Something's wrong here

Not that I'm one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but does anyone else notice what's wrong with this Vinny Lecavalier glow-in-the-dark T-shirt that the Tampa Bay Lightning gave out before Sunday's 4-3 disappointing loss to the Nashville Predators?

Warmup act

In a way, NHL training camps are a hound's training camp. It's our time to get back into the game, check the schedule and think about another hockey-hounding campaign.

What's even better, though, is taking advantage of opportunities, especially knocking out a quick project. When Tampa Bay's Vinny Lecavalier signed this 8x10 last Sunday at the Lightning's training camp, it made fairly short work of a really sweet piece.

Dallas' Brad Richards, a former Bolt, and Tampa Bay's Marty St. Louis signed it only weeks ago. It helped catching Richards, who won the Conn Smythe during the Lightning's Stanley Cup season, as he was skating with some of his old teammates in late August.

Threads: Vincent Lecavalier

It wasn't all that long ago that I'd read jersey swatch cards featuring uniforms from the Tampa Bay Lightning weren't all that common. The team, it seems, wasn't keen on sharing the goods with hockey card manufacturers.

Granted, it may have been found on eBay, rather than being pulled from a pack, but this jersey card from the Bolts' Vinny Lecavalier is a good start to dispelling that myth.

Vinny signed this card for Colin last Sunday during the Lightning's training camp. Even though he'd signed one card (shown below) for Colin, Vinny honored the kid's request to add to our Threads collection.

Victor Hedman and Dustin Tokarski were among the others who signed cards for Colin on Sunday.

Well, well, well

It was more than a hunch that our last day of Colin's summer vacation yesterday might include getting some autographs from NHL players. What I didn't know, though, was that it would involve Dallas' Brad Richards and Tampa Bay's Marty St. Louis.

But that's exactly what happened, as we took in the final minutes of an informal workout by a handful of NHL players at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon. Richards, a former Bolts player, and St. Louis were among those skating. Other confirmed sightings were Tampa Bay defensemen Brett Clark and Mattias Ohlund.

Colin hustled to have Richards and St. Louis sign the pucks shown above. St. Louis, who was in a downright jovial mood, signed the new 2004 Stanley Cup champions puck in the top left corner. Richards signed the others.

I didn't get shut out, either, as Richards and St. Louis signed this photo, showing Tampa Bay's old Big Three celebrating Canada's championship in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. Now, all we need is for Vinny Lecavalier to complete this photo.

Here's your answer

In checking site statistics just a minute ago, I saw that a visitor found Hound Central 5.0 by asking this question on Google: "why is lecavalier called v4?"

Here's my reason: V4 is my shorthand for Vinny Lecavalier. The "V" is an abbreviation of "Vinny" and 4 is his jersey number. Pretty simple, huh?

Sharp readers know I use V4 as a label for any HC5.0 posts that include Lecavalier, just like I use MSL26 for teammate Marty St. Louis.

Red carpet treatment

For the past few seasons, the Tampa Bay Lightning have held a red carpet pregame walk before the final regular-season home game. Provided you get their early enough, it's a good opportunity to score some late-season autographs as the players make their way into the St. Pete Times Forum.

In Colin's case, you managed to snag a ringside seat, so to speak, to snag 11 autographs on a 2009-10 team yearbook before the Bolts hosted the Florida Panthers. Though he doodled a bit on the cover, as kids sometimes do, the yearbook helped Colin cap off another full season of hockey-hounding.

The biggest score on the cover came from center Vinny Lecavalier. Joining the Lightning captain were winger Teddy Purcell, center Nate Thompson and the team's mascot, Thunderbug.

Other Bolts who stopped to sign the program:

Center Steven Stamkos;

Right winger Marty St. Louis;

Right winger Steve Downie;

Center Zenon Konopka;

Goalie Mike Smith;

Defenseman Mattias Ohlund; and

Defenseman Mike Lundin.

We'll likely add to the yearbook if the Lightning holds a summer prospects camp here in Hockey Bay. Should it take place, and we haven't heard otherwise, perhaps Colin can add autographs from these players: Carter Ashton, Mitch Fadden, Johan Harju, Riku Helenius, Alex Hutchings, Jaroslav Janus, Alexander Killorn, Vasily Koshechkin, Richard Panik, Kevin Quick, Dustin Tokarski, Dana Tyrell, Ty Wishart, James Wright and Michael Zador.

If not, there's always training camp, right?

Top Shelf: Vinny Lecavalier

Provided you arrive early enough -- as in 90 minutes, at the least -- a promotional signing is a hockey fan's best friend. It's one-on-one access in an autograph-happy environment. Like little else in life, it's a sure thing.

But when one of these signing sessions involves one of the game's big names, well, as a hockey hound, you take full advantage of the situation. That's exactly what Colin and I did Wednesday afternoon for Tampa Bay's Vinny Lecavalier.

The Lightning captain, at a Champs store at International Plaza with teammate Alex Tanguay, was throwing down some pretty nice signatures, as these items, including a well-worn Lecavalier Bolts third jersey personalized at Colin's request, will attest:

Just a couple days ago, I stumbled upon this card tin for Vinny at a local Target. Different enough, I believe, to get signed. Did you notice, like Colin did, that the hockey pants are dark blue, instead of the normal black?

And, for good measure, he also signed these two cards.

Four nice signatures in less than a minute? Certainly worth our wait.

Post-shutout blowout

It may not have been a pretty game Monday night when the Tampa Bay Lightning got skunked 3-0 by the Washington Capitals, but the Bolts' practice Tuesday morning made it up to the Moody family.

