The Toronto Maple Leafs net concerns have reached a new level, as the club announced that goaltender Garret Sparks would not be available for the club’s contest against the Minnesota Wild at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday afternoon.
Sparks (6-2-1, 3.00 GAA, .905 save percentage) is being evaluated under the club’s concussion protocol after taking a shot off the mask at practice on Wednesday.
#Leafs netminder Garret Sparks is being evaluated for a concussion after taking this shot off the mask in practice on Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/kBmkWbDCL5
With starter Frederik Andersen and Sparks unavailable, the club recalled goaltenders Michael Hutchinson and Kasimir Kaskisuo from the Toronto Marlies on an emergency basis and it is expected that the recently acquired Hutchinson will make his Leafs debut against the Wild.
The Barrie, ON native made his Marlies debut on Monday, stopping 31 shots in a 5-4 overtime victory over Charlotte and played four games for Florida before being acquired from the Panthers last week.
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The Leafs are fortunate that GM Kyle Dubas was proactive in acquiring the veteran backup with over 100 games of NHL experience under his belt, because the loss of both Andersen and Sparks would have left the club with rookies Kaskisuo and Eamon McAdam as their only option.
Andersen was placed on injured reserve (retroactive to December 23), but took to the ice for the second day in a row, skating along with Kaskisuo at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday morning.
With the placement being retroactive, Andersen could be activated as soon as he is ready to return to the lineup, but Babcock did not offer any further information in terms of a timetable for his starting goalie’s return to action, so it is very possible that Hutchinson will play both against the Wild and the Leafs next home game against Vancouver on Saturday.
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