Garret Sparks Goalie Gear Worn Throughout His Career
Garret Sparks is one of the most polarizing figures in the goalie gear space, period. Up until the 2018 / 2019 NHL season, Sparks hasn’t even been on an active NHL roster for the entire season and he continues to wow with his eye for design.
For your enjoyment, throughout his career, we’re going to post images of his gear in a list below. We’ll start with his latest gear and work backwards in a timeline.
It’s a big storyline this season out of the Maple Leafs camp, do the Leafs keep Sparks and get rid of Mcelhinney, or do they offer Sparks as trade bait?
Garret Sparks Goalie Gear
We’ll start with his latest set, the gear Sparks will wear with the Leafs in the 2018/19 season.
It’s commonly known that the Maple Leafs organization requires it’s goalie to wear designs that aren’t overly polarizing. Sparks often designs his gear himself (as he did this one), and his ability to make a white based set pop really impresses. For more NHL goalie gear this year check out our article from earlier this season.
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Credit to the designer, Garret Sparks. ? @gsparks40 #OPTIK
A post shared by Brian’s Custom Sports (@goaliesonly) on Sep 15, 2018 at 6:55am PDT
Sparks set from 2017/18 with the Toronto Marlies
The set is very similar to this years gear, minus a few of the extra additions above and below the graphic.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on May 9, 2018 at 8:15am PDT
Here’s another photo of the gear. The set works very well with both Blue and White jerseys combinations.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on May 26, 2018 at 6:06am PDT
Another thing that Sparks does very well (we’re assuming this is intentional), is tying his mask design into the gear he will wear during the season.
Here are a couple looks at his mask from last season.
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Power stances #Kickin ?:@christsgphoto
A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Feb 11, 2018 at 8:47pm PST
Sparks has also traditionally worn a mask with a snarling wolf on it.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Oct 8, 2017 at 6:01pm PDT
One of the things Sparks does very well with his gear designs is pay homage to older, retired, gear designs.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on May 24, 2017 at 6:55am PDT
Here’s a Sparks wolf / yeti mask painted by Wzlhead.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Nov 2, 2016 at 11:15am PDT
The 2016 / 2017 Season
Sparks wore another tribute set during the 16/17 season in which he spent the majority of the time with the Leafs AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Oct 15, 2016 at 3:28pm PDT
Another look at Sparks’ mask up close.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Apr 28, 2016 at 9:09pm PDT
2015 / 2016 Season
At the peak of Sparks throwback sets, he wore this gear near the end of the 2015/16 season. At this time, there was a bit of outrage as he had to move on from his Trevor Kidd tribute set.
It’s worth pointing out that Sparks changed his wolf / yeti mask to be “meaner for playoffs”.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Apr 15, 2016 at 10:48am PDT
Here’s a cleaner look at the gear.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Apr 15, 2016 at 10:48am PDT
Sparks wore an awesome Trevor Kidd throwback set, this was the set (in our opinon) that really put him on the map for the average fan.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Feb 24, 2016 at 12:47pm PST
Here’s the mask he wore during the majority of that season.
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New Sparks Spec W8 courtesy of @wallgoaliemasks
A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Jan 12, 2016 at 12:19pm PST
And the gear in action.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Nov 22, 2015 at 6:29am PST
Another mask, from earlier in the 2015/16 season. In this post, Sparks gives details on the “Sparks Spec Wall W8”.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Nov 4, 2015 at 5:10pm PST
One of the first times the gear was debuted. This is a very important point in the Garret Sparks gear timeline as it denotes when he switched from Reebok / CCM to Brian’s (also known as GoaliesOnly).
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on May 29, 2015 at 3:32pm PDT
Sparks at Star Wars night playing for the Orlando Solar Bears (ECHL affiliate of the Leafs) wearing Reebok XLT pads. The Reebok XLT line followed the Reebok P4 line, before the gear went back to CCM branding.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on May 4, 2015 at 6:15am PDT
Here’s an XLT set that Sparks had custom padwrapped. To the best of our knowledge, Sparks is one of the only goalies to wear a custom pad wrap design in pro hockey.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Mar 24, 2015 at 9:48pm PDT
Interestingly enough, Sparks foreshadowed his switch to Brian’s gear near the end of the 2014/15 season when he posted the mockup of these pads on a Brain’s pad template. The original Brian’s GNETIK!
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Feb 5, 2015 at 8:43pm PST
2014 /2015 Season
Sparks dresses up a set of Reeboks in padwrap. During this season, he spent time with both the Marlies (AHL) and the Solar Bears (ECHL).
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Feb 4, 2015 at 9:06pm PST
Sparks wore this mask for the 2014/15 ECHL All Star Game.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Jan 20, 2015 at 12:09pm PST
The set that Sparks started with, before the Solar Bears themed padwrap.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Dec 28, 2014 at 6:28pm PST
Sparks’ Marlies mask this season.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Dec 17, 2014 at 11:26am PST
Another set Sparks used this season. This was in the fall of 2014.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Aug 26, 2014 at 7:26pm PDT
2013 / 2014 Season
The Reebok P4s!
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Jan 6, 2014 at 8:42pm PST
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Sep 6, 2013 at 7:18am PDT
2012 / 2013 Season
Sparks played in the CHL with the Guelph Storm (who are a part of the OHL, within the CHL) and wore Reebok P4s.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Jan 16, 2013 at 7:50pm PST
One of Sparks’ masks from that season.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Jan 25, 2013 at 9:17pm PST
Sparks played in the World Junior Tournament during 2012. He wore Reebok P4s. While Sparks played Major Junior in Canada, he actually hails from Illinois, USA. It’s not incredibly uncommon for a goalie to take the Major Junior (CHL) route, but it’s not the most common either. Especially when goalies have had success jumping from Tier 2 (NAHL) in the US to the NHL, see Connor Hellebuyck.
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A post shared by Garret Sparks (@gsparks40) on Dec 16, 2012 at 6:55pm PST
We will continue to update this article as Sparks works his way through his career. At the time of this writing, in late 2018, it looks like Sparks has already established himself as one of the top goalie prospects currently available.