Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Garret Sparks will spend the next 10 days away from the NHL club working with the team's goalie coaches to "get his game back" and Michael Hutchinson will serve as their back-up for at least that time, head coach Mike Babcock announced Friday.

The decision means Hutchinson will be the Leafs backup for at least the start of the Leafs' first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins.

"Sparks has 10 days basically to work with Jon Elkin and Steve Briere to get his game back," Babcock said. "We need him to get it back, he needs to get it back. It’s real important as an organization that we help him out and that he helps himself."

The Maple Leafs recalled Hutchinson from the AHL's Toronto Marlies earlier Friday to presumably serve as Andersen's backup moving forward. He move came as a surprise when announced as Hutchinson now requires waivers to return to the Marlies, where has served as their No. 1 goaltender. According to TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie, Sparks cannot be placed on waivers.

Sparks was not on the ice for practice with the team Friday and TSN's Kristen Shilton reports Sparks' stall at the practice facility is no longer there and his gear was also not in the locker room. Sparks spent Thursday's loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on the bench as Frederik Andersen's backup.

"Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, let’s go through the process here," Babcock added. "He won a Calder Cup for the organization last year, it’s important we treat him right and help him get his game to the level he should be at."

Andersen, Hutchinson and rookie Joseph Woll were on the ice for practice Friday.

Sparks, the AHL's goaltender of the year last season, has an 8-9-1 record with a .902 save percentage and 3.15 goals-against average this year. 

Asked why the team waited this long to make such a decision, Babcock said the team wanted to give their 'keeper a chance to bounce back.

"We believe in Sparky, so we went back to the well a number of times...we chose to do everything we could to help get his game where it needed to be, and now the team is way more important than any individual," Babcock said.

For his part, Sparks has insisted he will round back into form.

"I’ll be ready next year," Sparks said Tuesday after allowing three goals on 36 shots in a loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. "I’ll be ready if anything happens. This year isn’t over for me. I’m still going to be a big part of this team going down the stretch... be a good teammate. Support Fred."

Head coach Mike Babcock said Tuesday that Andersen would start the team's final two games. He stopped 26 of 28 shots Thursday, while the Leafs lone remaining game is Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens.

Hutchinson, 29, was traded to the Leafs from Florida last December in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. He played in five games for Toronto right after, filling in when both Andersen (groin) and Sparks (concussion) were hurt.

After posting a 2-3-0 record with a .914 save percentage, Hutchinson was sent to the Marlies, where he’s gone 14-4-1 with a .914 save percentage since.