Speculation: TOR may have to acquire another goalie

The CyNick

Freedom of Speech!
Sep 17, 2009
11,364
2,032
Where are we after this season when we lost Sparks and Pickard on waivers? Let’s assume McBackup is retiring after this season.

We do not have anyone in the pipeline even close to being ready to backup. And so they sign a UFA.

And imagine we watch Sparks doing what he’s doing now.. (being allegedly “not good”) putting up stats better than most starters.

Historically UFA backup goalies are not good. Teams are struggling to find goalies as good as Sparks, they aren’t letting better ones hit UFA.

So we would have no goalie depth, no backup, and either have a worse backup or have to give up a better pick just to get a worse goalie...

I mean, your plan has such a solid foundation I assume you must be part of the Montreal mafia.

Most smart people in hockey don't think Sparks has a future in the NHL. You can create a narrative where the only choice is to keep Sparks, but it's not based in reality.

We've already paid a draft pick for no reason based on this poor decision. We likely still don't have a long term solution in the backup role. We did have a short term solution, but he's in Carolina now thanks to the brilliance of our young GM.

So we're now without one of our mid round picks and no closer to a permanent solution. All you can say about Sparks is he's younger. This may be eye opening for some, but younger isn't always better.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DarkKnight

The CyNick

Freedom of Speech!
Sep 17, 2009
11,364
2,032
From starts this season:
Freddie 20-9-1 0.683
Sparks 6-2-1 0.722
Hutch 1-3-2 0.333 (if you want to just go with Leafs' games 1-2-0 0.333)

The Sparks hate has nothing to do with winning or losing.

Sparks has been fortunate to receive a ton of run support. If the Leafs are gonna score 5 goals every game the backup is in net, then who plays the position isn't as big of a deal.

But on nights where we get three or less Sparks isn't going to cut the mustard.

Points are going to be harder to come by and our young GM may very single handedly cost us home ice based on his poor decisions and negotiations.
 

Mess

Global Moderator
Feb 27, 2002
86,912
11,862
Leafs Home Board
From starts this season:
Freddie 20-9-1 0.683
Sparks 6-2-1 0.722
Hutch 1-3-2 0.333 (if you want to just go with Leafs' games 1-2-0 0.333)

The Sparks hate has nothing to do with winning or losing.

Leafs offense masks Sparks weakness ..

Leafs win 7-6 in OT .. Sparks records a 6.0 GAA and .806 sv% but gets the W .
Leafs win 5-4 in OT .. Sparks records a 4.0 GAA and .867 sv% but gets the W.
Leafs lose 5-4 in OT .. Sparks records a 5.0 GAA and .844 sv% but get the L.

Toronto needed to score 16 goals in 3 games [ave > 5 GA/g] for Sparks to record a 2-0-1 record in those 3 games alone.

Your counting W and L and should be counting pucks going into each net to help explain why Sparks poor play is being criticized.. Leafs are winning in spite of Sparks because their vaulted offense is bailing him out regularly..

Sparks has played in 10 games and in 5 (50%) of them he has given up 4 or more goals. 6-2-1 is a flattering record for a goalie playing that poorly..
 
  • Like
Reactions: DarkKnight

justafan22

Registered User
Jun 22, 2014
11,629
6,249
Leafs offense masks Sparks weakness ..

Leafs win 7-6 in OT .. Sparks records a 6.0 GAA and .806 sv% but gets the W .
Leafs win 5-4 in OT .. Sparks records a 4.0 GAA and .867 sv% but gets the W.
Leafs lose 5-4 in OT .. Sparks records a 5.0 GAA and .844 sv% but get the L.

Toronto needed to score 16 goals in 3 games [ave > 5 GA/g] for Sparks to record a 2-0-1 record in those 3 games alone.

Your counting W and L and should be counting pucks going into each net to help explain why Sparks poor play is being criticized.. Leafs are winning in spite of Sparks because their vaulted offense is bailing him out regularly..

Sparks has played in 10 games and in 5 (50%) of them he has given up 4 or more goals. 6-2-1 is a flattering record for a goalie playing that poorly..

Sparks might get through waivers though
 

JT AM da real deal

Registered User
Oct 4, 2018
12,056
7,321
Sparkie won't get through waivers. He is a rookie goalie in NHL who is winning and was AHL player of year, playoff MVP and Marlies top guy last year. Goalies like defense take much longer to develop in NHL. And he is Dubas' guy. Dubas is not letting him go anywhere.
 

DarkKnight

Professional Amateur
Jan 17, 2017
31,321
47,715
That won't matter.

Who wants to bet that when Sparks returns its Hutchenson that is AHL bound regardless of outplaying him?
In terms of asset management it does make some sense to send down Hutch, don't risk losing Sparks. That said, personally I'd be okay with losing him, don't think he's a solution as a backup anyways. I'm pretty confident in the end game here but it may be a longer "process" than what it should be.
 

Mess

Global Moderator
Feb 27, 2002
86,912
11,862
Leafs Home Board
In terms of asset management it does make some sense to send down Hutch, don't risk losing Sparks. That said, personally I'd be okay with losing him, don't think he's a solution as a backup anyways. I'm pretty confident in the end game here but it may be a longer "process" than what it should be.

The process is simple really. ... Too much rewarding of AHL success showing loyalty, than NHL success and evaluating talent and performance. IMO

"2 Wrongs don't make a right".

Keeping Sparks and waiving McElhinney .. Wrong #1
Keeping Sparks and sending Hutch to the AHL .. Wrong #2

Questionable asset management if you ask me, if the final outcome is wrong, and you persist on going down this path regardless of outcome.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DarkKnight

JT AM da real deal

Registered User
Oct 4, 2018
12,056
7,321
It has nothing to do with it. Hutch had 2 years of NHL starting role chances after a year backing up Pavlec. The results were miserable. He finds ways to lose games. The Jets gave up. Now the Panthers gave up. If Leafs stay with him and he plays then we will experience same sh*t. He was signed to play for Marlies and he will do that. The Leafs were hoping Pickard could do it this year. Pickard was even on some of the tickets. I kept them as i thought it was kinda funny.
 

Loosie

The Eternal Optimist
Jun 14, 2011
16,074
3,046
Kitchener, Ontario
Leafs offense masks Sparks weakness ..

Leafs win 7-6 in OT .. Sparks records a 6.0 GAA and .806 sv% but gets the W .
Leafs win 5-4 in OT .. Sparks records a 4.0 GAA and .867 sv% but gets the W.
Leafs lose 5-4 in OT .. Sparks records a 5.0 GAA and .844 sv% but get the L.

Toronto needed to score 16 goals in 3 games [ave > 5 GA/g] for Sparks to record a 2-0-1 record in those 3 games alone.

Your counting W and L and should be counting pucks going into each net to help explain why Sparks poor play is being criticized.. Leafs are winning in spite of Sparks because their vaulted offense is bailing him out regularly..

Sparks has played in 10 games and in 5 (50%) of them he has given up 4 or more goals. 6-2-1 is a flattering record for a goalie playing that poorly..

Similarly Hutchinson has played in 3 games and gave up 4 or more goals in 2 of them. The problem is the offence didn't show up to bail him out like they did Sparks.

They are about the same. Sparks would have to pass through waivers Hutchinson doesn't. It's an easy call to make.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->