Put to good use

A couple of weeks ago, the Toronto Maple Leafs had a game-used equipment sale, opening up the team's locker room in exchange for fans opening their wallets.

Not only was Al, Hound Central 5.0's Toronto-based correspondent, the first in line that morning, but he also picked up a pair of nice items that he got signed this week during a visit to the Leafs' practice facility:

A game-used stick signed by Tomas Kaberle; and

the game-used stick signed by Alexei Ponikarovsky.

That's not to say, though, that Al only got the sticks signed. No, sir, Al didn't stop at those two items, adding these to the day's haul:

A pair of pucks signed by, from left, Vesa Toskala and Nikolai Kulemin;

a couple of 8x10s signed by, from left, Mike Komisarek and Jonas Gustavsson; and

a half-dozen cards signed by (top row, from left) Joey MacDonald and Mike Komisarek, and (bottom row, from left) Lee Stempniak and Jason Blake.