Sparks is an NHL goalie for sure.

[Eternal Leaf]

Pretty sad when you have to make excuses for six goals against. That's just bad goaltending.

He was woefully out of position on numerous plays where the puck luckily didn't go into the net. He's super quick to flop around and makes unnecessary movements leading to panic-ridden scrambling.

I hope he proves me wrong but this will not be the only time he gets lit up.

 

[thewave]

Agreed. Only one goal was really a bad goal, and he had a few nice saves. On the flip side, 6 GOALS, and a number of them pretty stoppable, though not necessarily easy.

Obviously I’m willing to give him more chances, he was very good for the Marlins, I can see him becoming a good backup. However, we already had TWO good backups in McElhinney and Pickard, seemed unnecessarily risky of Dubas to dump them both. I think that’s the issue most people have - AT BEST Sparks equals the backups we dumped, at worst he’s a significant step down, why take that risk?

Sparks is a terrible tender. He is slow to get what is going on and his reactions are laggy and he tracks slow. Not good, won't be good and I would rather have McBackup.

 

[Ratboy]

no.

 

[Ratboy]

wait wait wait wait wait wait.
you think only one goal was bad? holy shit did we watch the same game?

 

[Mikeyg]

A bit harsh arnt ya? Loser?

Unfortunately he’s likely accomplished more at this stage of his life than you did or will at a that age, and potentially in your entire life.

Maybe he pans out, maybe he doesnt.

But his track record to date far exceeds what we have seen of recent and thats why hes here.

Im a big Sparks advocate and will admit that his leash should be short, maybe even 1 more bad game short, but calling someone a loser directly... common.

Really chuck? the ole "what have you done in comparison to a pro athlete" Listen chuck, if thats your excuse for his play tonight, I don't even need to respond. This guy has never done anything to say hes a winner at the nhl level, all he does is lose and cost the team. Ill never forget 2016 when bernier was good but we needed to lose so babs kept sending this joker out there in back 2 backs to make sure we got the L's we needed. This guy is a loser until proven otherwise, sorry (but not really) for hurting your feelings.

 

[Mikeyg]

What he thinks is this guy doesn't have a clue. So let me get this straight.....you think a pre-season game counts for something? Do you know how many other goalies let in anywhere from 6 to 8 in the pre-season? Gotcha, ok, you're the best.

5 6 7 8 how many waivers can sparks take? before he you know... stops embarrassing us.

 

[Mikeyg]

OMG!! Did you win the Pre-season cup and I was not informed? Oh my, so no other goalies let in over 5 goals the pre-season who are actually starters for their team?

Your boy doesn't have the talent to play in the NHL, im sorry you messed around and caught feels for the guy. He just straight up isn't talented or smart enough to contend for an nhl job. The lemonheads might be a good home for him.

 

[Mikeyg]

Agree with this.

Not a fan.

He blows, im with ya 100%

 

[Tak7]

People writing this kid off after ONE game, despite him being the reason we survived the 1st period, is peak Leafs Nation.

1 start & 1 win under his belt. It wasn't pretty, but it doesnt need to be an oil-painting. Just needs to be effective.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Tavares had a hat-trick he's on pace for 41 goals no assists for the rest of the seasons and no assists...3 games and i am gonna predict the future.

Relax bad games and he also saved our ass in the beginning of the game as well.

 

[drewjenks]

Perhaps it was the better bet to go with the proven NHL caliber backup.

The 36 year old we picked up off waivers last year?

 

[LeafsNation75]

1st goal - Toews knocks the puck down from about 3'9" for the tip in. Not Sparks fault.
2nd goal - Debrincat with the tic tac tow play. Blown D coverage. Not Sparks fault.
3rd goal - Hayden's goal. Sparks stopped the first shot. No D coverage. No one covered Hayden. Hayden gets the second shot with no one even attempting to get to him. Not Sparks fault.
4th goal - Manning shot from point. Sparks completely screened on the shot. Not Sparks fault.
5th goal - Kane goes 5 hole. No coverage and Kane should not be left wide open. Sparks wishes he had that one back.
6th goal - Kane with the ripper. Off Hainsey and in. Not Sparks fault.

On the first goal against the Blackhawks had to many men on the ice and the refs never called the penalty, so that Toews goal should have never happened at all.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

No he is not he just happens to have an NHL offense in front of him and THEY saved his ass

 

[LeafGrief]

Not going to write him off after one game, but I'm not going to make excuses for him either. If he's gonna be our long term backup he's gotta save a few of those. That's his job.

Everybody has bad games and sometimes your first is one of them, so I'm not freaking out any time soon. But he was bad and he needs to be better if he wants to stick. I don't care what the backups name is, he doesn't get many mulligans on 6-spots.

 

[Atomos2]

He’s not gonna inspire a lot of confidence with Babcock if he keeps playing like that.

 

[WilliamNylander]

Sparks had a terrible game. Tough to defend any of the goals tonight except maybe the first which was a high stick and shouldn’t have counted.

NHL goalies have to make those saves. Hopefully he can pick it up.

 

[shibbiness]

Agreed.

If you agree with the fact that he needs to be given more chances to prove himself, why did you name the thread "Sparks is an NHL Goal FOR SURE"?

Anyhow, this game was wild, it's hard to read too much into his performance, but hope he has some good showings going forward.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

i'm not going to bury the guy after one game but

how is he a NHL goalie for sure ?

Title should be:

it's not 100% sure he's an NHL goalie

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

I think it needs more time to be seen. But the 3rd goal looked like a pretty soft rebound. I imagine he'd want to have that rebound back as well.

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

I know this is Sparks debate, but if I were the Hawks, I would be concerned about. Duncan Keith. He might have the worse player on the ice. On a contract with 5 more years for 35 year old might have "Seabrook" written all over it.

Sparks, I thought some of those goals against were unlucky. But a goalie can't have too many unlucky games. We'll see how the next game goes.

 

[Gallagbi]

I know this is Sparks debate, but if I were the Hawks, I would be concerned about. Duncan Keith. He might have the worse player on the ice. On a contract with 5 more years for 35 year old might have "Seabrook" written all over it.

Sparks, I thought some of those goals against were unlucky. But a goalie can't have too many unlucky games. We'll see how the next game goes.

He's been overrated for a while now (Keith)

 

[MyBudJT]

I'm not going to say Sparks had a good game, because he didn't.... He should have stopped at least 2/6 goals.

But its real annoying to see people boast their egos to claim 'they were right', just because Sparks wasn't 'their guy'...

Why not give Sparks a chance guys...?

 

[Mess]

Looked like an AHL goalie to me.

6 goals against including 2 goalies in that last 1:30 after his team gave him the lead twice.

How about a save big guy.

 

[Morbo]

I know this is Sparks debate, but if I were the Hawks, I would be concerned about. Duncan Keith. He might have the worse player on the ice. On a contract with 5 more years for 35 year old might have "Seabrook" written all over it.

yeah it's looking grim. but you know what, they won their Cups. I'd take it.

Sparks, I thought some of those goals against were unlucky. But a goalie can't have too many unlucky games. We'll see how the next game goes.

according to some on here he's had 18 unlucky games now. well 17, he did have that shutout.

 

[CabanaBoy5]

People writing this kid off after ONE game, despite him being the reason we survived the 1st period, is peak Leafs Nation.

1 start & 1 win under his belt. It wasn't pretty, but it doesnt need to be an oil-painting. Just needs to be effective.

The problem is he was ineffective, and continues to be at the NHL level. There is nothing in his game that displays anything but ineffective. Poor rebound control, poor tracking, poor positioning. Hoping for the best, expecting the the worst, unfortunately.