Pogge not living up to the hype

Justin Pogge had his most celebrated success in his goaltending career wearing the red and white maple leaf.

But his tenure in the colours of the blue and white uniform of the Maple Leafs – the team that drafted him in the fourth-round in 1990 – has been anything but triumphant.

When Pogge backstopped the Team Canada World Juniors to a gold medal on home ice in 2006, he earned the praise of an entire nation. Upon claiming the title as the country’s top major junior goaltender later that spring, the expectation was for the Fort McMurray, Alberta native to become the Leafs’ goalie of the future.

Three years later, the experiment has been nothing short of a flop.

Pogge has just a single victory in seven NHL appearances this season. While his teammates have often left him out to dry, Saturday’s defeat at the hands of the Boston Bruins provided ample evidence that he is far from the caliber of a big league goaltender.

His movement is inefficient; expending too much energy with his lateral motion.

He is positionally unsound, often too deep in the net. He has a tendency to go down early.

The biggest foreshadowing of Pogge’s misadventures came in last year’s Calder Cup playoffs when AHL Marlies coach Greg Gilbert named veteran Scott Clemmensen as his starting netminder. While Pogge’s and Clemmensen’s statistics were almost identical, Gilbert rightly chose experience over youth, but was vilified by many fans for not giving the youngster the chance to gain some playoff action.

The Marlies’ bench boss proved his critics wrong by advancing his team to the Western Conference Final, ignoring the naysayers who had prematurely anointed Pogge as the Leafs’ future saviour.

This year, not even the most optimistic of Pogge’s supporters can dispute that his NHL numbers are abominable; a 1-4-1 record with an alarming 4.35 goals against average and porous save percentage of .844.

With the Leafs having played this entire season virtually out of the playoff race, general manager Brian Burke and head coach Ron Wilson have used Pogge on as many occasions to date, not because he has earned a promotion from the AHL, but because the opportunity was present for the one-time junior star to showcase his talent.

The results have been unspectacular.

With Pogge set to turn 23 next month, and with three seasons of above average – but not stellar – years of AHL experience under his belt, the expiry date at which the “highly touted prospect” becomes a “minor league journeyman” is rapidly approaching.

It would be to no one’s surprise if Burke finds another destination for Pogge, once he becomes a restricted free-agent this summer.

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Rob Del Mundo is the author of Off The Post, a regular column at TMLfans.ca

Leafs players don’t support Toronto’s “Tank Nation”

As the Maple Leafs prepare for their fourth consecutive absence from the Stanley Cup playoffs – the longest such drought in franchise history – a faction of fans known informally as “Tank Nation” has become more vocal in their encouragement of the team to lose as many games as possible between now and the end of the season. With highly–touted prospects John Tavares and Victor Hedman waiting in the wings to be the first two players selected overall in this coming June’s draft, therein lies an understandable desire among this group of supporters to finish as low as possible in the standings in order to obtain the best chance at winning the draft lottery, thus maximizing the opportunity to land either player.

With the Leafs having been mired in a cycle of mediocrity for the past several seasons, during which they’ve never iced a team good enough to be a legitimate championship contender, but not bad enough to earn a high enough draft pick to land a franchise player, the so-called “Tank Nation” bandwagon has gained momentum in recent weeks, particularly in light of GM Brian Burke’s housecleaning at the trade deadline that saw the continuation of the team’s rebuild, with the exits of Nik Antropov and Dominic Moore in exchange for second-round picks.

The past week has demonstrated that the pleas of “Tank Nation” has fallen on deaf ears of Burke, head coach Ron Wilson, and the twenty players in the Leafs’ dressing room.

