Garret Sparks Discussion

[Beaninfritz]

No he actually looked tough, but he did take total blame for the loss, personally I think he allowed 1 soft goal, but the team in front of him took the night off.

Agreed. The team started to get really sloppy really fast in that game. Hopefully people are going to take notice. That recent hot streak we saw with the team was a flash in the pan. Same thing happened during the previous season where we were suddenly on top of the conference for a short period of time.

The game against Minnesota, kind of highlighted that. Granted the team was better than the previous game, but even when you take into account opportunities where they narrowly missed scoring, Minnesota still had that edge too.

Sparks proved he can hold his own against a snake-bitten Edmonton team that's missing two strong pieces of their offense.

When he faced an overall better team, while his team went to sleep, well, the end score is not surprising.

It's going to be a long season. But it's nice to see a prospect fare pretty well in his first couple of games.

 

[teeder333*]

I like Sparks, great name, great pads, good personality, I truly hope he gets better, improves and makes it. I don't profess to know much about goalies, I don't think many of us really do cept guys who have played the position, but there is something about him that makes me think if he stays on the right path, he could carve out an NHL career.

 

[thewave]

Sparks had a great game. No blame for the blowout can be held against him.

 

[Dustin]

Sparks had a great game. No blame for the blowout can be held against him.

Yup. Decent game. Didn't let the goal get him down and stood tall most of the night.

 

[champs*]

I really like sparks and hope the leafs at worst develop him into a number 2

 

[RayNibbs]

Love the win for sparks, played well and so did the team. Obviously has work to do but I'm liking how he responded, mentality is strong with this one.

 

[eddieO]

Love the win for sparks, played well and so did the team. Obviously has work to do but I'm liking how he responded, mentality is strong with this one.

That was a game he could so easily have been down on himself for after the opening goal. That could've knocked the barn doors open but he clamped down.

That's pretty impressive for any goalie but especially a rookie playing his third game.

We obviously have to see more of him but if he continues to play this way he's going to make it tough not to consider him a #2.

 

[eddieO]

That being said, he needs to find a better way to get up. The way he's getting up from the ice right now doesn't seem sustainable long term.

 

[HellasLEAF]

I'm very surprised he won this one.

I thought for sure it would be a good game from him but a loss in a tough saturday night matchup on the road.

But he was excellent again. Really nice bounce back shows character.

 

[thewave]

I'm very surprised he won this one.

I thought for sure it would be a good game from him but a loss in a tough saturday night matchup on the road.

But he was excellent again. Really nice bounce back shows character.

3gp 2.34gaa .920

Respectable numbers that would be better had the team not quit on him the one night. He let in maybe 2tops which you could say maybe he should have stopped those.

 

[RoadWarrior]

3gp 2.34gaa .920

Respectable numbers that would be better had the team not quit on him the one night. He let in maybe 2tops which you could say maybe he should have stopped those.

He's already won more games than Bernier has over Bernier's last 22 games.

I'm hoping Bernier turns it around in the minors but even if he gets his head on straight I'm not sure they would trust him more than Sparks. Sparks has some passion and swagger in his game that seems to energize the whole team. They're very confident in his ability.

I don't see any problem in going with a Reimer-Sparks tandem.

 

[Banic]

As much as it sketchy to see 2 rookie goalies dress, this is a developmental year for the Leafs and in the long run these games where we see Sparks (or Bibeau maybe?) will be great for us. This 1A/1B thing has gone on long enough, and it's interesting to see if Sparks can be a back up in the NHL sooner rather later. Looks like he may be, though it's a very small sample size.

1 of Reimer or Bernier will be gone by next season. Either Reimer walks or Berny gets traded - maybe both.

 

[TheProspector]

He's already won more games than Bernier has over Bernier's last 22 games.

I'm hoping Bernier turns it around in the minors but even if he gets his head on straight I'm not sure they would trust him more than Sparks. Sparks has some passion and swagger in his game that seems to energize the whole team. They're very confident in his ability.

I don't see any problem in going with a Reimer-Sparks tandem.

If Bernier turns it around in the AHL and really rips it up there, maybe there could be a trade market for him.

 

[ULF_55]

I'm very surprised he won this one.

I thought for sure it would be a good game from him but a loss in a tough saturday night matchup on the road.

But he was excellent again. Really nice bounce back shows character.

IMO he was the key player last night.

He held them in and covered up for quite a few giveaways early in the game.

The one that beat him was partially Hunwick's fault, and caused by a bad pinch by another defender.

Size matters.

 

[Ovate]

If Bernier turns it around in the AHL and really rips it up there, maybe there could be a trade market for him.

4 starts in the AHL is not going to make a trade market for him that wasn't there before.

If Bernier does poorly over the rest of the season, then there's no market for him. If he does well, then we keep him. Either way he sticks around.

 

[deletethis]

I want every Leafs' goalie to do well. As mentioned above, his size gives him an advantage and so does his superior athleticism to any other goalie in the Leafs' system. He can go down in the butterfly then back up faster than any Leafs' goalie and his puck handling is more skilled than any other Leafs' goalie. Still, he's a little awkward and floppy at this stage in his career. And there were a lot of lost pucks last night which I take as a sign that the puck just hit him.

 

[Ovate]

I want every Leafs' goalie to do well. As mentioned above, his size gives him an advantage and so does his superior athleticism to any other goalie in the Leafs' system. He can go down in the butterfly then back up faster than any Leafs' goalie and his puck handling is more skilled than any other Leafs' goalie. Still, he's a little awkward and floppy at this stage in his career. And there were a lot of lost pucks last night which I take as a sign that the puck just hit him.

He could really benefit from the trainer who's helped Reimer with his game. Probably already is working with him.

 

[Judas Tavares]

The 31 and the helmet remind me of Cujo. The pads of Kidd. What did we think of him tonight?

 

[teeder333*]

Kid's on a roll what can you say? He is doing a great job. Lets enjoy it. He could turn out to be as important as Marner or Nylander. Not bad for a seventh rounder.

 

[StanleyTOR]

Another year or two, I think he will be NHL starter ready by time Nylander, Marner and all those others are starting to contribute significantly.

I like his size and quickness, but he swims at times too. He has higher upside than Reimer imo. I think if they develop him properly in the next year, he has a good shot to be a decent starter.

 

[zeke]

Like i said when he was called up - kid can look real ugly at times but he stops pucks.

 

[hobarth]

Like i said when he was called up - kid can look real ugly at times but he stops pucks.

And ultimately that's all that matters.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Like i said when he was called up - kid can look real ugly at times but he stops pucks.

He's still pretty raw in terms of development at the NHL level and needs a lot of work but the Leafs have played good structures hockey in front of him limiting the number of scoring chances. This leaves Sparks to make the saves that he is "supposed" to be making and he's doing a solid job at that limiting secondary chances. But he needs some development in his own game if he's going to stick around. The game against the Jets last week was one where the Leafs played awful and that exposed Sparks a lot.

 

[saltming]

 

[Le Cobra]

sad that he will go back to the ahl...i prefer him as a backup instead of bernier