New Leafs Managment, Same Boneheaded Mistakes

Hey, good news Leafs fans. Your minor league affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, just capped an improbable comeback in the North Division Final, beating the Syracuse Crunch 4 games to 3 after being down 3 games to 1.

Is that really good news?

Is it?

Surely this bodes well for the Leafs future, right?

Only good things can come from young future #1 netminder Justin Pogge racking up important playoff minutes, right?

Ha ha, nice try.

Somehow, some way the Leafs organization has managed to screw things up in what seemed to be a great situation.

Let's flashback to last season in the AHL. The Hamilton Bulldogs, the affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens, realized that they were going to make the playoffs, and have a somewhat decent shot. They also saw that their future #1 netminder Carey Price's season was over in the WHL. They put two-and-two together, and made him the starter for the Bulldogs. They put the success of their AHL team behind the experience and progress of who was to be the future of the organization. They did the right thing, and even won on top of that.

Fast-forward to before the playoffs began in the AHL this season. The Marlies, finishing first in their division, and second in the western conference, realized that they have a decent shot at winninng it all. They had their meetings, talked to members of the Leafs head brass about what to do, and came to a conclusion. They were going to start Scott Clemmensen. He is going to give them the best shot to "win."

Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah.

Woah.

Is the AHL really about winning? Far from it. It's a developmental league for the NHL and players who will someday play in the NHL. Is Scott Clemmensen going to play in the NHL again? Maybe a few games here and there, maybe a back-up spot somewhere. Is Justin Pogge going to play in the NHL? He is going to be the Leafs #1 starter one day!

I really hope you're seeing the point I am making here, or else you may be just as slow as the Leafs management, and if you are, I apologize.

What really boggles my mind is that Justin Pogge even had a good season. It's not like they're throwing some stiff in there, it's Justin freakin' Pogge! He had a 2.34 goals against and .908 save percentage in 41 games, not too shabby! He really, really should be starting in this year's Calder Cup playoffs, and if the Leafs organization had any kind of sense in them whatsoever, they would realize that winning is always put behind the progress of prospects in the AHL. Always.

So Leafs fans, if you see Scott Clemmensen hoisting the Calder Cup on the news next month, think twice before getting excited. Maybe the Leafs should have thought twice about the future of their goaltending. They would have seen that it doesn't include the likes of Scott Clemmensen.

Shedding Light on Vesa Toskala and the Leafs Future

After the recent 174-foot goal Vesa Toskala allowed against the Islanders, many non-Leafs fans may question the 31 year old goaltender, but that would be a mistake if you're not aware what kind of season he's endured with the Blue and White.

To begin, when the Leafs acquired Vesa Toskala in the summer, they were not expecting top five quality goaltending. Fact is, Toskala had been a career back-up goaltender to Evgeni Nabokov on the San Jose Sharks for most of his career. In the last two seasons with the Sharks, injuries to Nabokov gave Toskala the call as the starting goaltender, and he performed brilliantly. In fact, he played in the playoffs for San Jose that season, making it to the second round. Toskala finished the playoffs with a 2.45 goals-against-average and a .910 save percentage. However, last season there was a fierce goaltending battle between the two, and at year's end head coach Doug Wilson decided to trade one of them to have an undisputed starter for his club, clearing cap space in the process. He opted with Toskala after attempting to trade Nabokov's 5.1 million contract proved too be difficult. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, a city where the scrutiny can be too much to handle for many, and often the pressure can ruin careers. The Leafs extremely critical fan base and media are constantly judging the professional athletes that represent their city, and most times, they deem unfair opinions of them. What no one was expecting, however, was the puzzling downfall of Toronto's defense. A position that was weak last season is being even more exposed this season, and it's essentially the same core.

Vesa Toskala was then thrown into the fire. He began with a sub-par pre-season, and immediately the fans and media were on his back, calling for the head of former Leafs GM, John Ferguson Junior. What many did not take into account, however, is that many goalies do not have great stats in pre-season, even future hall-of-famer Ed Belfour struggled in his pre-season debut for the Leafs a few years back. The negative attention was so overwhelming that even Doug Wilson came to defend Toskala, stating that he is a great goaltender and he's confident he'll do well in the hockey crazed city of Toronto. Shortly after this, the opening night of the regular season kicked off, a game which saw the Toronto Maple Leafs head-to-head with arch rivals, the Ottawa Senators. A difficult task considering the Senators has had the Leafs number in recent years. The Leafs lost both games against the Senators, and Toskala was once again questioned for his goaltending abilities.

