Team report: Tampa Bay Lightning

Over the course of the past NHL season, I figured we'd have plenty of time to devote a single hounding session to the Tampa Bay Lightning. As the season wore on, though, those opportunities -- from the abbreviated training camp to the two dozen home games -- slipped away.

That's why, as the shortened campaign was down to its final day here in Hockey Bay, we put in the time to pay homage to the hometown hockey players. And, even then, we hounded the Lightning only after finishing our second hounding adventure of the season for the Florida Panthers.

Honestly, that wasn't a slight to the Bolts. It was just how things worked out. Sure, we snagged a handful from Lightning players and coaches during the season. These, though, were random, catching them at signing sessions around the Tampa Bay area or near the rink on game days.

So, in our sole session devoted to the Lightning, we capped our hockey-hounding campaign by adding 20 autographs. Not the greatest, mind you, as far as numbers are concerned, but we're pretty pleased with the quality, though Steven Stamkos didn't stop to sign that late April day.

Who did stop? Well, Vinny Lecavalier for starters, who signed the pair of pucks shown above. Marty St. Louis, shown below at right with Teddy Purcell, also stopped to sign pucks for us.

Beyond former NHL star Steve Thomas and a couple of Bolts knocking out a long-awaited pair of double-signed cards, others signing pucks and cards were:

Chris Dingman, on the old-school Lightning puck, and Benoit Pouliot;

Purcell also signed a four-pack of cards; and 

Victor Hedman, Tom Pyatt and St. Louis signed cards.

Next up: Our top six autogaphs of the 2013 hockey-hounding campaign

Perfect opportunity

If you wait long enough, chances are you'll find yourself with an opportunity to catch up with some retired NHL stars or players. It can take place at alumni games or the so-called celebrity golf tournaments. Or, as I like to do, wait for the players to join an NHL team's administration or coaching staff.

That's exactly what we have here. Steve Thomas, who logged 1,040 points in 1,409 NHL seasons (including playoffs), served as a player development consultant with the Tampa Bay Lighting this past season. And, on the final day of the shortened 2013  NHL season, he stopped to sign after the Lightning's final game-day morning skate.

Double-dipping

It's safe to say that these two cards have awaited completion for at least three, maybe four years. But, then, within an hour, on the final day of the shortened NHL season down here in Hockey Day, I got the two signatures from Tampa Bay's Vinny Lecavalier and Sami Salo needed to complete each card.

Honestly, I can't remember when Jordan Caron, who shares the card with Lecavalier, signed that one. I'm thinking it had to be down here in Florida. I'm pretty certain, though, that Patrick Traverse signed the other card before we moved here in 2006.

Sooner or later, I figured the cards would be complete. Just how long, though, surprised me.

Next up: Once an NHL player, always an NHL player

Lightning headlines

The Tampa Bay Lightning made two major moves recently, firing their head coach and trading away a popular player to bring in another unproven goalie. Each move, or so the story goes, was designed to right a sinking ship or solve a longstanding issue surrounding the team's goaltending woes.

Though I welcomed both to Tampa Bay and wished them the best of luck, I'll also bit my tongue when I had Jon Cooper, left, who replaced Guy Boucher as the Lightning's head coach, and Ben Bishop, acquired after the Lightning dealt away Cory Conacher, sign these pucks.

Honestly, I wasn't a fan of either move. To me, both show that Stevie Why? is still learning on the job, at the Lightning's expense, until the Detroit Red Wings come calling with their general manager position.

Up next: Missing Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin

Catch as catch can

Any time we head over to Tampa for one of our hockey-hounding adventures, I make sure I carry a few Tampa Bay pucks in case we cross paths with Lightning players. Because we often find ourselves near the hotel where Lightning call-ups stay, it makes sense to be prepared.

The same holds true, too, for our Lightning card book. We never know when we'll be able to squeeze in a few minutes of hounding Lightning players after their game-day morning skate.

Those strategies paid off over the past few weeks as we added  handful of autographed items, including the pucks shown above signed by Radko Gudas (left) and Andrej Sustr, to our collection.

One quick trip to the Lightning players' parking lot yielded autographs from:

Matheiu Garon, from left, Victor Hedman, Anders Lindback and Mattias Ohlund.

Up next: Glenn "Chico" Resch

Just in case

Any time we hound visiting NHL teams over in Tampa, I make sure I have a few items for any Tampa Bay Lightning players or staff we happen to stumble upon.

At the least, I carry a current card book, two to three different Lightning pucks and any items for the team's call-ups staying at a nearby hotel. Having these items is an easy way to add an autograph or two to any adventure.

This approach paid dividends recently, when Colin snagged Lightning rookie Alex Killorn on the Harvard puck and Lightning coach Guy Boucher on an 8x10 of the two.

Up next: Montreal Canadiens team sheet

He's a big name now

Tampa Bay may have some of the best-known stars in the NHL these days -- Steven Stamkos, Marty St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier -- but one of the most sought-after autographs belongs to Lightning rookie Cory Conacher, last year's most valuable player and rookie of the year in the American Hockey League.

Given his torrid start this season, leading all NHL rookies in scoring, it's easy to see, as well as say, that he picked up where he left off. This stage, however, is much bigger. So, good for him.

We caught up with Conacher not too long ago, as he was heading back to his hotel after a morning skate. Unlike most top NHL draft picks, Conacher, who was undrafted out of Niagara University, was more than willing to sign this puck and chat for a bit.

It's no wonder he's become a fan favorite.

A couple of Swedes

Like I said a few days ago, the Lightning Radio Show, which stops at various McDonald's throughout the Tampa Bay area, is an easy way to score a couple of autographs. Tampa Bay's Victor Hedman, top, and Anders Lindback were the players appearing at the first show of the 2013 season.

Though we planned to have Colin get the pucks signed and I would offer up cards, a one-per limit changed our approach. The cards, as you can see, will wait for another day.

Next up: Cory Conacher

Captain Dave

When our schedules allow, we try to take in the Lightning Radio Show when it hits the road at several McDonald's locations every season. No, we don't always go for the Big Macs and Happy Meals. We go to get autographs.

Most times, the show features one or two Tampa Bay Lightning players as the radio show guests. After taking part in the show, the players will stick around and sign autographs. Really, if you don't mind a sometimes long line, it's a pretty easy way for us to add to our collection.

Dave Andreychuk, captain of the Lightning's 2004 Stanley Cup-winning squad, is a fixture at these shows. Every so often, we'll pack some cards or a puck or two just for him. Colin added these four a couple of weeks ago after the first road radio show of the season.

Next up: A couple of Swedes