Garret Sparks - What should the Leafs do with him?

What should the Leafs organization do with Garret Sparks?


  • Total voters
    84

Tall Morty

Visualize the action to actualize the vision
Apr 18, 2017
1,677
1,913
A lot of people seemed to have permanently soured on Sparks after he was thrown to the wolves (metaphorical wolves... not the Chicago Wolves) during the 2015-2016 season, and got torn to pieces. But right now he is having an amazing season in the AHL. After 15 starts, he is:

Leading the league in GAA (1.68)
Second in the league in SV% (0.942) - First place has 3 less starts
Tied for the lead in shutouts (2)
Tied for second in the league in wins (11)

Some might look at this and say even with his great start he's proven nothing in the NHL, and therefore still doesn't have a lot of value, and obviously with only 15 starts, he is benefiting from a small sample size. But what do you think the Leafs should do with him?
 

Mugzy97

#StandWitness
Mar 3, 2015
7,191
3,402
Halifax, NS
He doesn't really have any value worth trading, so might as well keep him as a 3rd string until he stops signing contracts with us. Maybe give him a shot as our backup eventually.
 

Menzinger

Kessel4LadyByng
Apr 24, 2014
40,975
32,364
St. Paul, MN
I think he’s potentially better than McBackup at present.

He’s been outstanding wth the Marlies and likely deserves a callup but then you’d have waivers to deal with.

Will be interesting to see if they give him a chance at being the backup next seaseon

Edit:typo
 
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SprDaVE

Moderator
Sep 20, 2008
51,546
32,305
I think he’s potentially better than McBackup at present.

He’s been outstanding wth the Marlies and likely deserves a contract but then you’d have waivers to deal with.

Will be interesting to see if they give him a chance at being the backup next season

Agreed. He's also signed for next season.

Definitely deserved a chance as a backup and I think he's better than McBackup.

What they should is entirely dependant on interest and commitment to having a longer term backup option.
 

Buds17

Registered User
Nov 29, 2015
8,221
3,343
Wouldn't expect him to have much trade value on his own (same with Pickard and McElhinney). Think we're fine with McElhinney backing up right now, but wouldn't be surprised if Pickard or Sparks usurps him before his contract is up.

Any should be fine as long as they are viewed as a backup (perhaps there's a slight difference in GP between options) and we're in a good spot in that regard.
 
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Duke16

Registered User
Apr 14, 2015
4,793
1,728
Ontario
Pickard is more likely to get flipped being that he has NHL experience and probably holds more value, Sparks might honestly be better though.
 

Dog

Arf! Arf! Arf!
Feb 9, 2016
2,340
912
Wasteland
Better for Sparks to be in ahl and play more. He has played almost 3x more games than Mcbackup.
 

TMLeafs17

Why so salty?
Oct 5, 2017
1,696
1,014
I see no reason to trade the kid unless someone comes to us and wants to overpay. He’s still young, developing nicely, and will likely have a backup role with us in the near future.

If we’re looking to dump someone, which I don’t see a reason to, it would be Pickard or McBackup. Just look at what happened in Vegas... Or look at what happened with Rask. Just because we have other goalies with potential and a good one right now does not mean we should be looking to dump anyone.
 
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MJ65

Registered User
Jul 12, 2009
16,376
2,233
Toronto
Just keep him in the AHL unless there is a deal which make sense for the betterment of club
 

The CyNick

Freedom of Speech!
Sep 17, 2009
11,364
2,032
Let him win a Cup with the Marlies and take it from there.

At best you're getting a mid round pick for him, so why the rush to do something with him? Let him continue to develop and see if he beats it CM next training camp.
 

stickty111

Registered User
Jan 23, 2017
26,557
32,810
Babcock will probably do something horrible to him since he has done it for the entire team, so just leave him in the AHL:sarcasm:
Seriously though, he deserves a chance in the NHL.
 

lifelonghockeyfan

Registered User
Dec 18, 2015
6,283
1,356
Lake Huron
Why have the poll? The answer is obvious. Leafs are going with Mc this season. Sparks has a contract to be a Leaf and Marlie. AHL players even good ones have minimal trade value. And the Leafs aren't waiving/trade Mc this season.
And Sparks is signed for next year, he and Mc can battle it out for the Leaf job next September.
 

member 262271

Guest
The Marlies want to win a calder cup and have a good chance with two really good goalies. In years past when Sparks went down with an injury Bibeau couldn't cut it, they don't have that problem so much now. We might see one of Sparks or Picard next year but I think they both stay in the A.
 

rent free

Registered User
Apr 6, 2015
20,427
6,114
keep him in the ahl. he had bad stats for us in 2015-16 while playing behind the worst team in the league that year. those stats don't mean much if anything at all.
 

Suntouchable13

Registered User
Dec 20, 2003
43,031
18,044
Toronto, ON
Why have the poll? The answer is obvious. Leafs are going with Mc this season. Sparks has a contract to be a Leaf and Marlie. AHL players even good ones have minimal trade value. And the Leafs aren't waiving/trade Mc this season.
And Sparks is signed for next year, he and Mc can battle it out for the Leaf job next September.

McElhinney does not have a contract for next season. I think Leafs won't re-sign him.
 

Leaf of the Mind

BABS WAS BOB
Feb 6, 2015
999
232
Where's the "1" option? Come on now.

I never soured on Sparks, it was just business, Lou and Babcock style. He can compete for the backup spot next camp.
 
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BlueBaron

Registered User
May 29, 2006
15,669
6,302
Sarnia, On
People saying he is better than McBackup can't really say how he would hold up to the limited starts and I'm sorry, against NHL competition.

Between the 3 most would say only Packard has a hope in hell of being an NHL starter, Sparks projects be a backup or an AHL regular.

To me the logical thing to do is keep everything as is so we have injury insurance that if called upon does not totally screw the Marlies and next year let all 3 fight it out for the job in camp.

Trading one of these guys for a 3rd or 4rth round pick while nice asset management, is not really enough to worry about losing the asset.
 

Stephen

Moderator
Feb 28, 2002
77,850
51,520
Just keep developing him and see what happens. Look at Anaheim, they had Gibson and Andersen, and flipped the surplus for a first rounder eventually when one had built enough of a track record.
 
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The CyNick

Freedom of Speech!
Sep 17, 2009
11,364
2,032
Curtis McElhinney signs two-year, $1.7 million contract with Maple Leafs

Garret Sparks also signs two-year contract with Toronto

Why 2 years? I have no idea

Probably was a deal breaker for Curtis. When you're a backup, who isn't likely to be a starter, getting guaranteed dollars in huge.

If say Sparks was to beat him out next year, is no big deal, we just trade him then or put him on waivers.

It's weird how people focus on thing that don't matter in the big picture. Looking at how a lot of teams are struggling with goaltending, I'm happy we have a capable backup locked up, and a guy pushing our backup in the AHL. On top of that you have a guy pushing the AHL guy to stay on top of his game. Depth is good. 4th round picks are by and large useless.
 

lifelonghockeyfan

Registered User
Dec 18, 2015
6,283
1,356
Lake Huron
McElhinney does not have a contract for next season. I think Leafs won't re-sign him.

Incorrect, NcElhinney has a contract for 2019/19

And haven't we seen that having at least three NHL goalies is necessary if one get hurts.
If Andersen gets injured I would hate to McIhinney traded for a useless 4th rounder and have the NHL questionable Sparks and Pickard in carrying the load
 
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