Who honestly thought Garret Sparks would be the Leafs’ backup? There were a handful of points you could make as to why it would be better for the 25-year-old to spend another season starting in the AHL with the Marlies. The most important one falls at the feet of Curtis McElhinney and how good of a season he had supporting Frederik Andersen last year.
But age was a factor in the discussion. Sparks is 25 while McElhinney is 35. At the same time, both would need waivers to be sent down to the minors, and the chances of Sparks clearing after the performance he had with the Marlies was slim.