Monday’s 2-1 defeat to Ottawa went down to the wire after Wilson successfully challenged Jason Spezza’s illegal stick, resulting in a late Toronto power-play. The following night at Air Canada Centre, the Leafs prevailed in overtime over the New York Islanders, in a game more publicized for Wilson’s post-game tirade on veteran reporter Howard Berger than for any of the on-ice action. Wilson took exception to Berger’s suggestion that the timing of the coach’s manoeuvres in pulling out all the stops to win games should have been done “in November, when the games meant something”. In a tirade that was broadcast on several outlets, the Leafs bench boss admonished his annoyance for supposedly having his “integrity as a coach” being compromised. On Thursday, Wilson’s burning competitive desire was still evident in a loss to Tampa during which he was ejected after excessively berating officials following a jousting match between Leafs forward Ben Ondrus and the Lightning’s Evgeny Artyukhin. The week for the Leafs concluded on Saturday with an 8-6 slugfest against the Calgary Flames in which the Leafs were victorious.

Over the past four games, Toronto has demonstrated a resilience to exert as much effort as possible in winning games – regardless of the degree to which their draft lottery positioning is jeopardized, and rightfully so. Here are a few basic reasons of why the notion of ‘tanking’ games is not acceptable, by any measure.

1. The tanking strategy cheats the paying fans, who fork over their hard-earned dollars for tickets to watch their teams play. With the top-end ducats going for $182 apiece at Air Canada Centre, assembling a lineup comprised of anything but a roster fully committed to winning would be bordering on criminal.
2. There is no guarantee of winning the draft lottery, as abysmal as a team may finish at the end of the regular season. For an example of how the improbable may happen, look no further than the 2007 Chicago Blackhawks, who squeaked into the number 1 slot even with only an 8.1 per cent shot of getting the chance.
3. The notion of putting forth a subpar effort is a discourtesy to other teams, in particular the clubs chasing your opponents for coveted playoff spots. The Leafs play the Sabres and the Canadiens twice each before season’s end. With Buffalo and Montreal jostling with Pittsburgh, Florida, Carolina and the New York Rangers over the remaining seeds in the Eastern Conference, any suggestion of tanking simply upsets the integrity of the playoff race.

The issue of allegedly tanking games came into prominence at the conclusion of the 1983-84 season, with Laval superstar Mario Lemieux revered as the next sure-fire franchise player, and as history would prove, with good reason. With Pittsburgh and New Jersey both destined for futility, the Devils accused the Penguins of deliberately icing a substandard lineup when minor league goaltender Vince Tremblay started many games in February and March. New Jersey earned only 10 points over its final twenty games of the year, and still finished ahead of Pittsburgh by three points.

“There was a principle involved,” then Devils general manager Max McNab told The Hockey News. “It would have made me sick to my stomach to do something to lose games.”

A quarter-century later, the philosophy of a full commitment to winning, independent of a team’s forthcoming draft position, is still evident in hockey culture.

“Our coach says, even if we don’t make the playoffs, we need to play our games very well,” a smiling Mikhail Grabovski told reporters after registering his third 2-goal game of the year during Saturday’s win over Calgary. “Everybody comes in and plays hard.”

Toronto forward Matt Stajan echoed the message of his teammate. “As professionals, we come to the rink to win hockey games and do the best that we can every night. We’re never, ever going to throw games or even talk about it. We wear the Toronto Maple Leaf proudly and we want to win every single game.”

The Leafs may very well finish the year in a position to land a premium draft pick.

But if they do, it won’t be because they played like they wanted to be there.

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Rob Del Mundo is the author of Off The Post, a regular column at TMLfans.ca

Leafs fans get it right, in cheering Mats

In the two months that elapsed between Mats Sundin’s signing with the Vancouver Canucks and his return to Toronto where he dazzled fans for 13 seasons in a Leafs uniform, there was always the question of how the patrons at Air Canada Centre would react when he stepped on the ice.

Any speculation that the franchise’s all-time leading scorer would be booed as retribution for his off-season indecision and subsequent signing with another team was laid to rest as the sellout crowd of 19,504 rose to their feet on two separate occasions.

The first instance occurred during the first TV timeout of the game, when a highlight package of Sundin’s greatest Leaf moments was displayed on the high-definition scoreboard at centre ice. The bipartisan audience, of which about one-third were Canucks fans, continued to stand and applaud long after the network had returned from commercial. The ovation continued for about two minutes while Sundin skated away from the faceoff circle to acknowledge the fans, and neither former teammate Matt Stajan nor the linesman appeared to be in a hurry to proceed with the faceoff.

