There are countless stories of second-generation hockey players following in their parents' footsteps, but Tyus Sparks has a different origin. 

Yes, he comes from an athletic background, but his dad, Nate Sparks, was a college football quarterback at Boise State who played pro for the CFL's B.C. Lions. The Sparks family resides in Idaho, so Tyus' journey is one of the most unique in the 2026 NHL draft class, where he is projected to go top-75 this summer.

And let's get the wild part out of the way right off the top: in order to play better competition, Sparks would fly from Boise to L.A. to play games for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings every weekend, starting at the age of 10. By 12, he was flying on his own.

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