Rigamarole - A Foot In the Crease - Episode 4.31

www.afootinthecrease.com

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.