The Calgary Flames don’t have a ton of spots left to fill on their roster for 2020-21, but they’ve invited a very intriguing player to camp on a professional try-out: goaltender Garret Sparks.
The PTO was originally reported by FlamesNation’s managing editor Ryan Pike and confirmed by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Sparks is under contract with the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears, who loaned Sparks to the Flames for the PTO.
The 27-year-old Sparks was a seventh round selection by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2011 NHL Draft. He spent most of the next decade with the Leafs organization, knocking on the door for a full-time gig but not quite cementing himself as a reliable NHL starter or backup. He won a Calder Cup as AHL Champion with the Marlies in 2018 and was traded by the Leafs to Vegas in 2019.
Aside from 38 NHL games with the Leafs and Golden Knights, Sparks has been a minor league goalie. He’s played 147 AHL games (with Toronto and the Chicago Wolves) and 48 ECHL games (with Orlando). This doesn’t project to be a full-time add for the Flames, and probably is more to provide the Flames with the potential for three on-ice groups with two experienced goalies apiece.
Sparks is likely one of six goaltenders headed to Flames camp, joining Jacob Markstrom, David Rittich, Artyom Zagidulin, Louis Domingue and Tyler Parsons. It’s unclear if Dustin Wolf, under contract and currently at the World Juniors, will be attending camp. Tyler Parsons’ availability for next week may be iffy, too.