Justin Pogge
Justin Pogge | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 22, 1986 Canada |
| Occupation(s) | Ice hockey goaltender (retired), coach |
| Years active | 2003–2023 (player) |
| Known for | Playing in the NHL with Toronto Maple Leafs; international gold medalist with Canada at 2006 World Junior Championships |
Justin Pogge (; born April 22, 1986) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2008–09 season.
Before joining the Leafs in 2008, Pogge spent seven seasons playing in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Prince George Cougars and Calgary Hitmen, as well as time with the Toronto Marlies in the American Hockey League (AHL). During the 2008–09 NHL season, he appeared in seven games but subsequently spent five years competing in various minor leagues. Beginning in 2012, Pogge embarked on a European career, representing multiple teams as a journeyman until his retirement in 2023, after which he transitioned into coaching.
On the international stage, Pogge earned a gold medal with Canada's national junior team at the 2006 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and secured a silver medal at the 2006 Spengler Cup.
Playing career
Pogge launched his WHL tenure with the Prince George Cougars before being traded to the Calgary Hitmen at the trade deadline during the 2004–05 season. Following his rookie campaign, he was selected 90th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft and inked a three-year entry-level contract in December 2005. During the 2005–06 season, Pogge distinguished himself by winning the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as WHL MVP, along with the CHL Goaltender of the Year Award and Del Wilson Trophy. That season, he posted an impressive 1.72 goals-against average (GAA) and recorded 11 shutouts.
Turning professional in 2006–07, Pogge joined the Toronto Marlies of the AHL where he notched 19 victories and maintained a 3.03 GAA, earning recognition as the Marlies Fan Choice Award recipient. Although called up to the Maple Leafs roster in January 2008, he did not see game action at that time.
Pogge made his NHL debut on December 21, 2008, securing a win in his first start against the Atlanta Thrashers. His first NHL defeat occurred on January 27, 2009, facing off against the Minnesota Wild.
On August 10, 2009, Pogge was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a conditional draft pick. Later, on March 3, 2010, he was involved in a trade sending him to the Carolina Hurricanes as part of a transaction that included Aaron Ward.
He signed a one-year deal with the Phoenix Coyotes on July 27, 2011, spending that season with their AHL affiliate, the Portland Pirates.
In July 2012, Pogge took his career to Europe by signing with Ritten Sport of Italy's Elite.A league for the 2012–13 season. The following year, he joined Sweden’s BIK Karlskoga competing in HockeyAllsvenskan for 2013–14.
On April 28, 2014, Pogge advanced within Swedish hockey by signing with Färjestad BK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). After two seasons there, he moved to HC Slovan Bratislava of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in May 2016.
Following two campaigns with Kölner Haie in Germany’s DEL, Pogge signed a one-year contract with his third DEL club, Grizzlys Wolfsburg, in July 2022.
Post-playing career
On May 18, 2023, Pogge declared his retirement from professional ice hockey. At that point, he was serving as a goaltending consultant for Canada during the World Championship and had previously held an identical position at the World U18 Championships earlier that year.
Additionally, Pogge provided goaltending consultancy for the Columbus Blue Jackets throughout the 2023–24 NHL season. On August 26, 2024, he was appointed as goaltending coach for the Abbotsford Canucks.
International Competition
In his concluding season of major junior hockey, Pogge was selected to join Canada's national junior squad for the 2006 World Junior Championships held in Vancouver, British Columbia. Although initially excluded from the summer camp roster, he earned a place at the final selection camp and ultimately claimed the starting goaltender role. Pogge played a pivotal role in guiding Canada to its second straight gold medal, delivering a shutout performance with 35 saves during the 5–0 triumph over Russia. Over the course of the tournament, he recorded three shutouts and maintained an impressive 1.00 goals-against average.
In his first professional season with the Toronto Marlies, Pogge also represented Canada at the 2006 Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland. His efforts helped Canada advance to the championship game, where they were narrowly defeated 3–2 by HC Davos. Pogge faced some scrutiny for allowing the deciding goal after mishandling the puck behind his net.
Personal Life
Pogge wed Christina Heinzel in May 2013.
