LEAFS’ NET WORTH INCLUDES SPARKS
Marlies’ star from last season earns promotion as Andersen’s backup
Garret Sparks didn’t need much time to find what he was looking for.
When the National Hockey League released the 2018-19 regular-season schedule in June, Sparks scanned the Maple Leafs’ portion and there it was: a visit to Chicago on Oct. 7 to face the Blackhawks, the Leafs’ first road game and the second of a backto-back set, meaning the start likely would fall to the backup goaltender.
A native of Elmhurst, Ill., Sparks grew up going to Blackhawks games.
“That has been on my calendar for a few months now,” Sparks said on Monday. “That was a focal point of my summer, was knowing the first back-to-back start was at the United Center, where I have never even stepped on the ice. It should be fun.” Sparks’ diligence in the Toronto organization since the Leafs drafted him in the seventh round in 2011 has brought him to what he has desired for a while. He is a member of the Leafs to start the season, having beaten incumbent Curtis McElhinney for the backup job behind No. 1 Frederik Andersen.
The Leafs took care of some housecleaning Monday in order to get down to their final 23-man roster, trading defenceman Connor Carrick to the Dallas Stars for a conditional draft pick and placing McElhinney and fellow netminder Calvin Pickard on waivers. The goalies, it’s understood, will be sent to the Toronto Marlies on Tuesday afternoon if they clear. The final roster is due to the NHL by 5 p.m. on Tuesday. “All decisions are very hard,” Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. “They are good people. In Mac’s case, he is unbelievable for us, unbelievable man, great veteran, has a family, all these things go into it. “On the other side, Sparks has been in the organization for a long time and built himself a history. His camp was not what got it done. It was the history of knowing the guy and understanding that he has a long way to go but he’s a 25-year-old guy going in the right direction.” Sparks will make $675,000 this season. McElhinney’s salary will be $850,000. Defencemen Justin Holl and Martin Marincin will start the season on the Leafs roster, as will forward Frederik Gauthier. The pick the Leafs got from the Stars for Carrick is a seventhrounder in 2019. If Carrick plays in at least 50 games for Dallas this season, that becomes a 2019 sixth-round selection. Sparks deserves this opportunity, though he does not have the experience of McElhinney, nor the veteran’s good working relationship with Andersen (yet). Sparks played in 17 games for the Leafs in 2015-16 — and posted a 24-save shutout against the Edmonton Oilers on Nov. 30, 2015 in his NHL debut — but that was in a stop-gap role when Jonathan Bernier was injured and James Reimer was traded to San Jose. It’s a good bet that Sparks, the American Hockey League goalie of the year last season when he helped lead the Marlies to a Calder Cup, would have been claimed had the Leafs put him on waivers.
There will be an adjustment for Sparks, and we don’t mean enjoying luxury travel after winters of riding the buses in the minors. He played in 43 games for the Marlies last season and 19 more in the playoffs. The Leafs have just one back-to-back set in the first month of the season, so it’s doubtful he sees much action. “When I started out in Guelph as a junior player (with the Ontario Hockey League’s Storm in 2010-11), I was the third goalie for the first half of the year and it’s where I really learned how valuable your habits are in practice and on-ice warm-up and every time you step on the ice,” Sparks said.
“There is no such thing as an unimportant shot, so it’s just going to be a commitment to making every save that I can every time I am given that opportunity here.
“There were a couple of times where I didn’t think it would happen, and that’s what makes this even sweeter, finally getting here and having an opportunity to start being a part of this team. I’m really happy it ended up working out in my favour.”
There were a couple of times where I didn’t think it would happen, and that’s what makes this even sweeter.