Caught black-handed

Of all the in-person autographs we've scored over the years, it's a fair estimate to say that 60 percent have been signed in blue Sharpie, the color of choice among hounds. Another 35 percent, primarily on pucks, came from silver or blue paint pens.

What's left, including this latest addition to the Threads collection, were done in black.

It certainly wasn't a conscious decision to hand New Jersey's Patrik Elias a black Sharpie. No, it was more like a lack of planning or positioning on my part.

Somehow, I didn't have an extra blue Sharpie in the bag last week. And with Colin using the blue Sharpie for Martin Brodeur to sign a McFarlane base, I had to use this or risk letting Elias pass by.

Let's just say the hounding bag has been restocked with blue Sharpies.