The next appreciative uproar took place at game’s end, as Sundin was named the game’s first star after scoring the winning goal in a shootout, using a patented backhand deke on Vesa Toskala that Leafs fans have been so accustomed to seeing from their former captain when he wore blue and white. On the weekend of the Academy Awards, it was only fitting that this much-anticipated game followed a Hollywood script.

“When you’re a professional, you dream about getting chances like that,” grinned Sundin just minutes after leading his team to victory. “Being the deciding shooter, in a breakaway at the end of a game, or overtime goals, this is the kind of stuff that you grew up with while playing street hockey.” Toronto’s all-time leader in goals and points, Sundin humbly reflected on the result as one of his all-time favourite memories at ACC. “With everything that’s been going on since last year’s trade deadline, this was very special. Of course, I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.”

There was a noticeable portion of detractors in attendance that voiced their displeasure at Sundin’s much-documented refusal to waive his no-trade clause last year, followed by his inking of the deal with Vancouver in mid-season just months after saying he would not want to become a rental player – a move that reeked of hypocrisy in the minds of several observers. About one-fourth of the crowd did their best to offset the cheers with boos when Sundin was introduced as part of the starting lineup, and the lanky Swede received his share of raspberries every time he touched the puck – treatment usually inflicted upon ACC visitors such as Senators rival and fellow countryman Daniel Alfredsson, or more recently, whipping boy and ex-Leaf Bryan McCabe. Leafs’ game organist Jimmy Holmstrom couldn’t resist a playful dig by thumping out the classic song by The Clash “Should I Stay or Should I Go” in mock tribute to Sundin’s fence-sitting mood that was exhibited for much of 2008.

As vocal as Sundin’s critics were, they were simply outnumbered on this evening, and rightfully so. The hockey-crazed, often ruthless hockey mecca of Toronto could just have easily turned against their former leader. Instead, the city and its fans gave Sundin the due appreciation for 13 years of tireless service with the club, in what was likely the loudest ovation in NHL history for a play that is not technically registered on a player’s individual statistics – a shootout-winning goal.

“I really thought when they had that tribute on the video, the ovation that Mats got was outstanding,” said Canucks coach Alain Vigneault. “It showed a lot of class from the people that were here at the game. I think it was well-deserved. I understand why he decided to stay with his team last year; they thought they had a shot at making the playoffs. It’s simple and it’s honest.”

In the mind of Leafs bench boss Ron Wilson, things went according to plan. “I expected the reaction, I didn’t think there’d be any animosity,” he said just as the team packed for a flight to New York for Sunday’s game against the Rangers. Meanwhile Stajan, who earlier had delayed his return to the faceoff circle to allow the ovation to continue, expects the reaction to be the same upon Sundin’s next return to the building, likely in a few years when a banner inscribed with the number 13 is raised to the roof of ACC.

“He’ll probably get more of (the applause) when he comes back here after his career.”

How fitting it was that Toronto did not wait until then, to hail their former hero.

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Rob Del Mundo is the author of Off The Post, a regular column at TMLfans.ca

Air Canada Centre celebrates tenth birthday

When Toronto’s Air Canada Centre opened its doors to the public in February 1999, the building was christened with the moniker “New Memories, New Dreams”. A decade later, fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs have been flooded with scores of memorable moments, while the dream of a Stanley Cup remains unfulfilled.

The arena opened its doors to NHL hockey on February 20 as the Leafs hosted their long-time rivals the Montreal Canadiens. Todd Warriner of Toronto scored the first goal in the Leafs’ new home while Steve Thomas capped off the housewarming party in style by netting the overtime winner, to the delight of 18,800 guests in attendance.

