The NHL has struggled in recent years to keep up with the ever-expanding pace of sports like the NBA, Major League Soccer, and NASCAR, but that’s not to say it doesn’t have a host of fans that dearly want to say hello to their favorite players once in a while. Hockey stars tend to get a little more personable than NBA superstars or NFL linebackers, because even though they are well-paid, they aren’t surrounded by an entourage 24 hours a day.

Fox Sports journalist Jim Day explains, "We sometimes pull teeth to get certain professional baseball players to talk. But when it comes to hockey, players take pride in the fact that someone actually wants their autograph. It’s a pride thing, and that is the big word I can use when describing a hockey player--pride. Pride in playing the game the right way, pride in being a solid individual off the ice, and pride in the fact that they feel lucky to be paid for everything in a game they love."

If you’re patient, you can get an autograph from just about any NHL player as he’s going in or out of the stadium or arena. You certainly won’t get one by lobbing an index card and Sharpie pen over the glass during a game, but if you don’t mind standing around for a a few hours in the right spot outside the stadium, you’ll have little or no problem finding your favorite player in a generous mood (especially after a win).

As with anyone else, if you’re meeting a star player in person, be respectful and courteous. They expect you to ask them to sign something, or even shake hands, but if you want to get them to pose for a photo with you and then wait around for two minutes while it develops so they can sign it as well, you might end up watching the player walk away.

Hockey players know they’ll meet their fans on the way in (usually two or three hours before game time) and out of the stadium (half an hour after the game). But if you hang out in their hotel lobby, you may not like the response. Most players won’t sign in the hotel because it’s considered "their" place where they can sit back and relax. The staff in hotels usually won’t allow you to hang around anyway, although you’re usually welcome to stand outside on the sidewalk and hope. Restaurants are another place where players tend not to want to be bothered, but if you spot Wayne Gretzky at the bar, you may just want to take a shot--or at least buy him one!

The most successful autograph collectors don’t see a meeting with a star as a one-off chance to grab a signature. In fact, when a player has seen you around three or four times and you’ve treated him with respect and warmth, chances are he’ll stop and talk once in a while. The key here is to not gush all over the players, but instead show them a level of respect.

In doing this, you show the players you’re not a drooling fan, and that you respect them as adults and as competitors (even if they’re not your only favorite team). On the other hand, if they don’t have time to sign, and you say something like "Yeah, well, I hear McDonalds is hiring," then you’re making absolutely certain you’ll never get anything out of that player--or any other player he might talk to as he passes you by.

Each stadium or arena has a place where the home and away teams come in each day and park their cars, buses, and limos. When they’re coming to the stadium, chances are the security guards will keep you away, but when the game is over, they’ll usually back off to allow the fans a little face time. Additionally, most teams will have an early day skate around on the ice before the game, generally sometime between 10:00 and noon. At these times, the crowds are nowhere to be seen, so you can get a little space to bond with the players and shoot the breeze.

Later after the game, you’ll have to fight the hordes just to get a signature, but these training sessions are very quiet. Despite this, you don’t want to start yelling at a player across the parking lot or you’ll soon find yourself surrounded by other people vying for his attention as well. Stay calm and be casual and friendly to get that signature you’ve been waiting for.

If you only want to meet the players, then that’s all you need to do, but if you want a signature as well, then you may have to do a little strategic planning. If you don’t have something for the player to sign, you’re not going to get anything signed at all. So before you hit your local arena, stock up on some hockey cards. In a perfect world it would be great to get a rookie card for everyone on the team, but that can be a serious investment of money and time. Instead, pick a couple of your absolute favorite players and get their rookie cards. The rest of the team will have to make do with current cards, photos, magazine articles, jerseys, sticks, hats or pucks. Remember, if you’re intent is to sell these signatures, you want to give the player more than just a scrap of paper--make the signature special by having it signed on something special.

A well-known player’s signature on the back of a torn ticket is great, but a signature on a team jersey becomes a genuine piece of memorabilia. If you can convince the player to get his picture taken while holding the jersey, you’ve just made yourself a certificate of authenticity that’s actually worth something in itself. A good fallback option is the team program, since it will have pictures of all the players and can be used to gather autographs of the entire team over time. Be aware that many teams have their pre-game skate and training sessions at other smaller arenas, which can be excellent places to find celebrity contact opportunities along with local nightclubs where the players tend to go out in groups after games.

On the other hand, if you don’t have the time or enthusiasm to stake out the stadium, try sending a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) to the player via the team. Make sure to include an index card, photo, or hockey card for the player to sign, but be willing to lose that item if they don’t send it back to you.

Some Web sites even offer a way to write the player for an autograph. The Colorado Avalanche Web site states, "Autograph requests should be addressed to the player/coach in question, and should include a self-addressed stamped envelope (unsealed) so the player/coach can return the item to you. Do not send an item to more than one player in the same envelope. Some players receive an extremely large amount of an mail and it may take a long period of time for a response. Fans should remember that players/coaches are not obligated to sign or return anything mailed to them. Any items are sent at your own risk; the Colorado Avalanche and its players/employees cannot and will not be responsible for any item nor guarantee its safe return."

Remember hockey players--like most professional sportsmen--usually live in different cities from where they play. So if Dominic Hasek doesn’t get back to you with a signed picture, the reason may be because it’s the off-season and he’s climbing a mountain in the Himalayas. Or he’s been traded. Or maybe he’s just lazy. But whatever the reason, it’s not the hockey club’s fault.

Instead, it’s best to send your letter to the hockey player’s individual mailing address.

Sending Fan Mail

Most hockey teams (both NHL and minor league) will be all too happy to pass your autograph requests on to their players and coaches. In fact, it’s an important part of their marketing strategies for the players to connect with their fans (you)!

A few rules that they usually like you to follow, however, are that you only include one autograph request per package that you send. Also don’t send things that are valuable or heavy, and understand that not every player can find the time to send something back to you. Finally, always remember to include your self-addressed stamped envelope!

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