Sunday morning homily XXI

I can't say that I'm truly Jonesing for a return to hockey-hounding. Has nothing to do with the layoff being only a little more a week, either. It's more about tending to some business, as well as postings, here at the blog. As much as I wanted to set aside these duties for two weeks, I couldn't. There's still so much to do.

In case you missed it, and I hope you didn't, Hound Central added the 14th blog of the stable -- Moody's TTM Blog. There, you'll find a little insight from Moody, Hound Central 5.0's senior correspondent, as well as addresses you can use to send items to current NHL players.

Moody also makes one heckuva an offer, too. If you're nice, he'll pass along his pretty extensive addresses list -- including retired players' home addresses -- just for the asking. With the going rate for this information upwards of $25, making a polite request seems like an offer that's hard to refuse.

Beyond that, though, I'm working with others to plug a few gaps in the Hound Central library, so to speak. I'm really looking forward to the upcoming post on custom cards. And I certainly can't believe the job's complete until sharing a few more pieces of intel and opinion, now can I?

Beyond that, there's only about six weeks, provided the Tampa Bay Lightning don't make the playoffs, left in the season. Aside from the Phoenix Coyotes, I'll be on mop-up duty for most of the remaining teams. So, yes, there will be some serious cherry-picking going on.

After so many years, it just seems foolish to go back and ask the same players to sign the same type of items -- be it cards, pucks or 8x10s -- visit after visit, season after season. That alone, my friends, is why it's time to scale back and, for the most part, step away.

Besides, I'm running out of things to write. Someone, I'm sure, will step up.

Back to the grind

From what I've read, NHL teams can resume official team activities, such as practices, as soon as this Wednesday. Here in Hockey Bay, that likely means an Olympics break trip for a few items. I'm not sure, though, how thrilled players from Toronto to Tampa Bay, and especially those who didn't make the Olympics cut, will be to see us, Sharpies in hand, waiting for autographs.

It's been a long season and I imagine they're getting pretty tired of seeing the same faces. Tampa Bay's Alex Tanguay has already shut down one Hockey Bay hound, who shall go nameless (it's not me, though), for the season, saying that he's already signed enough for him. Still, I have only a handful of items I'd like (not need) to get signed.

Of course, the NHL trade deadline (March 3) might create a few more opportunities, not just for your home team, but the remaining visiting clubs as well. And as teams fall out of the playoff picture, expect to see top prospects called up.