Pogge's Time to Shine

It appears Vesa Toskala has been complaining of a sore groin for some time, and during the Leafs' 7-3 win over the Pens last night, the soreness had reached a limit. TSN is reporting that Toskala will be out of the lineup when the Leafs face the Thrashers on Monday.

For goaltending prospect Justin Pogge, this is the best news of the season (but he won't tell you that).

Toskala's performances have been better of late. He's been slowly regaining form, but hasn't yet found the game that made him critically acclaimed in Toronto last season. Perhaps this groin injury had a part to play, especially considering the style of the Finnish goaltender, which revolves heavily around agility, speed and acrobatics.

In any case, this could be a win-win for the Leafs. If the injury really was holding Toskala back, then some time to rehabilitate could mean the emergence of the goaltender we all knew and praised last season.

More importantly, Pogge can finally play in his 1st career NHL game. And at 22, it's about time.

If Pogge can prove to Brian Burke that he belongs in a Maple Leafs jersey, the chances of him playing for the 2009-10 Leafs squad will be elevated. Not only that, but he can potentially stand as the Leafs' starting goaltender next season.

It's a feasible scenario considering the success he generated in his junior career. I won't go on driveling about it, just take a look:

* 2006 - World Junior Hockey Championship gold medal
* 2006 - World Junior Hockey Championship Team Canada MVP
* 2006 - Four Broncos Memorial Trophy - Player of the Year in the WHL
* 2006 - Del Wilson Trophy - Top goaltender in the WHL
* 2006 - CHL Goaltender of the Year

In the AHL, however, Pogge hasn't matched that kind of success. In 89 career games, he's accumulated a 45-34 record, a 2.70 GAA, a .901 SV% and 7 SO. Not bad, but nowhere near good enough to rank his as a top goaltending prospect.

In his defense, it could be argued that poor management has held him back. Considering this is Pogge's first season in the AHL as a starting goaltender, I would say it's a likely scenario. Look no further than last year's playoffs, when head coach Greg Gilbert opted to use journeyman Scott Clemmenson as the starting goaltender over Justin Pogge, who recorded better stats than his 30-year old AHL teammate.

And now, the Marlies are in the midst of a terrible season, struggling in all facets of the game. No offense to the Marlies management, but Pogge's departure, even temporarily, will help develop his game.

Which brings me to my point. If Pogge does play well enough to earn him a roster spot, don't expect it to come until next season. The Leafs are essentially handcuffed with Joseph, and don't expect them to send him to the pressbox. Joseph has earned his respect, and the Leafs will not embarrass the 40-year old by benching him.

Pogge will have to showcase his talent, and bide his time until next season. If he does make a strong case to become starting goaltender for the Leafs, expect Burke to trade Toskala in the off-season or at the NHL Trade Deadline (which would mean Pogge finishing the season).

Prediction: Pogge plays solid between the pipes and is appointed starting goaltender by the end of next year's training camp.

Welcome Back, Toskala + The Future of Justin Pogge

Vesa Toskala has reclaimed his role as the Leafs' top player.

Similar to last season, Toskala got off to a slow start, struggling to provide his team with solid goaltending. Looking at how the defense has performed this season, consistent goaltending is a necessity.

But have no fear, Toskala is here... finally.

The re-emergence of the Finnish goaltender is not only good news for his teammates, but to Brian Burke and the expanding brass of ''Tank Nation''.

While the goaltending of Toskala will ensure more W's, it will also raise his value. After all, the NHL Trade Deadline is on the horizon, and even without Mats Sundin it's going to be an interesting time for the Buds. Will Burke opt to trade long-time Maple Leaf Tomas Kaberle? How about defenseman Pavel Kubina? Is Nikolai Antropov's time as a Leaf coming to an end? But, pertaining to the context of the blog, the real question is whether or not Toskala will be serving as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs come March 4th.

If Toskala is traded, it would be unwise of the Leafs to appoint Curtis Joseph as the starting goaltender. A much more viable option would be to call-up goaltending prospect Justin Pogge.

While many have argued that such a move could rattle the confidence of the 22-year old, playing for the Leafs for a couple months would be beneficial to his development in contrast to serving on the Toronto Marlies, who are currently ranked 11th place in the AHL's Western Conference.

Playing for the Marlies will progress his development no further. The time is now (well, March 4th) for the Leafs to deploy another one of their top prospects to the big league.

Unlike previous seasons, the Leafs are now in the midst of rebuilding. Inserting Pogge in the later stages of the rebuilding phase seems counter-productive to their future. At the very least, he must be a member of the team by next season. If not, his confidence could be affected, and as proven by Toskala earlier this year, confidence is a crucial aspect between the pipes.

This all hinges on the play of Toskala, however, so I speak for all of Leaf Nation (and Tank Nation) when I say:

Keep it up, Vesa!