Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.32

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Was it all too soon in Montreal for the heir apparent between the pipes to be given the throne all to himself? When Carey Price broke into the NHL at the beginning of the 2007/2008 season, he did so with an already long list of accomplishments for a very young goaltender, already a national hero for guiding Canada to a World Junior Hockey Championship gold medal in 2006 along with earning AHL playoff MVP honours helping the Hamilton Bulldogs to a Calder Cup Championship after arriving to that team late in the 06/07 season. However despite that gaudy list, it was against the advice of then Head Coach Guy Carbonneau that Price earned a spot with the Canadiens.

Instead it was General Manager Bob Gainey who insisted Price back up Cristobal Huet and for a half season, the arrangement seemed to be working. Huet provided a veteran presence and got the bulk of the work while Price was able to get spot duty, getting is feet wet in the NHL while knowing the fate of the team did not rest on his young shoulders. During that time, Price played quite well. But then with Huet heading toward unrestricted free agency at the end of last season, Gainey took another big leap by trading Huet and handing the goaltending reigns to Price. All of a sudden at just twenty years of age, it was Price’s team.

Scrutinized by millions, Price’s confidence began to slip resulting in a poor first playoff appearance. Following a good start to his second season, Price again began to slide just like his team under the immense expectations of the Habs’ 100th anniversary season culminating with a sweep at the hands of the Boston Bruins with Price booed heavily on home ice.

Has irreparable damage been done to Price’s career? Well we can only wait and find out but if one thing is certain, perhaps Guy Carbonneau was right that a little extra seasoning in the minors might not have been such a bad thing. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In the Crease - Episode 4.31

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In just his third season as a professional, Justin Pogge has already come to the crossroads in his career, or at least his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Once touted as the goaltender of the future, suggest that moniker to Brian Burke and I’m quite certain he would not be in agreement. Pogge struggled through his first season with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL, improved only incrementally in his second year and if anything, took a step back both on the ice and on the depth chart of the Maple Leafs in his third season.

Now with the Maple Leafs in hot pursuit of “The Monster” Jonas Gustavsson, generally acknowledged to be the best goaltender not in the NHL right now, Pogge needs a long and impressive run with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL playoffs this spring if he has any hope of reestablishing his position within the organization.

Burke likes to have organizational depth with players in the AHL pushing their counterparts in the NHL, preventing them from slipping into a comfort zone of complacency. The recent signings of Christian Hanson, Tyler Bozak, Robert Slaney and the future 2009 first round pick will provide some of that depth. Pogge though has yet to show that he can push Vesa Toskala for the starter’s job. If Gustavsson does land in Toronto, it is likely he will be given every opportunity to provide that pressure and ensure Burke ends up looking smart.

As a restricted free agent, Pogge’s play this season has led some to wonder if the Maple Leafs should even resign him. If he does resign, it will most certainly be at Burke’s terms and not Pogge’s. However with a thirty seven save performance in game one of the Marlies series against the Manitoba Moose, Pogge is off to a good start. If only for the sake of organizational depth, here’s hoping he can keep it up. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.30

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While there is still work to be done to settle the final two playoff positions in the Western Conference, the eight tickets to the big dance in the Eastern Conference have all been booked. The Canadiens and the Rangers are in and the Panthers and the Sabres are out. Though seeding in the fourth through eighth spots will be determined over the final weekend of the season with Philadelphia, Carolina and Pittsburgh all tied for fourth at ninety seven points and the New York Rangers and Montreal tied for seventh at ninety three points, the eight teams can rest assured that they’ll be able to take their shot at Lord Stanley’s Mug.

However the most intriguing situation to play out over the off season will likely be from a team that missed the playoffs every season since 2000.The Florida Panthers fought tooth and nail down the stretch with a less than impressive roster but eventually fell just short. The Panthers were in desperate need of making the playoffs to rekindle some interest in their team, especially after opting to retain one of the game’s better defensemen in Jay Bouwmeester at the trade deadline.

Bouwmeester, likely to walk as an unrestricted free agent this summer, would be a big asset for the Panthers to lose for nothing. It was a gamble for GM Jacques Martin to hang onto Bouwmeester at the trade deadline for a playoff push and now with the Panthers falling short, it is a gamble that has backfired and could cost Martin his job.

There will be many teams in the hunt for Bouwmeester and he certainly will not take a hometown discount. If the Panthers want to keep him they will have to open their checkbook and likely over pay since Bouwmeester seems intent on leaving – something they may not be prepared to do in uncertain economic times. One thing is for sure though: the Panthers gambled and lost but just how big of a loss it is remains to be seen. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 4.29

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We’ve talked about it constantly on the program over the past year – how important it is for the Maple Leafs this season not to tank and bottom out in hopes of attaining the first overall draft choice in the 2009 Entry Draft, but rather alter the losing culture that has long been associated with the team.

The hiring of proven and respected Head Coach Ron Wilson last summer was the first step in that process and now toward the end of a season in which the Maple Leafs will again miss the playoffs, it is how a very talent thin roster competed hard almost night in and night out, keeping themselves in the playoff race until the seventy sixth game of the season and leaving some suggesting Wilson deserves “Coach of the Year” honours that is most impressive.

Secondly, the restructuring of the front office led by President and General Manager Brian Burke has gone a long way in providing direction and stability within the organization and has shed the notion that losing and mediocrity is permitted. After officially being eliminated from playoff contention on Tuesday night, Burke said that failure felt like a “kick in the groin” and that he took it “personally and professionally” – a strong words from a GM who had very little opportunity to improve the hand he was dealt when he arrived in Toronto in late November.

Already that stability has begun to pay off with the Leafs being able to lure two of the top college free agents, Christian Hanson and Tyler Bozak, into the fold. When it’s clear who the head coach will be, clear who the general manager will be and clear that losing is not tolerated; it’s amazing how easy it can be to attract players. Just ask yourself this: if you were a player looking for a team would you want to play under Wilson and Burke in Toronto or under maybe Cory Clouston but maybe not and oh, are we really sure Bryan Murray is going to keep his job in Ottawa. Not a difficult question eh? But hey, all that was just rigamarole.