GARRET SPARKS - Goalie - 26 - $.750MM Cap Hit - UFA 2020-2021
LAST UPDATED 8/28/19
After two stellar seasons in the AHL, where he posted a .936/1.79 goaltending slash, Garret Sparks looked like a potential successor to Frederik Andersen in net for Toronto, seeing as Andersen's contract doesn't extend too far into the future. Not much went right for Sparks in the NHL, though, and while he showed flashes of talent he was an overall disappointment. Perhaps not getting a big portion of his team's starts wore on the mental side of his game, and he was simply overthinking the starts the Leafs did give him. Maybe he simply cannot figure out NHL shooters. I really don't know what the major issue was in Sparks' game, because it's so hard to diagnose. He simply has so much talent. He's athletic, he can make some dazzling saves, and he was an absolute rock in the AHL, a very challenging league. He'd shown the ability to play under immense pressure in the AHL's Calder Cup playoffs, and it's not like he's undersized standing three inches above six feet tall. He genuinely has all the tools NHL goalies need, but he just couldn't crack the NHL game last season. It's disappointing for him, but surely Vegas is betting on a rebound season for Sparks. Goalies are incredibly volatile creatures, and truly difficult athletes to project, so your guess is genuinely as good as mine as to how Sparks' career will go from this point forward, despite all the tape I've watched. I hate to be so puzzled by a player, but Sparks genuinely stumps me. He should be at the very least a middling backup in the NHL at this point, and I still believe in his upside.
After two stellar seasons in the AHL, where he posted a .936/1.79 goaltending slash, Garret Sparks looked like a potential successor to Frederik Andersen in net for Toronto, seeing as Andersen's contract doesn't extend too far into the future. Not much went right for Sparks in the NHL, though, and while he showed flashes of talent he was an overall disappointment. Perhaps not getting a big portion of his team's starts wore on the mental side of his game, and he was simply overthinking the starts the Leafs did give him. Maybe he simply cannot figure out NHL shooters. I really don't know what the major issue was in Sparks' game, because it's so hard to diagnose. He simply has so much talent. He's athletic, he can make some dazzling saves, and he was an absolute rock in the AHL, a very challenging league. He'd shown the ability to play under immense pressure in the AHL's Calder Cup playoffs, and it's not like he's undersized standing three inches above six feet tall. He genuinely has all the tools NHL goalies need, but he just couldn't crack the NHL game last season. It's disappointing for him, but surely Vegas is betting on a rebound season for Sparks. Goalies are incredibly volatile creatures, and truly difficult athletes to project, so your guess is genuinely as good as mine as to how Sparks' career will go from this point forward, despite all the tape I've watched. I hate to be so puzzled by a player, but Sparks genuinely stumps me. He should be at the very least a middling backup in the NHL at this point, and I still believe in his upside.
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