Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Garret Sparks has spent enough time in the AHL.
Spending parts of the last 6 seasons with the Toronto Marlies, it is time for Garret Sparks to be a full time NHL player with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sparks has nothing left to prove at the AHL level, either the Leafs promote him to be Frederik Andersen’s backup, or trade him.
Sparks got his first real substantial taste of pro hockey during the 2013-14 season, playing in 21 games for the Marlies. Posting a 11-6-1 record with a 915 save percentage, Sparks showed enough potential to think the Leafs may have found a diamond in the rough in the 7th round of the 2011 NHL entry draft.
The next season however, Sparks was stuck behind Antoine Bibeau and Chris Gibson on the Marlies depth chart, so he was sent for some seasoning with the Orlando Solar Bears. It didn’t take long for Sparks to show he was too good to be playing in the ECHL recording a 936 save percentage in 36 games.
The following season Sparks was back where he should be, the Toronto Marlies. A 14-4-3 record with a 928 save percentage was enough to earn Sparks a call up to the big club. The call up turned special for Sparks, who in his first career start posted a shutout against the Edmonton Oilers. This was one of the few bright spots of that season, as the leafs finished dead last.
Sparks numbers in 17 games for the Leafs that season were underwhelming as a whole. A 893 save percentage, accompanied by a 3.02 GAA, giving the Leafs management and their fans pause.
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Sparks is similar to the Leafs current backup, Curtis McElhinney. At times they both look like a fish out of water flopping around the crease out of position. Sparks, a lot more so than McElhinney has the athleticism to make the highlight reel acrobatic saves when his positioning isn’t as sound as it needs to be.
Age
When next season starts, Sparks will be 25 years old taking him out of the true “prospect” realm of his career. It is time for the Leafs to test him at the NHL level and see if he sinks or swims. Frederik Andersen has played back to back 66 regular season games since coming to Leafs, which is just too many games. The Leafs need a goalie who can play more than just the second half of a back to back, which is all Mike Babcock has been playing Mcelhinney in. Sparks has the ability to spell Andersen in more games than that, he just needs the opportunity.
Sell High On McElhinney
The 2017-18 season was by far a career best for Curtis McElhinney, and Kyle Dubas needs to try and take advantage of that. McElhinney was one of the biggest surprises of the Leafs season, posting a 934 save percentage and a 2.14 GAA. This was such a surprise because before this season McElhinney career high save percentage was 924, and you have to take that with a grain of alt cause it was only in 7 games. His best career save percentage in a season with similar games to this one was 914. You have to assume that McElhinney will regress back down to the mean next season, which isn’t good enough to have faith he can spell Andersen when need be.
There are enough goalie starved teams in this league, where Kyle Dubas might receive an offer for McElhinney to try an get some assets back. The Leafs obviously wouldn’t receive a big haul, but with Sparks and Pickard in the system, there is no reason to pass up on any offer for McElhinney.
Kyle Dubas has enjoyed tremendous success since he took over the Marlies. Something to expect going forward, now that he is the GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs is more opportunities for players coming from the Marlies. The skaters get most of the attention, but the goaltending has been just as good and now is the time they get a legitimate shot.
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Sparks shouldn’t be handed anything, he needs to earn it. A competition between him and Calvin Pickard would be good for both of them, and who over loses the job will keep the Marlies in a good position to continue to contend.
The time is now for the flow of Marlies to get their shot with the big club.