The Toronto Maple Leafs are making a captaincy change. The Hockey News breaks down why Auston Matthews will become the 26th captain in franchise history. Former Maple Leafs goaltender Justin Pogge is returning to the AHL. The 38-year-old was named goaltending coach of the Abbotsford Canucks, the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks, on Monday afternoon after spending a season as a goaltending consultant with the Columbus Blue Jackets. "I am very excited to have Justin Pogge join our team as Goaltending Coach," Abbotsford GM Ryan Johnson said in a statement [https://abbotsford.canucks.com/news/abbotsford-canucks-hire-pogge-as-goaltending-coach-1] on Monday. "He brings a plethora of experience as a player at the NHL, AHL, international and European professional levels and I’m looking forward to seeing him help develop our goaltenders in Abbotsford." Pogge served as a goaltending consultant with Team Canada's Under-18 and World Championship teams during 2023. He was then a consultant with Team Canada's 2024 World Juniors team before being named the goaltending coach for Canada's 2024 World Championship and Hlinka Gretzky Cup team. The Maple Leafs selected the Pogge in the third round (90th overall) of the 2004 NHL Draft. He had a memorable run with Team Canada's World Juniors team during the 2005-06 season where the goaltender had a .952 save percentage through six games while also taking home a gold medal. After turning pro, Pogge only appeared in seven NHL games, all with the Maple Leafs. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=296hWH1aDmI[/embed] The Fort McMurray, Alberta, native also played 142 regular season games with the AHL's Toronto Marlies, plus made appearances with the Portland Pirates, Charlotte Checkers, San Antonio Rampage, and Albany River Rats. After six years in the AHL, Pogge went to play in Europe, spending the next 11 seasons in Italy, Sweden, the KHL, and Germany. He announced his retirement from hockey in May 2023. The opening in Abbotsford came about after previous goalie coach Marko Torenius was promoted to goaltending coach of the Vancouver Canucks. This occurred after head goaltending coach and director of goaltending Ian Clark asked for a new position with the club to work as a goalie scout and goaltending development coach. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNTk1MTUxMDE2NDM2ODQ0/cf1808c0-6a82-4298-9049-3eb2eae105b0.jpg] Related 'Toronto Called Me': Canadiens' Arber Xhekaj Says Maple Leafs Showed Interest in Him Before Choosing Montreal in 2021 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/toronto-called-me-canadiens-arber-xhekaj-says-maple-leafs-showed-interest-in-him-before-choosing-montreal-in-2021] 'We Beat A Better Team On Paper (Toronto)': Bruins' David Pastrnak Admits Maple Leafs Were Better on Paper During 2024 First-Round Playoff Series [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/we-beat-a-better-team-on-paper-toronto-bruins-david-pastrnak-admits-maple-leafs-were-better-on-paper-during-2024-first-round-playoff-series] Report: Maple Leafs 'Considering Left-Wing Options' Before NHL Training Camps Open Next Month, What's Available? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/report-maple-leafs-considering-left-wing-options-before-nhl-training-camps-open-next-month-whats-available] News from THN.com NHL Expansion: The Very Good Case for Why Toronto Should Get a Second Team [https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhl-expansion-the-very-good-case-for-why-toronto-should-get-a-second-team] NHL's Top Issues Facing the Dallas Stars: Cup Final Hopes, Replacing Pavelski and Stankoven [https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhls-top-issues-facing-the-dallas-stars-cup-final-hopes-replacing-pavelski-and-stankoven] NHL's Top Issues Facing the Carolina Hurricanes: New Defense Corps, Goalie Tandem and Jarvis [https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhls-top-issues-facing-the-carolina-hurricanes-new-defense-corps-goalie-tandem-and-jarvis]
