Former Solar Bears goalie Garret Sparks earns shutout in NHL debut for Toronto

Netminder makes 24 saves in 3-0 Maple Leafs win

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Solar Bears, proud affiliate of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, are excited to announce that former Solar Bears goaltender Garret Sparks made his NHL debut Monday night, stopping all 24 shots he faced for a shutout in the Maple Leafs’ 3-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers at the Air Canada Centre, becoming the 579th player in ECHL history to advance to the NHL.

Sparks, 22, became the 25th goaltender to earn a shutout in his NHL debut with his performance, and is also the first-ever goaltender to do so in Maple Leafs history. Sparks is now the 14th player in Solar Bears history to also appear in an NHL game, and just the second player in Solar Bears history to make his NHL debut after first developing in Orlando, following goaltender Darcy Kuemper.

Sparks began this season with the Toronto Marlies, going 8-2-1 with two shutouts, a 1.90 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage, before receiving a call-up to the Maple Leafs this past Saturday.

Over the course of two seasons with the Solar Bears from 2013-15, Sparks appeared in 46 games for Orlando, going 25-13-3 with a 2.45 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage. He was originally drafted by the Maple Leafs in the seventh round (#190 overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.