Calder, Cullimore, Pogge, Donally cut.
Left wing Kyle Calder and defensemen Jassen Cullimore were released from their Pro Tryout Contracts by the Ducks on Saturday, giving the team's younger talent room to breathe and further clarifying the picture on defense.
Also Saturday, goaltender Justin Pogge and forward Ryan Donally were both sent to San Antonio of the AHL.
Calder, who spent the past two seasons with the Kings, was hoping to catch on with the Ducks as an energy-liner. Cullimore, who latched on with the Florida Panthers each of the past two seasons after coming to camp on a tryout, offered the potential to make up some of the height the Ducks lost on the blue line by trading Chris Pronger.
Instead, both veterans are left to weigh their options after fairly unproductive preseasons in Anaheim.
Donally got a long look as a checking-line option at left wing. The 24-year-old had 5 goals and 9 points in 72 games last year in Iowa (AHL). In San Antonio, he can get re-acquainted with Francis Lessard, whom the Coyotes recently assigned to the Rampage.
Pogge, acquired from Toronto in an off-season trade, was expected to start the season in the AHL as the Ducks' third option behind J-S Giguere and Jonas Hiller. In his second preseason appearance Friday, Pogge allowed six goals in a 6-0 Ducks loss to the San Jose Sharks. San Antonio, which is the Coyotes' official AHL affiliate, also has Coyotes goaltender Al Montoya on its roster. It will be interesting to see how much playing time Pogge gets if the parent organization prefers to keep Montoya as fresh as possible.
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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