Worcester Sharks @ Albany Devils 1/24/15

I'm back in Albany, and within a week of moving back, I had a prime opportunity to get some good autographs after an Albany Devils game. They had just played the Worcester Sharks, AHL affiliate of the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks won the game 2-1 in overtime, and after the final goal was scored, the ink started flowing.

Way back in 2013, I met former Islander Micheal Haley after a game in what was one of my first experiences getting autographs after a Devils game. He was famous for being in the middle of the infamous Islanders/Penguins brawl in 2011.

Shortly after that game in 2011, I bought a Haley t-shirt from the Islanders team store. Shortly after, Haley wasn't an Islander and I had no use for the shirt. However, this past week, I found out Haley was on the Worcester Sharks, so I brought the shirt back to Albany with me. After watching a few other Sharks walk out the door, Haley walked out by himself. I immediately recognized him and called him over. First, I asked him to sign a photo of him fighting current Albany Devil Rod Pelley that Pelley already signed at an autograph signing last year. Then, after trading sharpies, I took the shirt out of my pocket and held it out. He signed it beautifully on the number nine. He didn't talk much, and I thanked him before going onto the bus.










Since the weather forecast was ominous, I didn't print out many things to get signed on this day. However, once I heard Tomas Hertl got sent down to Worcester, I knew I had to print stuff and try to get his autograph. Does the name not sound familiar to you? Click HERE and you will remember who he is. After nearly the whole team walked out the door, Hertl finally emerged into the sunlight. He immediately started signing before even he could realize what was happening. Here is a brief video that I took of him signing for some people.


Shortly after I turned off the camera, Hertl signed a photo for me. He also signed a Worcester Sharks team logo sheet that I had printed out. However, it wasn't a full size logo sheet, it was just a 4x6 logo sheet because I didn't plan on getting too many Sharks. After taking a selfie with Hertl that you can see on the right, Hertl kept signing for the mob of people that formed. After another minute or two, I grabbed a puck and silver sharpie out of my pocket and got Hertl to sign that as well. He was a humble, nice guy. He took every photo and signed every autograph. Class act. Hopefully he will stay that way.

 Below is the Worcester Sharks logo sheet with everyone that signed it in the space they signed it.

2-Dylan DeMelo  20-Matt Taormina 26-Willie Coetzee 

38-Mirco Mueller 12-Freddie Hamilton 48-Tomas Hertl

Soon after Hertl got on the bus, others got on and the bus tried to depart, but it couldn't because of a few obstacles. Union College and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) were scheduled to play a college hockey game at the Time Union Center just a few hours after the Devils game ended. So, as the Sharks were leaving, the RPI bus showed up and their players were entering. Eventually, the RPI players left and their bus got out of the way so the Sharks could go home. As players from both colleges showed up to the arena, Devils were still walking out. 

I didn't get many autographs from the Devils, but I did get a few. The first one I got was of Pelley, who signed a pocket schedule from last season for me. I figure those could be good to get signed if I don't have anything else for a Devils player. The only other I autograph I got from a Devils player was from Seth Helgeson. Helgeson played 21 games for New Jersey so far this season, and I found a cool picture of him from Jaromir Jagr's hat trick earlier this season. As the sun started to set, Helgeson came out and signed the photo for me. He said he liked the photo. 

While Devils players were coming out, a couple other people getting autographs noticed Union head coach Rick Bennett walking towards the arena. Bennett coached Union to a stunning National Championship last season, and he also played 15 games for the New York Rangers during a brief NHL career. I stopped Bennett on his way in and he signed a blank autograph card for me before signing similar blank cards for others. One other person getting autographs told him, "No fights this year," in reference to the infamous Union/RPI Brawl in 2014 where Bennett got into a physical fight with RPI's coach. Bennett chuckled before telling us there would be no fight. In case you're wondering, there was no fight.

Then, it was just time to wait for the Devils coaches. Former New Jersey great and Stanley Cup Champion Sergei Brylin came out and signed a card that I had found while home for a month. It's always nice to get cards signed as I don't get many signed in person. 

Later, Johan Hedberg came out. After signing about 30 cards for someone else, he signed a card and photo for me. I then took a picture with him and thanked him for stopping. I may end up printing out the picture of me and Hedberg and try and get him to sign it. 

That does it for this entry. Thanks for reading. Good luck graphing. 