While Toskala was not the goalie he is now, it's not as if the Leafs defense were helping, consistently coming up with mediocre efforts to defend their goaltender. Part of the problem was that they often left one offender in front of the net unharmed, because the two defensemen were chasing one forward in particular. Not only that, but the Leafs couldn't get control in their own zone; every game they were struggling for possession of the puck and the opposition took full advantage, making the Leafs defenders look like pylons. That's not all either, when the attackers were entering the zone, the defensemen often huddle up in the crease, screening Toskala in the process -- if they were planning to get a higher draft pick, bravo troops, bravo!

As the season progressed, so did Toskala, eventually ceasing all doubt that he is not a capable #1 goaltender. Clearly the issue was to adapt to his new team, and he did so fairly quick, covering up the defensive woes that plague this team night in and night out. Throughout the course of the season, he has consistently come up with game savers; giving the Leafs a chance to win games they have no business winning. Last season, the goaltending was a liability to the team, this season it is not.

What makes Toskala so valuable to the Leafs are his lighting quick reflexes, superb glove hand, fast lateral movement and his ability to steal games. While he is small at 5'10, he makes up for it by challenging the shooters at the appropriate times and possessing a cool demeanor. The man is fazed by absolutely nothing; he stays mentally strong no matter what the scenario, as he proved on the Island earlier this week. He currently holds a 31-22-6 record with a 2.57 GAA, a .909 SV% and 3 shutouts. Remarkable stats considering the Leafs were in the Eastern Conference basement for the better part of the season.

However, next season may once again surface some interesting decisions going into the Trade Deadline. If Cliff Fletcher is true to his word, then the Leafs will forming a much different club next season, one that will hopefully consist of young players. And with Andrew Raycroft putting up another abysmal season -- even as the Buds back-up -- all signs point that the incumbent goaltender is on his way out, thus leaving the door wide open for Justin Pogge.

With that said, you can most certainly expect that Toskala will once again be the team's go-to guy, only difference being that Pogge will be his back-up, so you can expect a shortened work load for the Finnish netminder. One has to wonder though, if Pogge delivers some solid performances will the next GM of the Leafs look into trading Toskala? The Buds would be able to acquire a vast portion of prospects, which would do nothing but help this wounded franchise. If the Leafs do decide to rebuild, then having a 23 year old goaltender in Pogge will not be the end of the world, and he can grow with the young team in the process.

Amateur Scouting Report: Justin Pogge

I had an opportunity to see the Leafs future #1 netminder tonight, as his Marlies visited Hamilton in the first game of a home-and-home, picking up a 3-2 victory in overtime. I say "future #1" with conviction after what I saw tonight. Not that there was any doubt before I got to see him in person, we all remember his great World Junior run, a tournament where he was named MVP of the gold medal winning Canadian squad.

First Impression

At first glance he looks very big, and takes up a lot of net. He is strong and powerful, but his balance and skating could still be improved. He likes to wander when playing the puck, but has a hard shot and great hockey sense. He always seems to know where his teammates are, and is able to get them the puck, even under pressure. That doesn't mean he is immune from any mistakes. A couple of times tonight he was caught hanging on to the puck for too long, and it nearly cost him.

Pros

He uses his size to his advantage, cutting down the angle very well. He is rarely caught out of position because of his power, which is a credit to his conditioning. His rebound control and reflexes both seem to be above-average, although one of the goals was scored when he got a large piece of a puck with his glove hand, it popped up in the air and landed in the net. I would write that off as a fluke because even getting his glove on the shot in the first place was remarkable.

Cons

His only downsides are his skating and balance, and they aren't even that bad. I'm really nitpicking when I say those are issues. They are just some areas he can improve at, although he is already better than most goaltenders in those areas. His maturity has also improved from last year, he now knows player's tendencies and has adapted very well to professional hockey.

