By Ron Rop
LocalSportsJournal.com

MUSKEGON – It’s not every day you see a hockey player as big and imposing as Muskegon Lumberjack defenseman Jack Sparkes.

The 19-year-old native Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, stands 6-8 and tips the scales at 240 pounds. That size is hard to miss when he’s on the ice. Put him on skates and he’s more like 7-0 tall.

He was certainly seen by the National Hockey League’s Los Angeles Kings, who picked him in the sixth round, 180th overall, in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

On Friday in the Lumberjacks’ home opener, Sparkes notched his first goal of the season with a high slap shot from the right point that found the back of the net, and at that time, tied the game at 1-all.

Jack Sparkes

That goal ignited the Lumberjacks, who ended up scoring three more goals in the opening period and led 4-1 after 20 minutes. In the end, the Lumberjacks had earned a 6-3 victory over Team USA U-18, a squad that gave Muskegon fits a year ago.

“It was a sick pass by Joe Conner,” Sparks said of how his goal unfolded. “I was just looking to shoot it … slap shot high, top left.”

Sparkes began his USHL career last season when he appeared in 11 games with the Lincoln Stars. He drew one assist in those 11 games.Sparkes played 42 games with the Lumberjacks a year ago and had one goal and six assists for seven points. He also had 100 penalty minutes.

That means in three games, he’s matched his goal total from a season ago.

“It’s a different role this year,” said Sparkes. “I just try to be a leader in the room and take my game to the next level.”That next level is Michigan State University. Being a birth year of 2003, this is it for Sparkes in the USHL.

Sparkes hopes his size, skating ability and physical presence will be an advantage at MSU, and hopefully, beyond to the NHL.

“I think I use my size pretty well,” he said. “I take pride in the physical game and I think that’s one of my strengths. I want to be hard to play against and use my reach.”

Sparkes comes from a hockey family that includes his grandfather Al MacNeil, who played more than 500 games on defense in the NHL, and his uncle Allister MacNeil is a scout for the NHL’s Calgary Flames.

“With Jack, everybody sees his size and it’s that size that partly allows him to dominate certain scenarios in the corners, in front of the net, penalty kills and he’s able to use his reach and his strength,” Lumberjack coach Parker Burgess said.

But, there’s more to his game than his size and that comes from the hockey smarts instilled from his family.

“For a big guy, his hockey IQ and his skating … it’s there,” Burgess said. “You don’t see that a lot  with the bigger, more imposing guys. He’s able to handle pucks and have a good first touch and good pass.

“Give him a little time and space at the blue line, like you saw today, and he can hammer the puck,” Burgess said. “Hopefully, he can provide a little offense there.”