Bridgeport Sound Tigers @ Albany Devils 11/23/14

Before Thanksgiving, I went to one more Albany Devils game before going home for the break. Unlike a couple other times this season, I went to the game between the Sound Tigers and Devils on November 23. It was a Sunday afternoon with nothing to do, so my friend and I got some cheap tickets and were off to the Times Union Center. I had already met most of the Sound Tigers and Devils earlier this season, but this was likely going to be the last time I saw the Sound Tigers this season, so I figured I'd go.

The game was a tough one for the Sound Tigers, they lost 5-2. I got one of the Albany goals on video.  
It was a rough night for Bridgeport. I'm pretty sure goalie David Leggio got hurt during that game. But, after the game, I was back outside in the usual spot to try and get some autographs before I went home.

One of the first guys going to the bus was recently sent down Colin McDonald. He was the captain of the Sound Tigers during the NHL lockout in 2012-13, and he was sent down a few games into the season. He signed two 4x6 photos for me before signing for everyone else and going on the bus. I also met him during Islanders clean out day in April.

One of the next Bridgeport guys to walk out the door was Harry Zolnierczk. He signed a photo for me last time, and I didn't really have much for him. Before he got on the bus, I got him to sign an index card because I figured I'd get him on something if I don't see him again for a while.



Shortly after was defenseman Ryan Pulock. He was called up to the Islanders for less than a day last weekend. He will be playing on the Islanders real soon. He signed a picture from his Barclays Center goal for me.


The last Sound Tiger whose autograph I got was that of starting goalie David Leggio. Like I mentioned earlier, he had a rough game in the loss. I took a picture of him at Barclays Center, and I was very happy to get him to sign it, even though the signature is very thin. He probably won't play a regular season game for the Islanders, but it was cool to get my own picture signed.

Since the weather wasn't too cold out, my friend and I figured we'd stay and get some Devils autographs as well. I had a photo that I took at the end of a Devils game last season, and I wanted to try and get that signed by some of the Albany players. I ended up getting eight Devils to sign the 4x6 photo that I printed out, as you can see below. It was signed by the following players:

15-Paul Thompson (He wasn't even on the Devils last year, oops.)
19-Mike Sislo
8-Dan Kelly 9-Joe Whitney
29-Raman Hrabarenka
23-Darcy Zajac
25-David Wohlberg
18-Stefan Matteau




That was it for the Albany players. We waited for the coaches as well. I got goalie coach Johan Hedberg to sign an index card. I also got assistant coach Sergei Brylin to sign a pocket schedule from last season. I have a bunch of those and that was the first one I got signed. That was it for this game.

Now, here's something I forgot to write about a few weeks ago when it actually happened. Longtime backup Scott Clemmensen was sent down to Albany in early November. I went one day after a game to try and get his autograph, and I got it. He was extremely nice, signed everything for everyone, and even took a photo with me. He signed the only 4x6 I had with me.

That's it for this entry. Thanks for reading and good luck graphing!

November 2014: Falcons, Pirates, and Devils

I am slowly falling behind on these blog entries about getting autographs in Albany, so I am going to try and catch up as much as I can in one entry.

Springfield Falcons 10/29/14 

As Game 7 of the World Series was happening, I headed downtown to try and get some autographs from the Springfield Falcons, the AHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets. I had gotten a bunch of them last season, but I figured I'd go again because they have a lot of new players. After the game, I waited outside with a couple other people that were getting autographs.

While players were coming out, it became apparent that both Brian Gibbons and Sean Collins had been called up to the NHL Blue Jackets. Both of them went on the bus, grabbed some food and then went back inside the arena to wait for their ride. Eventually, when their ride showed up, my friend and I opened the door and they went on their way to the NHL. I snapped the picture on the right when they were waiting.

I had nothing to get signed except for a team sheet. Here is the team sheet, along with a list of everyone who signed it and the number they wrote on the sheet in no particular order. I got pretty much everyone that played for the Falcons that night.

40-Domenic Monardo 13-Trent Vogelhuber 31-Oscar Dansk 11-Mike Hoeffel

3-Hubert Labrie 32-Frederic St. Denis 17-Sean Collins 22-Lukas Sedlak

12-Ryan Craig 36-Corey Cowick 18-TJ Tynan 8-Josh Anderson 37-Thomas Larkin

15-Kerby Rychel 9-Brandon Gibbons 29-Jerry D'Amigo 33-Scott Munroe

5-Austin Madaisky 28-???? (I wish I knew who that was. Anyone know?)

Also that night, Devils assistant coach and longtime NHL goalie Johan Hedberg signed two cards for me. I rarely have cards for people, but I've had two cards of Hedberg with me since March. It's nice to finally get these signed. He signed 16 cards for another person. Very nice guy. 

