Toronto Maple Leafs: No Reserves Beyond Garret Sparks

On Tuesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs learned they had lost two AHL-destined goaltenders to the waiver wire and subsequently lengthened Garret Sparks’ leash.

It came as a blow to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ goaltending depth as both Curtis McElhinney and Calvin Pickard were given opportunities to succeed in a secondary role elsewhere.

The onus now lies on Garret Sparks alone to balance the workload behind Frederik Andersen and alleviate volume from his workload. Pressure will run high this weekend as Sparks most likely faces his first test of the season on Sunday versus Chicago on the second leg of a back-to-back situation.

Despite the obvious loss for Toronto’s organization and the Marlies specifically, not many people were happier than Sparks was for his now-former teammates.

Stripping the Safety Net

Garret Sparks found out he cracked the Toronto Maple Leafs roster shortly before the 5:00 p.m. roster deadline on Monday. Less than 24 hours later, Sparks discovered his grasp on the job had increased with the news that both Curtis McElhinney and Calvin Pickard had been claimed off waivers.

The situation led many to anticipate that at least one of McElhinney or Pickard would successfully pass through waivers and report to the Marlies, only to find out that either had been claimed by Carolina and Philadelphia, respectively. Should Sparks falter in the early going, this restricts Toronto in their decisions losing a pair of viable options that would otherwise have been just a call away.

Essentially, Sparks is no longer be at risk of being sent down in favour of one of his capable former combatants. It’s solely his job, at least for the time being, as we know how a similar situation turned out for Jhonas Enroth in 2016…

Sparks has to make a positive impression early, and often, in order to secure his standing. No job is safe on a contending team, even under such circumstances.

Expected Workload

Despite the fact that Frederik Andersen has remained relatively healthy over the course of his tenure as a Maple Leaf, his workload is questionable when it comes to sustaining a high-level of performance geared for a deep playoff run.

Starting in 66-games for two consecutive seasons, Frederik Andersen ranks second in total games played by a goaltender over that stretch. At minimum, Garret Sparks must be prepared to hold his own for 20-25 games in order to keep Andersen fresh and his coaches faith in good standing. Mike Babcock’s confidence level in his secondary option may dictate if that number rises or declines.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will have 13 sets of back-to-back games this season and tend to utilize their backup goalie in these situations. November could be Sparks’ busiest month with three potential starts under such circumstances.

If the Leafs are in a battle for top spot in the Atlantic Division, or league-wide, expect Babcock to utilize his secondary option as little as possible. He would be justified in believing Andersen is fully capable and has handled 66-games in consecutive seasons, as have many others, however, there comes a point when usage—or reliance—catches up in a harmful sense.

A Peculiar Scenario

It is imperative that Sparks performs well given the opportunity at hand but his potential is what remains the most intriguing. Although he has just 17 starts under his belt at the NHL-level, with sub-par underlying stats to back-up that experience, his ceiling remains a mystery based on his success and spectacular numbers at the AHL-level. Whether or not those numbers were inflated by the quality of the team around him, remains to be seen.

Despite posting noteworthy stats for his age and shot volume, the likelihood of Garret Sparks panning out as an eventual NHL starter remains slim as it currently stands. His upside is ultimately why both Curtis McElhinney and Calvin Pickard were waived, meaning the Leafs’ brass truly believe in their homegrown product.

Keep in mind that Frederik Andersen’s contract is set to expire following the 2020-21 season and Toronto would be wise to have a strong backup plan should he command a contract they cannot afford. It’s never too early to audition a potential replacement for the incumbent, especially knowing Andersen will be due for a significant raise by the time he hits free agency.

If Sparks can live up to expectations and secure his reigns on the backup role once the season begins, this could be the beginning of a healthy internal battle for the crease somewhere down the road. A similar situation occurred in Tampa Bay with veteran netminder Ben Bishop, who was ultimately dealt away in favour of a younger, more cost-efficient option in Andrei Vasilevskiy. It’s safe to say that worked out just fine for the Bolts.

Although no direct comparisons should be made between Garret Sparks and Andrei Vasilevskiy, it does pose a loosely peculiar scenario for the future of Toronto’s goal-crease.