Killing the Culture of Entitlement Means Pogge Has To Go

Published by Toronto Mike on April 28, 2009 @ 16:51 in Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Marlies

Leafers I'm as guilty as anyone. Justin Pogge was awesome during the 2006 World Junior Hockey Championship, and ever since we've been waiting for him to assume his role as Maple Leafs saviour. Here's the entry I wrote in January 2006 in which I opened with the following line. "I have seen the future of Toronto Maple Leafs hockey, and his name is Justin Pogge."

I have a great relationship with the Marlies PR people, and when I told them I wanted to meet Justin Pogge and ask him some questions, they quickly made it happen. He was the only Marlie I wanted to meet. Who wouldn't want to meet the future of Toronto Maple Leafs hockey?

I was there during the low points and the high points. It's been a roller coaster ride with peaks and valleys. When I learnt he was benched for the final playoff game of the season in Winnipeg, I responded with this tweet.

Pogge didn't get the start tonight.... it's Munro starting for the Marlies in the Peg. Whoa, methinks the Pogge era has grinded to a halt.

For the second season in a row, Greg Gilbert passed over Pogge at playoff time. Pogge's NHL record this season was abysmal. There's a reason we picked up Gerber... Pogge isn't anywhere close to being an NHL starting goaltender.

I want to believe, I really do, and that's the problem. There's a culture of entitlement with this franchise that Ron Wilson and Brian Burke are working hard to destroy, and that means Pogge has to go. I hate that this has to happen, but it's for the best.

It's time to get Jonas Gustavsson to compete with Vesa Toskala for the Leafs spot. James Reimer is ready to play with Adam Munro with the Marlies. The Justin Pogge era has indeed ground to a halt.

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19 comments

19 Responses to "Killing the Culture of Entitlement Means Pogge Has To Go"

andrew
April 28, 2009 / 18:46

AMEN. Showed nothing playing for the Leafs this year.
With all that HE heard being the FUTURE of being goalie for the Leafs it may have gotten to his head.
He has to go & Burke will have him gone by draft day. Leafs traded away Rusk to Boston - a bad choice & seeing it now.
Pogge you had your chance & even when Marlies don't play you in a crucial game in the playoffs this year you have to realize you probably are done.
AMEN. Lucky to get a 4th or 5th round draft pick for him.

dale
April 28, 2009 / 20:24

He's done. His own expectations were probably more than he can accomplish. He won Jr. Gold in 2006 but since then has nothing to grow to be an NHL player.
Too bad, so sad - if staying with Leaf. org. next year probably see him in the ECHL.

elvis
April 28, 2009 / 21:39

Just like your ejaculation record, your verdict is premature.

Goalie's always take longer to be NHL ready - for every Ken Dryden, there are a million Tim Thomas'.

dale
April 28, 2009 / 22:42

Elvis - Pogge has not even improved in the AHL with the Marlies with coach not playing him 2 years in the crucial games in playoffs. No confidence in him.
How much longer do the Leafs have to give him.

eyebleaf
April 29, 2009 / 08:55

I'm with you. The Pogge era is over. Before it even really began.

He's done nothing to prove that he can be a star at the AHL level, and the few games he's played in the NHL were a joke.

Andrew
April 29, 2009 / 10:09

So I guess a follow-up interview won't goes as well.

Toronto Mike
April 29, 2009 / 10:13

It's worth noting he was super nice and he made you want to root for him.

I don't remember wanting a prospect to succeed as badly, but when I remove the bias and look at the numbers and facts, it doesn't add up.

I hope I'm wrong.

elvis
April 29, 2009 / 10:34

Who's losing ice time by keeping him on the squad? I don't understand the need to throw him under the bus quite yet. Keeping in the AHL does no harm to anyone - do we expect Munro to be the future? Anyone, anyone?

Now if Pogge's presence means Burke doesn't draft any keepers, then fine, it's an issue but I don't think Burke is the type of guy to put all his eggs in one basket like that.

Toronto Mike
April 29, 2009 / 10:44

Burke's going after Jonas Gustavsson. And don't forget James Reimer, he deserves a shot with the Marlies.

elvis
April 29, 2009 / 12:31

Reimer as another backup - maybe.

If Gustavsson was so good, he'd be drafted already.

The Meatriarchy
April 29, 2009 / 15:35

Grinded? Surely you meant ground?

Toronto Mike
April 29, 2009 / 15:37

Ummm, yeah... ground.

An English major should know better.

Toronto Mike
April 29, 2009 / 19:08

Elvis, smarter hockey people than I tell me Jonas Gustavsson was a late bloomer.