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Speculation: How do you handle Toronto's goalie situation?

Which tendem would you like to see next season?

  • Total voters
    139
  • Poll closed .
TMLeafs17

TMLeafs17

Why so salty?
Oct 5, 2017
1,696
1,014
I don’t think we can let Sparks go for free without knowing for sure what we have.

Worst case scenario keeping Sparks is we have to trade for another backup tender before the deadline.

Worst case scenario keeping McBackup is Sparks leaves and becomes a solid NHL tender for the next decade or so while McBackup begins his decline.

I don’t care what the odds are, we can’t let Sparks go for nothing right now.
 
Burnie97

Burnie97

Registered User
Jun 26, 2015
14,175
13,069
Canada
13pacheco31 said:
I think mcbackup could clear waivers
Click to expand...

Agreed.

To add on to that... if you lose him it only helps really. It solves the situation right there. Pickard to the farm, and Sparks on the Leafs.

Ideally you want to get a draft pick for Mcbackup but GMs probably won't pay it knowing one of the goalies is going on waivers.

Although if enough teams need goalies at the end of pre season, then they can probably make a deal, because whatever team that is won't want to risk not getting him on the waiver wire.

I like Mcbackup. He played unreal last year. I just think you have to give the younger guy a chance. He could be around a long time... and you don't want to risk him over Mcbackup.

So I hope Sparks plays really great so he can prove that.
 

LEAFANFORLIFE23

Registered User
Jun 17, 2010
45,603
14,465
After tonight you got to Think Mac has moved out ahead in the battle for the backup

This is why "AHL goalie of the year." isn't real it doesn't matter because it's exactly that, the AHL.

Now that the real battle is on we are seeing who is better, it looks to be Mac and it doesn't look close.
 

Ciao

Registered User
Jul 15, 2010
9,961
5,768
Toronto
Mac outplayed Sparks tonight.

Consistency is the name of the game. It would be hard for Sparks to make up lost ground with a great outing next time because the coaches will still have the memory of this game in mind. It makes him look unreliable.

I'm rooting for Sparks, but Mac definitely has the leg up on him here. Time to see what Mac vs. Pickard looks like now.
 
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jaric1862

Registered User
Jan 14, 2014
4,005
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I guarantee you Washington takes Mcbackup if he goes on waivers. Pickard definitely passes. I’d say try and trade Mcelhienny for like a 6-7th round pick to someone.
 
Fogelhund

Fogelhund

Registered User
Sep 15, 2007
21,217
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Off season, I would have said run with Sparks as the backup... he'd earned that chance... after a few preseason games, McBackup is way ahead.... You've got to let him keep his job. Sparks back to the Marlies... even if it means losing him to waivers... I'd like to keep him for the future, but at this point, Sparks just isn't good enough for the NHL... just not enough control to his game, he's all over the place..
 
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biotk

Registered User
Jan 3, 2017
7,091
5,520
Buffalo
I would say that Sparks is done. You can't recover letting in 3 goals on 12 shots in 30 minutes in a preseason game. Just like Sparks couldn't recover from letting in 4 goals on 12 shots in 30 minutes in the first preseason game last year.

Oh....that was McElhinney?
 
TheDoldrums

TheDoldrums

Registered User
May 3, 2016
12,214
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Freddy has been garbage every October for the entire month, but people are quick to want to dump Sparks over half a game.

Sparks has so much more potential value as an asset, waiving him because he allowed a few goals in preseason would be something the old Leafs management would do. Emotional, reactive move.

 
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FlareKnight

FlareKnight

Registered User
Jun 26, 2006
19,822
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Alberta
biotk said:
I would say that Sparks is done. You can't recover letting in 3 goals on 12 shots in 30 minutes in a preseason game. Just like Sparks couldn't recover from letting in 4 goals on 12 shots in 30 minutes in the first preseason game last year.

Oh....that was McElhinney?
Click to expand...
That's a wonderful point, except it doesn't matter. Some guys have to earn their spots. There are a limited amount of tries to do that and Sparks just wasted one of them.

You can recover from a bad game or even a bad preseason if you are already determined to have a job going into the season. In that case the preseason is just warm-up. But if you are trying to earn a job, a bad preseason is enough to cost you.

I don't think it's decided yet. But at the same time this is a competition for a job. McBackup has the edge in that he has shown what he can be at the NHL level. Sparks hasn't yet. McElhinney could in theory afford a semi-weak preseason because he's shown what he can do in the NHL. Sparks can't afford a bad preseason. I can't see him getting the job just based on his AHL work. This is his chance and he's got to take it with whatever chances are left.

If it doesn't matter what happens in the preseason then throw McBackup on waivers today and give Sparks the job. He's younger, his AHL work has been excellent and he's a long term option. But if the job is up for grabs then what happens in the remaining games matters.
 
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biotk

Registered User
Jan 3, 2017
7,091
5,520
Buffalo
FlareKnight said:
That's a wonderful point, except it doesn't matter. Some guys have to earn their spots. There are a limited amount of tries to do that and Sparks just wasted one of them.

You can recover from a bad game or even a bad preseason if you are already determined to have a job going into the season. In that case the preseason is just warm-up. But if you are trying to earn a job, a bad preseason is enough to cost you.

I don't think it's decided yet. But at the same time this is a competition for a job. McBackup has the edge in that he has shown what he can be at the NHL level. Sparks hasn't yet. McElhinney could in theory afford a semi-weak preseason because he's shown what he can do in the NHL. Sparks can't afford a bad preseason. I can't see him getting the job just based on his AHL work. This is his chance and he's got to take it with whatever chances are left.

If it doesn't matter what happens in the preseason then throw McBackup on waivers today and give Sparks the job. He's younger, his AHL work has been excellent and he's a long term option. But if the job is up for grabs then what happens in the remaining games matters.
Click to expand...

I know it doesn't matter. That was my point. McElhinney was making the team no matter what last year. Despite a brutal first showing, no other goalie was given a shot. This is not a team in which more then a spot or two (if any at all) have any chance of being won in training camp and pre-season based on merit. Vegas is that type of team.
 
supermann_98

supermann_98

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May 8, 2002
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I wish Sparks all the best for his new team or back on the Marlies, but I don't want him anywhere near a leaf jersey when the season starts.

Who cares if we lose him? I'd argue Pickard is better anyways, not to mention all the other guys (Kas, Woll, Scott, etc). I'd be happy to get a 7th rounder for him and if we lose him we are not losing much.

Yes he won an AHL championship and good on him, but we had the best team in the A with or without him.
 
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Go4soda

Go4soda

Registered User
Dec 15, 2015
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I don’t trust sparks. McElhinney is the better back up option imo. For the leafs, it’s no longer development time. Gotta have the best tandem.

Andersen
Mac.
 
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