Informal response

Now that the Tampa Bay Lightning will kick off the 2009-10 training camp later today, it's time to close the books on what's proven to become a prime time for hounding -- the informal skating sessions.

Not only do the two weeks before camps open cure the dog days of summer, but it's an easy time to quickly add to your collection. Earlier this week, Lightning players -- past (Filip Kuba and Vinny Prospal) and present -- kept up the training regimen as prospects participated in rookie camp.

And, as any good hound would do, I put the opportunity to good use, snagging more than a dozen autographs:

Those signing cards were Todd Fedoruk, Andrej Meszaros, Antero Niittymaki, Mattias Ohlund, Kevin Quick and Matt Smaby.

Defenseman Kurtis Foster, one of the Lightning's offseason acquisitions, signed this pair of pucks.