I decided Tuesday it would be a good day for the wife and kids to play hooky from their normal days and partake in a little bit of Lightning hockey. It may have only been an off-day practice, but it was still a good time to spend together (Editor's note: It was Moody's birthday, too).

Being the only four people inside the St. Pete Times Forum gave us a good chance at a few sigs as well.

The players were awesome and all took the time to say "hi" to the girls. Most even tossed out a high five as they came off the ice.

Being in a good mood, I decided to step back and let the little ones have all the fun as the players finished up their hour-long skate.

The first few guys flew off the ice after a tough practice, leaving me to think it was going to be tough for the girls to get any autographs.

Marty St. Louis, above, changed it all for them. He stopped and chatted with the girls, asking them if they enjoyed coming out to the rink to watch practice.

I give Marty, or MSL26, credit for one thing, he is great with the kids.

When Vinny Lecavalier, or V4, came off, he walked right over to Mikayla and asked if she needed an autograph.

Quick to respond, she handed over this photo of them taken last season, and a marker. To our surprise, he said he didn't like the marker and told us he would be right back. He went in the back and returned with a new marker to sign for her. Later, he told me that he didn't like the thin-writing Sharpies.

Class act to help her out that way, in my opinion.

After that, every Lightning player who left the ice stopped and asked the girls if they would like an autograph. They added a few extras.

As usual, I couldn't risk a shutout. So, while Marty was chatting with the kids, I finished off my All Star Game photo of him taking a shot on Minnesota's Niklas Backstrom. He let me know that he missed the goal be a mere inch.

Other Lightning players who signed Tuesday were Alex Tanguay, Mike Smith, Stephane Veilleux and James Wright.

Pretty in Pink

In one of the Moody family's recent outings for the Buffalo Sabres, Mikayla and I decided to break up the day a bit and take a chance at the Lightning, putting this nice PINK puck to use that Puckhound so kindly gave to her early in the season.

The little Moodlet decided it only appropriate to get Tampa Bay's Vinny Lecavalier, her favorite player (for that day), to sign it. Being a girl, she has a true appreciation for the color pink and, as the season goes on, she will be creating more and more items.

Besides signing the puck, Vinny was also kind enough to sign a photo of the two from the end of last season.

Last season, she showed the girly side of the hobby with her Florida Everblades stick.

Backstage pass

When it comes to hounding, the golden rule is being at the right place at the right time. It also helps, too, when you can snag unfettered access to the players. Just ask Brett, one of Hockey Bay's up-and-coming hounds, who loaded up on autographs following the Oct. 22 game between the San Jose Sharks and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Brett, who joins the ranks of Hound Central 5.0 correspondents, filed this report:

After the Sharks and Lightning game, I was lucky to get a guest pass and wait where the players exit the St. Pete Times Forum.

The first obstacle was talking the Lightning employees at guest services into letting me run to the car and get my hounding bag, stuffed with photos, cards and pucks. After getting back into the Forum, I headed down to the area.

While waiting, I wasn't sure how it would be at first. I debated whether it would be better just waiting at the Sharks hotel for them to return. Thankfully, I made the right choice by staying inside. I asked one of the guards how it is for autographs, and they said as long as you call them over, they should sign for you.

The first player out was former Lightning defenseman and current Sharks player Dan Boyle. He quickly came over and signed for anyone who wanted him before joining up with about 30 people who were waiting for him, leaving three people asking for autographs.

Next out was Lightning defenseman Matt Smaby, who is always good for signing whenever and whatever items you want.

Then a group of Sharks came out, including Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and Rob Blake. They all walked over and gladly signed what was presented to them. One of the last players out was Dany Heatley, who signed three cards before heading to the bus. The only Sharks player who refused to sign was Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who said, "Not now."

Other Sharks players who signed were Ryan Vesce, Ryane Clowe and Doug Murray.

The Lightning players were equally impressive, too. Among those signing were Steven Stamkos, Vincent Lecavalier, Marty St. Louis, Victor Hedman, Ryan Malone, Andrej Meszaros, Drew Miller, Stephane Veilleux and Alex Tanguay.

This was a great time, and the players are a lot more down to earth and seem happy to stop, talk, and sign autographs.

Malone, I would have to say, left the biggest impression on me. Not only did he sign everything I had, but he stayed a few minutes after signing and just talked with me.

All in all, this was one of my most memorable moments and showed me what class acts hockey players truly are.

Gallery: Lightning informal skate

Among the Tampa Bay Lightning players who've gathered this week in Brandon for informal workouts include, from left, Ryan Craig, Marty St. Louis, Jeff Halpern, Steven Stamkos, Adam Hall and Andrej Meszaros.

Lightning captain Vinny Lecavalier, right, talks to new teammates Kurtis Foster, left, and Todd Fedoruk.

Victor Hedman, the Bolts' 2009 No. 1 draft pick, didn't look out of place in Wednesday's session.

No, Tampa Bay's Jeff Halpern isn't reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. He's explaining a drill during Wednesday's skate.

Goalie Antero Niittymaki, a free-agent signee, follows the puck during Wednesday's session.

Victor Hedman, left, talks to teammate Adam Hall during Wednesday's session.

I'm humbled

I must admit, I was a little surprised myself. There was no way, I thought, that Tampa Bay captain Vinny Lecavalier would sign these three pucks. Well, as you can plainly see, he proved me wrong, inking a hat trick following an informal workout this morning in Brandon.