezza:

Hemsky and Spezza also added to the ongoing Threads project:

Hounding report: Tampa Bay Lightning II

The Tampa Bay Lightning recently celebrated the 10-year anniversary of its 2004 Stanley Cup championship season, hosting a few days of events. During one such event, called Sunday with Stanley, members of the Cup-winning team gathered on a Sunday, making themselves available for photos and autographs.

So, of course, we took full advantage of the opportunity. 

What we didn't do, though, was stand in the very long line to get autographs or take a picture with the Cup. Instead, we waited for the players to mill about the plaza in front of  the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

Well, really, it was just Colin, who had five members of the squad sign this puck commemorating the event: captain Dave Andreychuk, Jassen Cullimore, Ben Clymer, Brad Lukowich and Freddie Modin. I'm thinking, too, he may have set a personal record for number of autographs on a single puck.

The following Monday, when the Lightning played the Vancouver Canucks, the team gave away replica 2004 Stanley Cup Champions rings to the more than 19,000 people attending the game.

One of the fans, a nice gentleman who owns a waterfront condo managed by The Missus, thought Colin would like a ring. The man was right. Colin loved it.

The Hockey Life: Working his way back

In case you missed it, there was an update on last week's column that told of Colin having the cast removed from his fractured right ankle during Monday's visit. If everything went OK, we had considered having him skate that night, just to see how it felt. well, one sentence from the orthopaedist changed those plans.

"No hard sports activity for two weeks," he said.

After watching Colin walk, it was very easy to appreciate the doctor's wisdom. After having the muscles around his ankle and foot locked into place for a month, they were pretty stiff. Even with the cast removed, he walked -- for a few days -- like he was still wearing it.During the course of the week, though, after walking around school and taking some shots out back, the limp was a little less pronounced.

A few weeks ago, Colin was invited to take part, serving as a shooter,  in a goalie clinic run by his Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning coaches. It would be a low-key return to the ice. No quick starts. No sudden stops. No, it would just be getting back on the ice.

So, less than a week after having the cast removed, Colin was back in his skates and on the ice. Sure, he looked rusty in the first few minutes. Tentative, too. That's understandable. By the end of the hourlong session, however, we could tell that his comfort level was growing.

Even better, he had very little pain and no swelling.

This week, we'll increase his activity level. We'll take some walks. He'll skate for an hour at least once, maybe twice this week. We have plans, too, to attend another goalie clinic on Saturday. Each activity will test the ankle. How it responds will determine the next step he'll take.

Also on Saturday, the Pinellas P.A.L. Stars squirt-peewee team that Colin captains plays its final game of the rec-league season. To his credit, he's hoping his ankle feels good enough to play. Maybe, it's only a shift or two. Maybe it's just a period. After all, it'll be close to the two weeks. Again, we'll see how he and his ankle feels.

From what I've seen over the past five weeks, Colin doesn't have to prove how tough he is to me. I'd rather see him get ready for May tryouts and regain trust in his ankle and restore his wind, rather than risking anything for a few 45-second shifts.

Bottom line, it's his call.

Hounding report: New Jersey Devils

Considering that we didn't score autographs from Martin Brodeur or Jaromir Jagr, people might think our tag-team hounding adventure last Saturday for the New Jersey Devils wasn't a complete success. Well, to be honest, those people would be correct. It's disappointing when you don't add autographs from a pair of sure-fire Hall of Famers.

The day, however, was far from a total loss. No, paced by Colin's efforts with the card book, we added another 37 (good number, right?) autographs to the collection, including the trio of pucks, shown above, signed by Stephen Gionta (yes, the paint pen gushed), from left, Cory Schneider and Hall of Famer Scott Stevens.

As always, most of the autographs came on cards:

Top row: Steve Bernier, Ryan Carter, Ryane Clowe and Patrik Elias;

Bottom row: Gionta, Adam Henrique, Jacob Josefson and Tuomo Ruuttu; and

Michael Ryder, Schneider and Travis Zajac.

Three New Jersey players also signed four cards each:

Anton Volchenkov

Marek Zidlicky 

and Danius Zubrus.

Hounding report: Florida Panthers II

After a couple of low-number outings for the Boston Bruins and Phoenix Coyotes, the Florida Panthers' trip north to Tampa Bay last week was just what I needed. Not that my confidence was shaken, mind you, but it never hurts to have a solid day of hounding.

All told, I added another 21 autographs from a dozen players to the collection, getting more from a single team that we did from the Bruins and Coyotes combined.

Signing cards, shown above were:

Top row: Brian Campbell, Dan Ellis and Tomas Fleischmann;
Middle row: Tom Gilbert, Scott Gomez and Jonathan Huberdeau; and
Bottom row: Ed Jovanovski, Vincent Trocheck and Scott Upshall.

One of the highlights of the day, and likely the biggest reason for making the trip across Tampa Bay, was the recently acquired Roberto Luongo, who signed this McFarlane's SportsPick figurine commemorating Canada's gold medal in men's hockey at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver:

Two Panthers players also signed four cards each for me:

Brad Boyes

Dmitry Kulikov

Jovanovski also added to the Threads collection.

The Hockey Life: One more day?

Exactly one month ago today, Colin's travel hockey season got shut down when he fractured a bone in his right ankle. Since then, he has learned how to use crutches, used the school's elevator and, as you can plainly see, added a ton of signatures to the cast.

