Is Justin Pogge the Future of the Maple Leafs?

[RGM81]

I pose this question for all the Leafs fans out there. I was flipping back and forth between games last night and just about every time I flipped to CBC I did so just in time to see the Bruins score another goal. The Habs game was on intermission when the 5th and 6th goals were scored, ending his night.

As any hockey fan in Canada does, I see a lot of Leafs discussion and highlights. I'd really been looking forward to Pogge developing and participating in the resurgence of the Leafs in order to renew the most storied rivalry in hockey. Let's face it, Ken Dryden was right when he wrote The Game 30 years ago. I was really hoping that the two young goaltenders--Price and Pogge--could put on some incredible duels in games that actually meant something.

After his latest letdown performance, people who follow the Leafs are questioning whether he'll be in the team's future plans. Howard Berger's column today at HB really cast that question into doubt, to say nothing of the GM's own comments a couple weeks ago about Pogge.

I've got no vested interest in Pogge other than his potential role in the scenario discussed above, and I don't intend to respond to much in the way of the comments that follow because I enjoy listening. You folks know the team and its system better than I do - is Pogge the future?

[cnshockey]

I think you can pose the same question for Bernier in LA. He's been pretty bad in Manchester this year. Both Pogge and Bernier are slated as franchise goalies and both are having bad years

[Habs fan Ontario]

Well you have to build a team in front of a young goalie not expect a young goalie bail them out.......I felt sorry for him but that also comes to coaching remember what happened to Roy because a coach only had 20 games experiance and that was with a vet goalie.......

[leafs_fan_4_ever]

I believe that both Pogge and Bernier will turn their futures around in the next two or three years. I say that they are going to be late bloomers and will eventually lead their teams from the bottom to the top. With that mentioned, I would have loved to see what would have happened if Toronto didn't trade away Tuka Rask for Raycroft. That would probably have been the next big 1-2 punch, just like Nabakov and Toskala did in San Jose a few years back.

[30ranfordfan]

To be honest..... I think the Leafs have to resign him (I heard Howard talking on the radio). They've invested too much time into him already. At the same time, I don't think he's ever going to pan out. To me he's never going to be more than a 'top 35' goalie in the NHL.

I can't really back it up with anything other than my own word, but when the Leafs dealt for Raycroft, giving up Tukka Rask, I said "they gave up the wrong goalie".

[senrab]

He was really good when he had to come in for Cujo during the Leafs-Sabres game last Friday. The guys on Leafs Lunch today said they think he just needs more development at the AHL level, but the team has been forced to call him up as of late because of the injury to Toskala and Gerber's suspension.

[Dergula]

I think the Leafs are doing it all wrong. You are paying Cujo to sit on the bench. Toskala went down, why not throw in CUJO for the remainder and have Pogge on the bench?

The thing i hate is Pogge only real games have come against real tough opponents. I never seen the game Saturday night I take it we lost bad? I was moving into the new house.

[Drifter2000]

Originally Posted by Dergula

I think the Leafs are doing it all wrong. You are paying Cujo to sit on the bench. Toskala went down, why not throw in CUJO for the remainder and have Pogge on the bench?

Brian Burke already explained this when he went out and got Gerber. CuJo has not been playing anywhere near good this season, and it's not fair to season ticket holders to throw him in the net when it's very likely he's going to lose. Hence why he told Murray to put Gerber on waivers so we could claim him. We may be rebuilding, but we can't just phone it in and play a subpar goalie every night.

If Gerber hadn't been suspended Pogge would still be in the AHL, where he's been struggling to keep the number one spot anyways. He's much better off playing in the AHL to build his confidence and get experience PLAYING rather than sitting on the bench, or getting shelled on the ice in the NHL.

The fact is that Pogge needs a lot more work. Goalies take time to develop 99% of the time, and even then they may not blow our minds. I'm far from sold on him, but at this point we're better off developing him and seeing where he ends up.

In the meantime I'd like to see James Reimer looked at. Or maybe we could go after Josh Harding if the Wild don't extend him. Might be able to sign him and split his time with Toskala.

[Bakeryracing]

Give the kid time. he will develop

[littlekane1088]

Rask, Bernier, and Pogge will all be stars sooner than later...give them time.