The assessment of goaltender Justin Pogge's future with the Maple Leafs is about to begin in earnest.
Pogge, long viewed as Toronto's top prospect, was called up from the Marlies yesterday. He will start tonight when the Leafs play the Minnesota Wild at St. Paul.
In an odd twist, however, no matter how the 22-year-old performs, the decision already has been made to immediately return him to the AHL after that game. Coach Ron Wilson said Pogge will be called up periodically between now and the end of the season to play games he has pencilled in for the young netminder.
Wilson said Pogge will play "enough to know whether he's an NHL goaltender or not."
The games he has in mind will present Pogge with a variety of experiences meant to give team management a reading on his potential in the big leagues.
"Different tests, different teams, different challenges, different venues; stuff like that," Wilson said.
Pogge has played one previous NHL game, a 6-2 win over Atlanta in which he made 19 saves. He said the confidence he gained in that NHL debut on Dec.22 stayed with him when he returned to the Marlies. In 10 AHL starts since Christmas, Pogge has gone 5-3-2 and allowed only 21 goals overall.
He was solid while making 21 saves in a 3-1 win over Chicago on Saturday.
"Things are just starting to come together, I guess," said Pogge, who struggled earlier in the season with the Marlies. "Our team has been playing really good down there. I can't take all the credit, but I feel like my game has been coming along."
Pogge's apprenticeship will further squeeze out veteran Curtis Joseph, the classy backup who rarely plays. Vesa Toskala likes to start as often as possible. So, with Pogge getting more games, Joseph isn't likely to get many more opportunities to spell the No.1 netminder.
Joseph wasn't available for comment yesterday - the team was hustling to get to the airport after a late-afternoon practice - but Toskala said he can see the wisdom in what the Leafs are planning.
"In many ways, it makes sense to give (Pogge) games and give him a chance to play in this league," he said. "It's easier to play every second night once you find that rhythm, but we have lots of back-to-backs and I understand what the team is doing."
For the Leafs, it is a smart way to take advantage of the proximity of their farm team. They can keep Pogge from becoming stagnant as a backup to Toskala and easily slip him in for games as desired.
"He's a young goalie. He needs to develop, he needs to play," Wilson said. "Because he's right in our own backyard we can get him some games and experience in the NHL as well."
Wilson said starting tonight against the Wild makes sense because his other two netminders have both been off the ice since last Wednesday's shootout loss to the Bruins because of the all-star break. Toskala is expected to start Thursday night when the Leafs finish their two-game road swing against the Avalanche in Denver.
"I can have a couple of good practices and then play games. It's a good plan," Toskala said.
The 31-year-old said over the break he went "somewhere warm ... just to not think about hockey; give the body a little bit of a rest and a little mental break, too."
It's understandable why he wanted to get away. The Leafs have won only three of their last 14 games and Toskala's numbers have been disappointing. It was expected he would be the one solid part of Toronto's game but, facing better shots behind a weaker defence, he has a 3.29 goals-against average and a poor .885 save percentage.
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