Waste not, want not

Though it may appear that Hound Central 5.0 might be shifting its platform of choice from pucks to 8x10 photographs, that isn't the case. Pucks always have been, and always will be, the object of choice for our hockey-hounding efforts.

Having said that, though, I know a good deal when I see one, especially when the cost is nothing. Yes, that's right, free. Zip. Nada. On the house, one might say.

It seems that Moody's photo supplier was trying out some color configurations on a printer and rather than throwing the test photos away he gave them to Hound Central 5.0's senior correspondent. Moody, in turn, passed them along to us.

To me, it's a classic case of never looking a gift horse in the mouth. Free, as Moody likes to say, is the best price. And these members of the Florida Panthers organization were more than willing to sign them for us during the last weekend of the NHL season:

Defenseman Keith Ballard, who has played for Team USA at the 2004, 2007 and 2008 World Championships;

Goalie Scott Clemmensen, who represented the United States at the 2009 World Championships;

Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, the Panthers No. 1 pick (14th overall) at the 2009 NHL Draft; and

Center Steven Reinprecht, playing for HC Mulhouse in in the National 1 French league during the 2004-05 NHL lockout.