Should Sabourin start Wednesday?

I don't exactly blame McLennan for the loss last night. But I think Sabourin should be given the start against Chicago. If for no other reason, at least it changes things up.

Opinions?

I'd give Sabourin the start. Something needs to change and hopefully this could wake up the flames. Also get Saprykin back in the lineup.

I'd blame McLennan or Sabourin for the loss, either one. 4 goals that should have been stopped. We lost because of our goaltending in Columbus, no question. :madfire:

I dont think Sabourin is ready to start, and I dont think the Flames need him playing in a game that will ultimately determine how the rest of this month will play out. I think whats best for this club is to wait out McLennan and hope he can put together a few consecutive wins and help get this team back above the .500 mark.

In the meantime, Im praying that Sutter will land us a decent #1 within the week, because this November is beginning to look an awful lot like last year's...

I say we need to cut procrastinating. We spend to much time thinking about whats going wrong, and how things aren't going right, and if we wait and wait it will get better, and it just never seems to do just that. If we want any hope of making the Playoffs the facts need to be dealt with as soon as possible, instead of waiting until its too late as always.

McLennan has been as reasonable as i'd suspect a backup goaltender in a starters position, i wouldn't blame him for the losses, however its obvious he isn't a decent starting goaltender...Neither is Turek, nor Sabourin however at the end of the day no matter which one of them we use it seems fair to assume that we'll be conceeding 2-4 goals a game...how do we best adequately deal with that, generating some offence.

We can't afford to wait for Iginla and Conroy too long to get back on track. Yes, when they're in form they are great, however when they're not performing and eating up just under 1/3 of our payroll, its silly to wait around hoping for a miracle. Its as simple as they improve on this road trip, or ship them out as soon as possible, before its too late. With the money saved from these two players, i'm sure we could then afford 3/4 20 goal scorers, which at the end of the day i know i'd prefer to rely on a team with four players scoring than two.

Either way, the facts remain that things need to be dealt with, and i believe a teams depth is created by the scoring being shared by several players, than expecting Iginla and Conroy to do everything.

With more players contributing, it'll force some of those fringe players to play better or they'll be in the minors, and hopefully make us a better team if anything.
Well, there's my two cents worth, i'm sure many will disagree, and prefer to play the waiting game...however i think most would agree seven years is a long enough wait.

4 goals that should have been stopped. We lost because of our goaltending in Columbus, no question. :madfire:

No doubt. When Jody Shelley suddenly becomes Brendan Shanahan, the goalie deserves the brunt of the blame for the loss.

Is Turek really out for more than a month?

Yes. Sutter recently said on the radio it could be 1-3 months.

I would start Sabourin. He gives me more confidence. In the Columbus game I would say the first two goals than McLennan gave up were both quite stoppable and those are the types of saves we need to get in order to be a good team.

We're just not good enough to win consistently with average goaltending. I'm still hoping that we'll make a move shortly.

I would start Sabourin. He gives me more confidence. In the Columbus game I would say the first two goals than McLennan gave up were both quite stoppable and those are the types of saves we need to get in order to be a good team.

We're just not good enough to win consistently with average goaltending. I'm still hoping that we'll make a move shortly.


I'd go with Sabourin as well. Each shot that McLennan faces, I worry about. Sabourin looks alot more faster, he just needs to get used to the NHL game. I'm sticking to what I said before - I would not be surprized if Sabourin took McLennan's spot while Turek's gone.

BTW - anyone remember Ken Sabourin? He could sure clear the front of the net!

Well, Sabourin's given up two really bad game winners in two games so I'm not sure what about that gives you confidence. I'm not saying McLennan is the guy to go with, but let's not get silly with the Sabourin stuff. He hasn't played well at all.

this is completely unrelated to the topic, i'm sorry about that but i saw the game yesterday against columbus, and i thought that was one of the best games i saw in a really long time. do the flames play like this on a regular basis, and if they do then you guys definetly have the toughest team in the league

also my habs fire like 35 - 40 shots a game and still lose so i feel for you guys

I don't think it really matters who gets the start. They both seem to have equal skill. We don't have lots of depth in goaltending right now. I wish I was around for Calgary's glory day's.

Question: how long does Turoks contract last?

Well, Sabourin's given up two really bad game winners in two games so I'm not sure what about that gives you confidence. I'm not saying McLennan is the guy to go with, but let's not get silly with the Sabourin stuff. He hasn't played well at all.

Just his style and his size. He takes up the whole lower half of the net. McLennan scares me when he's in the net, I just have no confidence in him.

To me the Sanderson blast is nowhere near as horrid as the Shelley wraparound.

I don't thinks Sabourin is bad at all. Consider the scenario's he's been thrust into:
His first and only start was VS. Dallas on the road. the Flames were up 3-1;then Guerin beat the Flames on his own almost.
Last three games he has played he was coming in cold in the third period after the flames are down 3-0. Call it a wake-up call to the team and/or Noodles perhaps but the kid still deserves a chance to get a win.

Thats to be expected from a goalie who has probably never seen a shot faster than 75 mph and something that will get better with experience, though the Flames might not have time to wait for that to get better.
What?

That may be the most naive thing I have ever seen on a hockey messageboard. You think no one in the AHL or QMJHL shoots harder than 75 MPH?

That's just nuts.

Calgary are one of my favorite teams in the NHL, maybe a top three and this is Sutter's type team, I remember telling you befroe the season that Calgary has the hardest hitting defense in the NHL bar none. If Commadore was playing it would be even tougher. Sutter needs some more size up front IMO. A player like Isbister or Rupp would be perfect.
Isbister is a waste of a pair of skates, glad he's in Edmonton.

He is doing great on the best 4th line in the league, no matter what you say the guy is tough and a Sutter type player. I wouldn't have gave up what edmonton did to get him but Edmonton also got the next Wendel Clark with Torres.
He's doing great in between healthy scratches you mean?

Yep, it's the same old story with Isbister. He gets complacent sucks the life out of his line for a half dozen games or so, gets benched and comes back and plays like he's capable for a little while until his laziness sets in again.

Torres has looked as good as any Oiler in the 2 games they've dropped to the Flames.

Sutter needs some more size up front IMO. A player like Isbister or Rupp would be perfect.

We had a player like Isbister. His name was Rob Niedermayer. The Flames did not make the playoffs with him in the lineup.

don't ever user isbister in the same breath as wendel clark

don't ever user isbister in the same breath as wendel clark
well I think he was comparing Torres to Clark, but I guess Izzy was in the same post.

I used Torres's name with Clark, Isbister's name with Stevenson.
You beat me to it. :)