Maple Leafs, Sparks agree to terms

TORONTO – The Toronto Maple Leafs announced Friday that they has signed goaltender Garret Sparks to a one-year, two-way contract.

Sparks, 23, owned a 6-9-1 record with a 3.02 goals against average (GAA) and .893 save percentage (SV%) in 17 games during his rookie season with the Maple Leafs last year while posting a 14-4-0 record, 2.33 GAA, a.928 SV% and three shutouts in 21 regular season games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.

In five playoff appearances with the Marlies, Sparks registered a 2.30 GAA, a .915 SV%, one shutout and a record of 2-2-0. On November 30, 2015, Sparks became the first goaltender in Maple Leafs history to record a shutout in his NHL debut.

Sparks was originally selected by Toronto in the seventh round (190th overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Maple Leafs' Sparks, Spaling out until after Christmas

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Garret Sparks will be out until at least after Christmas after sustaining a lower-body injury against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.

Sparks went to the bench then to the locker room at 11:32, after Patrick Marleau scored San Jose's second power-play goal to give the Sharks a 2-0 lead.

He stopped 13 of 15 shots before being replaced by Jonathan Bernier. The Maple Leafs lost 5-4 in overtime.

Bernier will start Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings.

The Maple Leafs also lost forward Nick Spaling, who sustained what the team called an upper-body injury 24 seconds into the game and did not return.