 

Portland Pirates/Devils Autograph Session 11/2/14

Shortly after getting Bridgeport, the Devils were having their first autograph session of the season after playing the Portland Pirates, the Phoenix Coyotes AHL affiliate. After the Pirates won the game in overtime, I headed out to my spot by the door armed with nothing but a team sheet for the Pirates. On my way there, I met someone who said hi and said that he reads his blog. I forgot his name, but if you're reading this, you know who you are. Thanks. Once I got back to the bus, the ink flowed. Here's the sheet and everyone I got. 

32-Tyler Gaudet 11-Francis Wathier 4-Andrew Campbell 49-Alex Bolduc

26-Darian Dziurzynski 38-Lucas Lessio 2-Dylan Reese 17-Jordan Martinook

56-Mike McKenna 28-Justin Hache 19-Henrik Samuelsson 14-Dan O'Donoghue

27-Evan Oberg 22-Phil Lane 37-Louis Domingue 

23-(???? on Bottom Left) 39-(??? on Top Right) Any idea who those are?

After the Pirates had gotten onto their bus, a Devils player walked out carrying all of his sticks and put them into his car. After someone else told me it was Steve Bernier, I approached him with a photo I had for him to sign at the autograph session. After asking him, he told me he just got called up to the NHL Devils, and was leaving immediately. He signed the photo I had of him and then went on his way to the NHL.


After I got back inside, I got all of the Devils that were at the game to sign my program. You can see that below. I wish Bernier had signed that, because I don't think he will be back in the AHL anytime soon. Click on those images or any of the others in this entry to make them bigger so you can zoom in.

At the autograph signing, I also got a few more photos signed, as you can see below.

Peter Harrold

Stefan Matteau

I took the photo of Kinkaid myself at the Islanders game at Barclays Center in September. That's it for this blog entry. I've gotten more autographs since then, but I'll get to those as soon as I can. Thanks for reading and good luck graphing!

Keith Kinkaid 

Adirondack Phantoms @ Albany Devils 2/15/14

This past Saturday, February 15, I went back to the Times Union Center in Albany to try and get some autographs. The Philadelphia Flyers AHL team, the Adirondack Phantoms, were in town, and I had some stuff for a few of those players. It was a good game for the Devils, as they got the win by a 4-1 score.

I barely got to the spot where the bus leaves behind the arena before the players started walking out. I didn't have stuff for everyone, but I did have my camera so I took a few photos of other players signing for a group of Phantoms fans that assembled outside. I wish I could tell you who these guys are, but I just don't know. If you know, any help would be appreciated.

The first person who I got was Oliver Lauridsen. One of the kids in the photos above knew who he was, and I know that he played a few games in the NHL. I had printed out a couple basic Flyers 4x6 photos for this reason, and he signed one of them before boarding the bus.

The next person who signed something for me was former Islander Bruno Gervais. He came out, signed a few photos for me, and then went on to the bus. One of the photos I got signed is from when I met him at an Islanders children's foundation event back in 2010. It was his birthday when that photo was taken, and he told me that he liked the old photo.

The only other player who I got from the Phantoms was another former Islander, goalie Yann Danis. He signed a photo which I also got Gervais to sign, and a photo I took with him earlier this season. He was the last Phantoms player to come out, he had a rough game in net and just wanted to get on the bus and go. I thanked him, and he went on the bus.


After Danis got on the bus, it drove away. There weren't many other people who I wanted to get on the night. One person I did want to try and get an autograph of was Johan "Moose" Hedberg. Keith Kinkaid was out with an injury, and Albany had signed Hedberg, 40, to a tryout contract.

After standing out in the cold and chatting with other players like Joe Whitney and Brandon Burlon, Hedberg came out the door with some other players. I asked someone else to make sure it was him, then I called Johan over. Right when he was about to sign the photo I brought, a gust of wind nearly blew it away. Thankfully, I kept it in place for him to sign it. He also signed a puck for me and a card for someone else before walking to the nearby parking garage. I asked Hedberg what it was like to be back in the AHL. He said he liked it and he was having fun. Hopefully I'll get Kinkaid to sign the photo as well, as it is from his NHL debut in relief of Hedberg last season.

I had brought my Devils yearbook with me to try and get some missing players on it. I didn't get any players to sign it, but I did get assistant coaches Tommy Albelin and Sergei Brylin to sign their pages in it. Albelin smudged it slightly before signing it, but it's good anyway.

That's all I have for this entry. Thanks for reading! Good luck graphing!