Joe Bowen, who has been the play-by-play voice of the Leafs for over a quarter-century, recalls the inaugural game with clarity, having taken an immediate liking to his new surroundings a decade ago. “The newness of building and the amenities that we had in the press box are what I remember most, “ said Bowen. “Maple Leaf Gardens was a great building to watch a hockey game in, but as far as the press box was concerned, it was pretty archaic. So it was really quite nice. The sight lines were excellent in comparison to some of the newer American rinks that had been built.

“The game was great, and the Leafs ended up winning it late. It was kind of nice after losing the last one at Maple Leaf Gardens (6-2 to Chicago).”

Toronto made a surprising run to the Eastern Conference Final that spring, on the strength of Pat Quinn’s coaching and Curtis Joseph’s goaltending, as both men wound up their first year of tenure with the Leafs.

It would be another three years before Toronto made an appearance into the NHL’s final four. The 2002 playoffs – undoubtedly the most exciting playoff run for the club in recent memory – featured some of the most heart-palpitating moments ever witnessed at the Leafs’ rink. A vicious seven-game series against the New York Islanders in the opening round, marred by a controversial hit by Darcy Tucker on Michael Peca, was sealed on home ice on the strength of a pair of goals by Alex Mogilny. Four days later the Leafs dueled their next opponents, the Ottawa Senators, in an epic battle in what many consider to be the greatest game ever played at 40 Bay Street. With Toronto trailing 1-0 in the series, the two Ontario rivals played to triple overtime; the game prolonged by the heroics of Joseph who stoned the Senators’ Marian Hossa on three separate breakaways. Gary Roberts ended the marathon with a booming shot past goalie Patrick Lalime, right after a clean faceoff win by Robert Reichel. The Leafs magical run was thwarted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the following series.

Since then, the Leafs have not won more than one playoff round in a given year, and the team is currently mired in their longest post-season drought in club history. Toronto has not hosted a playoff game since before the lockout, when Jeremy Roenick of the Flyers ended Toronto’s season by potting an overtime marker past Ed Belfour in 2004.

Nevertheless, fans passing through the turnstiles at Air Canada Centre have been treated to more than their fair share of spectacular highlights, which have included:
• Thomas converting a 2-on-1 pass from Sergei Berezin to end a nail-biting playoff overtime, Game #5 in 2000 vs. Ottawa.
• The 2000 NHL All-Star game, in which Pavel Bure scored a hat trick and took home MVP honours.
• Canada’s victory over Finland in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey championship game, with Shane Doan scoring the game-winner.
• Mats Sundin completing a hat trick by scoring his 500th career goal against the Calgary Flames in a 2006 overtime game.

While hockey is certainly the heartbeat of ACC, it certainly doesn’t hold a monopoly on the building’s activities. The venue is also home to the NBA’s Raptors (the original tenants, before being purchased by the Leafs’ parent company Maple Leaf Gardens Limited), and the Toronto Rock of the National Lacrosse League.

Entertainers of all genres, including Rush, Van Halen, the Spice Girls, Madonna, and The Tragically Hip (who played ACC’s first ever concert) have performed before sellout crowds, when the ice and hardcourt were not in use.

The scoreboard has been newly upgraded for high definition, with plans to expand the west side of the building to an area known as Maple Leaf Square, which will include luxury condominiums, hotels, and major retail outlets upon completion.

With the ACC booming into the next ten years and beyond, Bowen – while appreciative of the modern luxuries afforded by the arena – holds a soft spot for not only the old Maple Leaf Gardens, but also the old opposing rinks such as the Montreal Forum and Chicago Stadium. ”All those buildings had individual character. Now the ice surface is exactly the same everywhere. There’s no home ice advantage like the Aud or the Boston Garden had.

“ I think that’s probably what’s missing – some of the intimacy and the nostalgia of the old buildings.”

Of course, the conspicuous absence from the ACC that has yet to be brought over from their old home is a Stanley Cup banner.

For ten years, the Air Canada Centre has produced no shortage of new memories.

Leafs fans still await the realization of that Stanley Cup dream.

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Rob Del Mundo is the author of Off The Post, a regular column at TMLfans.ca