For more than 30 years now the Central Scouting Service has been providing scouting and evaluation services for draft-eligible hockey players to the National Hockey League. It employs nine full-time and six part-time scouts in North America and has association with a half dozen more in Europe. Its final list of rankings and prospect profiles is indispensable to all NHL clubs every spring. The league's Entry Draft Media Guide is a handy handbook that tallies Central Scouting's labor all year long and often provides illuminating biography of prospects beyond their on-ice stats. The Service interviews more than 200 North American prospects, and my favorite question asked of each is, "What three people would you most like to have dinner with?"

No surprise: Wayne Gretzky ran away with first place; 49 prospects selected him. Lance Armstrong (21) had a lot of support, as did Bobby Orr and Tiger Woods (19), Steve Yzerman (17), and Will Farrell (10).

I was disappointed that Vince Vaughan (4) nipped Herb Brooks (3). Slightly stunned that Jessica Simpson (5) bested Jessica Alba (2), Pamela Anderson (2), Maria Sharapova (2), Rachel McAdams (2), Keira Knightly (1), Kate Beckinsale (1), Halle Berry (1), Heidi Klum (1), Evangeline Lily (1), Eva Longoria (1), and Carrie Underwood (1). Comforted that Elvis (1) matched Barry Bonds (1).

George Bush (7) won among the pols, besting Al Gore (3), JFK (3), and Vladimir Putin (1).

Bobby Orr's strong showing helped offset an otherwise dismal regard for old timers. Only three prospects wanted dinner with Grapes. Gordie Howe was a favored dinner companion for only two prospects, placing him in the same cocktail lounge with Jaromir Jagr (the indignity!), Vince Lombardi, Ray Bourque, Keifer Sutherland, and Chris Chelios.

The message was mixed with regard to mullets: Mario had 10 requests, but Sidney just three. No one wanted dinner with Barry Melrose.

Single requests ran the gamut of our cultural spectrum: Mike Tyson, David Beckham, Martin Luther King Jr. (depressing, that), Bono (gratifying, that), LeBron James, Paris Hilton, John McEnroe, Scotty Bowman (outrageous), and Carmen Electra.

God was wanted for dinner just once. At least He beat OJ.

National pride compels me to point out that three American prospects distinguished themselves for the caliber of their dinner companion choices. Teddy Ruth of the United States National Team Development Program requested George Washington, Alexander the Great (no, not AO), and Bobby Orr. I think that would have been a marvelous table at the Palm. Kevin Shattenkirk, also of the USNTDP, chose Achilles, Albert Einstein, and Michael Jordan. High achievers, those. And Jeremy Smith of Dearborn, Michigan, and the Plymouth Whalers sought Einstein, JFK, and his late grandfather.