Sparling Signs With ECHL Team

The East Coast Hockey League’s Gwinnett Gladiators announced today that they have signed former Saint John Sea Dog Ryan Sparling. The Gladiators are the ECHL affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes and Buffalo Sabres.

Sparling played with the Sea Dogs in their inaugural 2005-06 campaign and spent his entire junior career with the club. He played 247 regular season games in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League over four seasons, recording 83 goals and 134 assists.

The Sydney, NS native had his best season in 2007-08 when he registered 30 goals and 44 assists in 57 regular season contests. He added five goals and 13 helpers in 14 playoff games, helping Saint John reach the QMJHL semi-finals for the first time.

Sparling played 25 games at St. Francis Xavier in 2009-10, scoring two goals and nine assists before making the jump to the pro ranks.

He has spent part of the last two seasons in the Central Hockey League playing with the Missouri Mavericks and Laredo Bucks. Last year with the Bucks, Sparling had 16 goals and 29 assists in 66 games.

Sparling’s PG-13 Twitter account can be found at @RyanSparling_4.