Regular Season and Playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | OTL | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | ||||||||||||||
| 2003–04 | Prince George Cougars | WHL | 44 | 17 | 18 | 2 | — | 2271 | 107 | 3 | 2.83 | .900 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||
| 2004–05 | Prince George Cougars | WHL | 24 | 10 | 9 | 2 | — | 1198 | 56 | 4 | 2.80 | .891 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||
| 2004–05 | Calgary Hitmen | WHL | 29 | 14 | 12 | 3 | — | 1727 | 66 | 2 | 2.29 | .917 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 741 | 24 | 1 | 1.94 | .928 | ||||||||||||||
| 2005–06 | Calgary Hitmen | WHL | 54 | 38 | 10 | — | 6 | 3237 | 93 | 11 | 1.72 | .926 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 802 | 34 | 2 | 2.54 | .911 | ||||||||||||||
| 2006–07 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 48 | 19 | 25 | — | 2 | 2812 | 142 | 3 | 3.03 | .896 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||
| 2007–08 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 41 | 26 | 10 | — | 4 | 2415 | 94 | 4 | 2.34 | .908 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 172 | 6 | 0 | 2.09 | .918 | ||||||||||||||
| 2008–09 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 53 | 26 | 21 | — | 5 | 3155 | 142 | 0 | 2.70 | .895 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 304 | 16 | 0 | 3.15 | .901 | ||||||||||||||
| 2008–09 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 7 | 1 | 4 | — | 1 | 372 | 27 | 0 | 4.36 | .844 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||
| 2009–10 | Bakersfield Condors | ECHL | 9 | 6 | 2 | — | 0 | 491 | 22 | 1 | 2.69 | .902 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
| 2009–10 | San Antonio Rampage | AHL | 23 | 12 | 7 | — | 1332 | 57 | 1 | 2.57 | .920 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||
| 2009–10 | Albany River Rats | AHL | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | 199 | 8 | 0 | 2.41 | .928 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–11 | Charlotte Checkers | AHL | 11 | 22 | 18 | — | 2617 | 136 | 0 | 3.12 | .907 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 155 | 8 | 0 | 4.65 | .803 | |||||||||||||||
| 2011–12 | Portland Pirates | AHL | 37 | 14 | 13 | — | 1972 | 101 | 0 | 3.07 | .890 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–13 | Ritten Sport | Italian Hockey League - Serie A | 44 | 29 | 15 | — | 2629 | 104 | 6 | 2.37 | .925 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 429 | 18 | 1 | 2.25 | .923 | |||||||||||||||
| 2013–14 | BIK Karlskoga | HockeyAllsvenskan | 51 | 29 | 22 | — | 3086 | 111 | 8 | 2.16 | .920 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014-15 | Färjestad BK | Swedish Hockey League | 30 | 13 | 13 | - | 1641 | 55 | 4 | 2.01 | .926 | 1 | - | - | 62 | 4 | - | 3.92 | .826 | |||||||||||||||
| 2015-16 | Färjestad BK | SHL | 26 | 14 | 12 | - | 1512 | 53 | 1 | 2.10 | .922 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 232 | 8 | - | 2.07 | .933 | |||||||||||||||
| 2016-17 | HC Slovan Bratislava | Kontinental Hockey League | 23 | 7 | 13 | - | 1192 | 62 | - | 3.12 | .903 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017-18 | Rögle BK | SHL | 32 | 13 | 18 | - | 1793 | 96 | 1 | 3.21 | .897 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018-19 | Rögle BK | SHL | 37 | 18 | 17 | - | 2097 | 89 | 1 | 2.55 | .911 | 2 | - | 2 | (132) | 8 | ( - ) | (3.65) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2019-20 HockeyAllsvenskan season | Södertälje SK | Allsv | 10 | (6) | (4) | (-) | (-) | (605) | (24) | (2) | (2.38) | (.905) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| (2019-20 DEL season) | (Eisbären Berlin) | (Deutsche Eishockey Liga) | (11)|(5)|(-)|( - )|(981)|(38)|(1)|(2.33)|(.918) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (2020-21 DEL season) | (Kölner Haie) | (DEL) | (8)|(11)|(-)|( - )|(1149)|(59)|(2)|(3.08)|(.903) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (2021-22 DEL season) | (Kölner Haie) | (DEL) | (17)|(18)|(-)|( - )|(2194)|(96)|(3)|(2.63)|(.901) | (2)|(3)|(288)|(14)|( - )|(2.92)|(.914) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (2022-23 DEL season) | (Grizzlys Wolfsburg) | (DEL) | (9)|(7)|(-)|( - )|(1029)|(47)|(1)|(2.74)|(.905) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NHL totals | 7 | 1 | 4 | — | 1 | 372 | 27 | 0 | 4.36 | .844 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Canada | WJC | 6 | 6 | 0 | 360 | 6 | 3 | 1.00 | .952 | |
| Junior totals | 6 | 6 | 0 | 360 | 6 | 3 | 1.00 | .952 | |||
Awards and honours
- Secured a gold medal representing Canada at the 2006 World Junior Championships.
- Honored as the CHL Goaltender of the Year during the 2005–06 campaign.
- Received the Del Wilson Trophy acknowledging the WHL’s top goaltender in 2006.
- Awarded the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the WHL’s most valuable player in 2006.
- Named to the WHL East First All-Star Team in 2006.
- Garnered the Toronto Marlies Fan Choice Award in 2007.