Trade deadline recap.

Just filed the story regarding today’s trades. In all, 55 players changed teams in 31 deals, both NHL records.

The Ducks’ five trades seemed meager in comparison to the Phoenix Coyotes’ seven, the most of any team. Here are the highlights from Bob Murray’s pregame summit high atop Honda Center:
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Ducks acquire Aaron Ward.

Landing the depth defenseman they wanted, the Ducks have traded goaltender Justin Pogge and a future fourth-round draft pick to the Carolina Hurricanes for defenseman Aaron Ward.

Ward told reporters in Raleigh this morning that he will not be in Anaheim for tonight’s game against the Colorado Avalanche, but told Randy Carlyle he will practice with his new team Thursday.

In an interview with TSN this morning, Ward, who has been anxiously awaiting a trade, said he “was surprsied it’s Anaheim.”

“I’m happy from the fact I feel it’s a new lease on life,” he said. “October, November, I thought I had the poorest runs of hockey in my career and wasn’t very happy with it. I think I’ve played well the last few months.”

Ward, who turned 37 in January, has a goal and 11 points in 60 games this season for the Hurricanes. His minus-17 rating was second-lowest on the team.

In 822 career NHL games, Ward has recorded 44 goals and 149 points with 728 penalty minutes. A three-time Stanley Cup champion with Detroit (1997, 98) and Carolina (2006), the 6-2, 209-pound defenseman has added four goals and 10 points in 95 career playoff games.

“Aaron Ward brings valuable experience and is a proven winner with
three Stanley Cup championships,” Ducks GM Bob Murray said in a
statement. “We are pleased to bring him on board.”

Pogge was acquired in the off-season from the Toronto Maple Leafs to serve as the team’s third goaltender. The 23-year-old split the season between ECHL Bakersfield and AHL San Antonio, where he carried a 2.57 goals-against average and .923 save percentage in 23 games.

The Ducks have three young goalies already under contract. Timo Pielmeier and Jean-Phillippe Levasseur are currently in Bakersfield, and Marco Cousineau is finishing up his final season in the QMJHL.

Ward gives the Ducks seven NHL defensemen under contract. They have been playing with six since Nick Boynton was assigned to the AHL on Feb. 2.

Pogge is AHL player of the week.

Justin Pogge wasted no time getting to work in the American Hockey League last week.

Returned to the San Antonio Rampage after goaltender Vesa Toskala arrived in Anaheim, Pogge made three consecutive starts over the weekend and won them all, stopping 97 of 100 shots. On Monday, he was named AHL player of the week for the week ending Sunday.

Pogge began the week with a 27-save performance in San Antonio’s 3-1 win at Peoria on Friday night. In a rematch with the Rivermen on Saturday, Pogge made 43 saves on 44 shots to lead the Rampage to a 2-1 victory. And on Sunday, Pogge turned aside 27 shots as San Antonio edged Milwaukee 2-1.

Toskala in, Pogge to San Antonio.

It took a week, but Vesa Toskala has joined the Anaheim Ducks.

His immigration paperwork in order, Toskala will practice with his new team Sunday at Honda Center for the first time since coming over from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Toskala has worn number 35 – the jersey formerly worn by Jean-Sebastien Giguere – for all but one of his eight NHL seasons. A team spokesperson said that Toskala’s jersey number for Monday’s game against the Kings has yet to be determined.

Goaltender Justin Pogge was returned to San Antonio of the American Hockey League on Sunday.

Murray: ‘It’s a good fit for them and a good fit for us.’

Ducks general Bob Murray said he wasn’t sure that Jean-Sebastien Giguere was headed for Toronto until 12:30 a.m. Sunday.

That’s how much of a whirlwind deal Sunday’s blockbuster was — mainly, according to Murray, because he was willing to trade his veteran goalie before Brian Burke was.

“I talked with (Toronto assistant) David Nonis and Burkie early in the year about this,” Murray said. “They didn’t feel it was the right time. All of a sudden, (Jonas) Hiller’s signed and I’ve got (Nonis) saying he’s interested in something. They had a much bigger deal going somewhere else (for Dion Phaneuf) and they wanted to tie everything together.

“It’s a good fit for Toronto. I think that Jiggy’s a perfect guy to be with The Monster (Jonas Gustavsson) and (goaltending consultant) Frankie Allaire. It’s a good fit for them and a good fit for us. It came together all in the last 24 hours.”
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Sexton assigned to Manitoba.

With Jason Blake en route from Toronto, the Ducks chose rookie sensation Dan Sexton as the odd man out of the Ducks’ forward corps Sunday, assigning the right wing to Manitoba of the American Hockey League.

Goaltender Justin Pogge was recalled from AHL San Antonio but his stay could be a short one if Vesa Toskala is able to suit up for the Ducks tomorrow against the Florida Panthers.

Sexton appeared in 28 games for the Ducks, collecting nine goals and 18 points with 14 penalty minutes. The 22-year-old led all NHL rookies in goals and points, along with scoring on the road, since his recall from Manitoba on Dec. 4. He scored six goals and 11 points in the month of December, ranking second among league rookies in scoring and tied for second in goals. Sexton also posted a career-high three-game goal streak from Dec. 3-8, matching the longest by a rookie this season.

Pogge re-assigned to San Antonio.

The Ducks have re-assigned goaltender Justin Pogge to the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League.

Pogge hasn’t appeared in an AHL game this season. He has spent the season mostly with ECHL Bakersfield, posting a 6-2-0 record with a 2.69 goals-against average (GAA) and .902 save percentage. He also served as the backup to Jonas Hiller when Jean-Sebastien Giguere was shelved recently with a groin strain, but did not appear in a game.

Pogge joins two goaltenders in San Antonio — Al Montoya and Josh Tordjman — assigned by their parent NHL club, the Phoenix Coyotes.

Pogge is re-assigned to Bakersfield.

Good news for Jean-Sebastien Giguere and bad news for Justin Pogge: Pogge has been reassigned to Bakersfield, clearing the way for Giguere to come off injured reserve when the Ducks begin a four-game road trip Wednesday in New Jersey.

Pogge, 23 (4/22/86), did not make an appearance for Anaheim following his Oct. 26 recall from Bakersfield. He has appeared in four contests with the Condors this season, posting a 2-1-0 record with a 2.10 goals-against average and .923 save percentage.