Well, in about 24 hours from now, we'll learn whether the fracture has healed enough to remove the cast and allow him to avoid using a walking boot. Hopefully, this doesn't jinx anything, but I believe he will be good to go, so to speak, once we leave the orthopaedist's office. To me, all signs point that way.

He has spent the past two Saturday afternoons on the bench at his Pinellas P.A.L. Stars games, making his way from the stands back to the ice. He's taken quite a few shots out back, planting hard on his right foot. We've even taken a few walks. And, yesterday, while hounding the New Jersey Devils, he ran -- without pain -- to chase some of the players.

Should the cast come off, he'll skate for the first time in a month at the Stars' practice tomorrow night. Not in full gear and certainly not at top speed. Instead, it'll be to see how it feels and, more importantly, how it responds Tuesday to the activity. If all goes well, I'll have him skate Wednesday, this time a little harder. Another test, if he progresses, could come Friday night.

The first big test will be deciding whether to play in a game for the Stars on Saturday. I won't expect him to go as hard as he can, but we'll see what he does. If not then, the Stars close out the rec season on March 29.

Between then, he has been invited to help his two Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning coaches at their goalie clinic. No, he's not making the switch, but they need players to take shots on the kids crazy enough to man the pipes. Beyond the ice time -- a low-key way to work his way back -- these sessions will let him work on his shots.

Honestly, we're in no rush to get him back for the final two games of this rec season. If he can play, that's great. If he can't, there's little we can do. More than likely, especially as the doctor bills roll in, he'll skip the spring travel season.

Instead, we'll turn our attention to May, when tryouts, for more than the fall travel season, are expected to take place. By then, the ankle should be fully healed, he will have regained his wind and he believes he has something to prove. Until then, all we can do is wait.

Update, March 17: The cast came off and will stay off. Doctor advised to take it easy for a bit, so we're delaying a return to ice.

Hounding report: Phoenix Coyotes

OK, let's be honest here. Going into Monday's hounding adventure for the Phoenix Coyotes, I figured it would be a pretty productive outing. Western Conference team. Weekday morning. Hound- and fan-friendly Shane Doan.

Man, was I ever wrong.

Aside from the Los Angeles Kings, where I scored only four autographs, the session, outside a downtown Tampa hotel before the team's morning skate, produced only nine autographs. Yes, nine autographs. As in single digits.

For one, I didn't have cards for quite a few players and passed, unlike before for other teams, on making some cheapskate cards. Some players, too, didn't stop to sign. And not a single one of us saw Doan leave the hotel.

Really, though, I shouldn't complain. I got four cards signed by Keith Yandle, shown above, as well as cards from signed by:

Martin Erat, from left, Mike Riberio, Mike Smith and Antoine Vermette.

Hounding report: Boston Bruins II

Many times in the past, especially when an outing's rewards fail to meet effort, I'll promote the concept of quality over quantity. Honestly, it's pure spin, putting the best face forward on what is often a disappointing day.

The Boston Bruins' last Saturday to Hockey Bay could be classified like that. But, unlike other times, this visit was more about a quality moment, most likely the best one of the season, trumping the 11 autographs we scored in our tag-team effort.

If you stopped by the blog Sunday -- and I hope you did -- you likely read my latest Hockey Life column. If you haven't, well, you can do it now. It touches upon how Colin was able to get Boston's Patrice Bergeron, his best NHL buddy, to come off the team's bus to sign the cast on his broken right ankle.

Even if we hadn't scored another autograph, the day -- and that moment -- was truly top-shelf, a rocket-launcher snipe where Mama not only hides the cookies, but her "secret" stash of chocolate.

Like Colin said, and it was unsolicited, having Patrice do that was the "best autograph of my life."

Thankfully, we did score a few more autographs, including Jarome Iginla, shown above, on a McFarlane's SportsPick figurine commemorating Canada's gold medal in men's hockey at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

Other Bruins signing that day were:

Gregory Campbell, from left, Zdeno Chara, Iginla and Daniel Paille.

The Hockey Life: 'Best autograph of my life'

Any time a body part ends up in a cast, especially when you're a kid, part of the deal is getting your family and friends to sign your cast. It's a rite of passage.

For the past three weeks, Colin as been collecting autographs on the cast for his broken ankle. Kids from school have signed. So have his hockey teammates and friends. Mama signed it. I have, too.

On Saturday, though, Colin got the person he most wanted to sign his cast to do just that - his best NHL buddy, Boston's Patrice Bergeron. For a few minutes, though, we weren't sure it would happen.

The Bruins, in town to play the Tampa Bay Lightning, were leaving a downtown hotel for the team's morning skate when Patrice walked out. He didn't hear Colin amid the shouts, signed a few autographs for people on the other side of the hotel's entrance and hopped onto the team bus.

I told Colin to walk around to the side of the bus and look for Patrice. Once he found him, I told him to start waving at him. One of Patrice's teammates spotted Colin and alerted Patrice. Patrice looked at Colin, who then pointed to his cast, pointed to Patrice and moved his hand like he was signing something.

To his credit, Patrice nodded "yes," got up from his seat, walked down the bus' aisle and steps to the street, where he found Colin waiting. And, with one simple act, shown in the photo above, Colin got the autograph he wanted.

"This is the best autograph of my life," he said. "The best."

So, not only is that a season highlight, but it's the leading contender for autograph of the year.