Career
He was a second round selection of the Red Wings, 29th overall, at the 1985 National Hockey League Entry Draft and made his National Hockey League debut late in the 1986-1987 National Hockey League season. He spent the majority of two seasons with the Red Wings until he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers on November 2, 1989. He never appeared in a regular-season game with Edmonton.
His only action with the team was in an exhibition game against the Soviet club team, Khimik Voskresensk.
Sharples spent most of the 1989-1990 AHL season with the Cape Breton Oilers before he was again traded, this time to the New Jersey Devils on March 6, 1990. Sharples played ten more seasons in the minor leagues but never played in the National Hockey League again.
He retired in 2000.