Reports: Pogge to Ducks.
Several news outlets are reporting that the Toronto Maple Leafs will trade goaltender Justin Pogge to the Ducks.
Here's what makes sense about the deal from Toronto's end: The Leafs just hired former Ducks goaltending consultant Francois Allaire to coach their goaltenders, and it's entirely within reason that Allaire didn't like what he saw in Pogge. Pogge is a former third-round draft pick, 90th overall in 2004 by then-Leafs general manager John Ferguson Jr. But Pogge's first seven NHL games, all during the 2008-09 season, didn't particularly live up to their promise.
He went 1-4-1 in Toronto with a 4.36 goals-against average and a .844 save percentage, splitting the season between the NHL and AHL. In 53 games for the Toronto Marlies, Pogge went 26-21-5 with a 2.70 GAA and .895 save percentage. TSN is reporting the Ducks will give up a conditional draft pick, which will go up or down based on Pogge's performance.
The curiosity of the trade begins on the Ducks' end. The most likely scenario has Pogge going straight to the minors. Although Anaheim recently gained a goaltending prospect in Timo Pielmeier (acquired from the Sharks in the Kent Huskins/Travis Moen deal), they lost a pair of minor-leaguers in the offseason. David LeNeveu appears headed to Austria, and free agent David McKee isn't likely to re-sign.
The less likely scenario has Pogge stepping up to the NHL sooner, with Jean-Sebastien Giguere and his $6 million salary being traded, and Pogge backing up Jonas Hiller. However, this off-season hasn't seen Ducks general manager Bob Murray anywhere close to trading Giguere -- who has a no-trade close -- though Murray hasn't ruled out the possibility.
The trade isn't official yet, but stay tuned for updates.
About J.P.
J.P. Hoornstra has been covering the Anaheim Ducks since 2007. Eight months after the University of Wisconsin won its third NCAA hockey championship, he was born in a frigid Madison winter. He betrayed his blue-blooded beginnings by graduating from UCLA in 2003, and welcomes any and all dialogue on the finer points of hockey.
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