LeBrun: Leafs shopping Garret Sparks

[Liferleafer]

He gave away a solid backup for nothing and had to use a draft pick to replace the quadruple A goalie he chose instead.

For those who question Kyle Dubas, this is another minor but highly questionable decision that turned out exactly as many predicted it would.

Garrett Sparks isn’t an NHL goalie.

Come on man, again, it was the right call that didn't work out. How many GMs would have re-signed a 37 year old McBackup and let the Calder cup winning/AHL goalie of the year go for free?

Hindsight is a tool you can't use to determine that decision at the time.

I mean when zaitsev is dealt for a loss, people are going to bash Dubas...but that wasn't his signing. When there's a rift between players and Babcock, people bash Dubas...that wasn't his hire.

 

[CamPopplestone]

Why would you give up a 7th when you can just get him for waivers later?

I imagine if anything a team would wait for him to clear waivers, then offer the 7th so they can immediately assign him to the AHL

 

[sparxx87]

Come on man, again, it was the right call that didn't work out. How many GMs would have re-signed a 37 year old McBackup and let the Calder cup winning/AHL goalie of the year go for free?

Hindsight is a tool you can't use to determine that decision at the time.

It wasn’t really hindsight, though? Some have called Garret Sparks tank commander since he successfully completed his mission to land Auston Matthews.

They still need to address G depth so it was a tough spot, but Mac was always the better short term option when neither were ever a long term one.

 

[Magic Man]

A good reason to make a trade before he is placed on the waiver wire is to ensure that your team gets him. I believe there were multiple claim attempts when Pickard and McElhinney went on waivers and the top of the priority list got them and the rest were left with nothing. If your GM likes Sparks as the backup it may make sense to guarantee it before it gets to waivers.

Though, if he does get through waivers. He will still hold value to teams if a goalie from their team is injured or underacheives. If he does his job in the AHL there will be a team out there at some point who will be desperate enough to send a pick to the Leafs for him to fill the void. Like the Leafs have done the past two seasons with Pickard and Hutchinson.

The fact that Sparks is available at his cap hit, with the ability to sign a goalie as good for as cheap being unlikely could speak to the success Dubas could be having in Zaitsev/Marleau/Brown trade negotiations. Which is a good sign. The Leafs will likely need to add cap if Sparks is moved to find a better replacement.

 

[Liferleafer]

It wasn’t really hindsight, though? Some have called Garret Sparks tank commander since he successfully completed his mission to land Auston Matthews.

They still need to address G depth so it was a tough spot, but Mac was always the better short term option when neither were ever a long term one.

If Dubas would have signed 37 year old Mac and let Sparks go for free...the shitstorm on here would have been epic.

Right decision that didn't work out.

 

[sparxx87]

I mean when zaitsev is dealt for a loss, people are going to bash Dubas...but that wasn't his signing. When there's a rift between players and Babcock, people bash Dubas...that wasn't his hire.

We’ll wait and see on Zaitsev. Dubas has definitely lost some leverage with a confirmed trade request so that should be considered... Although I’m not sure why he’d volunteer that information in the first place?

Everyone can share some blame in another first round loss but I’m not prepared to say fire the coach when he hasn’t been given a team that can compete with the true contenders. Defense in particular... And with a little more insulation, Zaitsev’s problems with his usage may have been avoided.

 

[sparxx87]

If Dubas would have signed 37 year old Mac and let Sparks go for free...the ****storm on here would have been epic.

Right decision that didn't work out.

Go read threads from last summer/pre-season and also when they acquired Hutchinson..

Many have always been face palming at the thought of Garret Sparks being seriously relied upon in an NHL role.

The only question for me is why the General Manger of the team wasn’t one of them.

 

[Liferleafer]

We’ll wait and see on Zaitsev. Dubas has definitely lost some leverage with a confirmed trade request so that should be considered... Although I’m not sure why he’d volunteer that information in the first place?

Everyone can share some blame in another first round loss but I’m not prepared to say fire the coach when he hasn’t been given a team that can compete with the true contenders. Defense in particular... And with a little more insulation, Zaitsev’s problems with his usage may have been avoided.

Umm....when you are down buy a goal...in a game 7....in the 3rd period, and you are giving icetime to Patrick Marleau/Connor Brown while Austin Matthews/Nylander/Marner/Tavares are looking on from the bench? Ya, i think blaming Babcock is pretty dam easy....and well warranted.

 

[sparxx87]

Umm....when you are down buy a goal...in a game 7....in the 3rd period, and you are giving icetime to Patrick Marleau/Connor Brown while Austin Matthews/Nylander/Marner/Tavares are looking on from the bench? Ya, i think blaming Babcock is pretty dam easy....and well warranted.

Yeah, they almost upset the Bruins. The Leafs are a well coached and very talented team.

If they could ever balance out the rest of the roster they could truly be a force.

 

[Liferleafer]

Yeah, they almost upset the Bruins. The Leafs are a well coached and very talented team.

If they could ever balance out the rest of the roster they could truly be a force.

The Leafs could have won....Cassidy outcoached Babcock. Cassidy had the brains to ride his best horses for most of the race, Babcock continued to pull the plow horses out of the barn while his thoroughbreds continued to chomp at the bit.

 

[sparxx87]

The Leafs could have won....Cassidy outcoached Babcock. Cassidy had the brains to ride his best horses for most of the race, Babcock continued to pull the plo****ses out of the barn while his thoroughbreds continued to chomp at the bit.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda. This is for another thread and I gotta go but you can’t blame the bus driver until they fix their achilles heel

 

[Newsworthy]

My guess is Dubas has no say in the matter.

 

[Zippy316]

Could see the Devils having interest for him to battle with Blackwood for the back-up spot.

Could see a prospect swap with one of the Devils young forwards. Maybe someone like John Quenneville who has disappointed at the NHL level so far, but his production at the AHL level could be intriguing.

 

[Skin Tape Session]

Word rather just keep him and give another shot