Future

Pogge's future remains unchanged from when they brought him up from the Calgary Hitmen. Play 2 or 3 years in the AHL and gradually make his way to the #1 job in Toronto. I believe that a 3rd year in the AHL can only be a good thing for Pogge. There is absolutely no reason to rush him, especially when it is up to a lackluster team such as the Leafs. I can see him splitting time with Vesa Toskala next season, but I wouldn't like it. It's not that he can't handle it, he's just as ready as Carey Price, but he can only get better from playing in the AHL. The Leafs don't need him, and shouldn't waste him. I know for Leafs fans keeping Pogge down in the minors feels a little like Christmas Eve, but it's for the better if you wait until morning to open your present. You don't want to spoil the surprise.

Justin Pogge Evolving : Future Starts Soon?

Toronto's 3rd round pick in 2004 is coming into his own. Justin Pogge started the season with the Toronto Marlies splitting goaltending duties with former New Jersey Devil, Scott Clemmensen. Both played fairly well and one did not look superior over another. But a Vesa Toskala injury to the Toronto Maple Leafs might just be what Justin Pogge needed. With Clemmensen getting the call to the NHL, Pogge was left with the starting duties for the Marlies. So far, he has 2 shutouts in as many as 5 games and his season statistics have risen to an impressive .911 SV%, a 2.18 GAA and a 13-2-4 record to go along with his 2 shutouts.

Justin Pogge, standing at 6'3 and weighing in at 205 pounds, is a goaltender who brings a quick glove, good speed and good puck handling specifically to the table. He also knows how to use his big frame to better challenge the shooters, an aspect very important to compete in the goaltenders league that is the NHL. Some of his flaws that I've noticed when he first started with the Marlies continue to be apart of his game, but already is getting progressively better this season. Those flaws include rebound control and consistency. Two aspects that need fine tuning in order to succeed in the NHL. However, his work ethic suggests that he's got the heart to overcome it and reach the level all young goaltenders dream of. According to Pogge, he is ready to experience what the NHL is like "Definitely, I would like to get the chance to see what (the NHL) is like," said a determined Justin Pogge. ''Even if I didn't play, it would be a chance to experience things at that level. That's what I worked all summer for. If I don't get the opportunity, it would be disappointing. I'd just have to work hard all summer again to reach that goal."

Pogge has already had success in the early going of his career. In 2006, he won ''CHL Goaltender of the Year'', ''Del Wilson Trophy - Top goaltender in the WHL'', ''Four Broncos Memorial Trophy - Player of the year in WHL'', '' World Junior Hockey Championship Team Canada MVP'' and a gold medal to go along with it. When the Leafs had both Tukka Rask and Justin Pogge, John Ferguson Jr. opted to keep Pogge and trade Rask for a quick fix in net, which has now proved to be a grave mistake. However, the Tukka Rask trade has given Pogge full confidence to be the future starter of the Leafs, and with Toskala holding the reins right now, there is no rush for the young goaltender. He can hone his skills and develop in the AHL as he should. But will we see Pogge as early as next season perhaps?

Throughout the pre-season, Justin Pogge was the most impressive goaltender for the Leafs, amongst a struggling group mind you, and this may speak volumes of what may happen in the very near future. I think it's possible that we may see Pogge between the pipes as early as next season. If Andrew Raycroft and Scott Clemmensen continue to display less than average performances for the Leafs this season, we may see some scenarios unfold. One would be to place Raycroft on waivers, thus dropping his 2M salary. I think it is the most logical scenario, but only if happens in the off-season. Dropping Raycroft now would leave us with Scott Clemmensen taking over as the back-up, a position he could not hold with the Devils, never mind the Leafs. So if Pogge continues to play great hockey for the Marlies, attempting to drop Raycroft would open a spot for Pogge as the back-up behind Toskala. At 22, this type of move would only raise his confidence and he could learn a thing or two from goaltender Vesa Toskala in the process. Another scenario would be to trade Raycroft, but they might find that to be quite difficult considering his recent struggles ever since he won the Calder Trophy.

One thing is for certain, Justin Pogge is among a thin group of talented Leafs prospects that have very high expectations to perform, and for obvious reasons.