Kesler's Nose Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 We aren't going to be able to keep him at that price, he hasn't scored any points but he has played solid defensively. Might as well get used to the idea of him being here only for this season, doesn't mean we can't enjoy it while it lasts though right? Stupid cap going down, I hate the NHL but I love hockey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icycold Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I've kind of been out of the loop for awhile as per some of the details of the strike and when people said our cap is going down, i just assumed by 2 million or something... but ouch!!! down to 64.3 mill? I didn't think by that much, i can now see why MG is taking his time and possibly trying to work out details of the cap issues at the same time. I now hope he works out certain trades so we don't simply let go of guys like raymond for nothing but rather for draft picks, this is a lil more complicated than i thought. I for one am glad we have MG as a GM since he's smart enough to deal with a potential problem before it gets down to the nitty gritty. Ballard? Hmmmmm i'm glad he's playing better and almost up to the way he can but if we have to let him go or trade him then i'm sure MG will do what is necessary to fill his spot with a quality player. Seems to me that although for injury reasons etc he hasn't played to where we needed him to be up to now but i'm sure tanev's development has been all that much better because of playing with a veteran like Ballard. Too bad about the strike happening this year instead of next year which if we're forced to deal Ballard, tanev would have had another full year and been able to maybe have a younger rookie beside him as per Sauve or connaughton and not a worry but i guess that could be easily rectified by a pairing switch perhaps. Man that cap hit was nasty!!!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !!!!!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !!!!!! ! ! !! ! ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorrcoq Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Either way it would just be kinda sh***y to buy him out and then resign him, I know I wouldn't want to resign with a team that just bought me out anyway, it's a bit of a slap in the face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesB Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Ballard and Tanev are playing well together. It is hard to call them a third pairing. AV is dividing up the ice pretty evenly and look who was on the ice late in overtime against Edmonton. Right now, Tanev and Ballard are probably slightly more reliable than Garrison and Bieksa, but the entire D is playing well. Still, the Canucks will not be be able to keep Ballard next year when the cap goes down by about 6 million -- and Edlers salary goes up due to his new contract. Both Ballard and Louongo (or possibly Schneider instead of Luongo) will have to go. Ballard has trade value. He would be top 4 on a lot of teams. His cap his is on the high side but the Canucks will get some takers. The will get a lot in return but they will get something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahzdeen Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Either way it would just be kinda sh***y to buy him out and then resign him, I know I wouldn't want to resign with a team that just bought me out anyway, it's a bit of a slap in the face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jono2009 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 He has been more reliable than some of our "Top D" this year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ballisticsports. Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 I dont know why most assume it has to be Ballard going? I think he has more Tools than Bieska The 1st year took some adjustment with injuries,a new team,new system,different partners (much like Garrison now) He is almost the same $ as Bieska and 1 yr younger. He doesnt have to remain on the 3rd line IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
higgyfan Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 I think the Nucks keep him until the offseason as they need the depth at D this year. Ballard has improved mightily, so will not be bought out. He has value to other teams (yes folks, decent D-men are at a premium these days). A low cap team will gladly trade for Ballard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldnews Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 You're finally seeing what a healthy Ballard with a complementary partner looks like. Were it not for an unpredictable cap drop, who the hell in their right mind would complain about the balance the Canucks have throughout their pairings. The extra million that Ballard may be making over a steal at 3.2 is easily made up in the contracts in the top 4. Right now the Canucks essentially have a third pairing playing top 4 quality hockey. Buyout talk is nonsense. Ballard easily brings back a good young asset if the Canucks decided to move him, but I highly doubt that happens before the offseason, because with that blueline depth and the goaltending the Canucks have, they have as good a shot as anyone this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallstreetamigo Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 According to the CBA you can't buy out a player and then re-sign him (for one year). And I highly doubt Ballard would sit out for a year waiting for the Canucks to come back and lowball him...lol....CDC astounds me sometimes.....what exactly does he owe Vancouver anyway? He has been treated like crap since the day he got here. You would never hear him say it as he is a good teammate and puts the team needs first, but I bet he would be thrilled to be traded or bought out in order to get a real chance elsewhere. If Ballard got bought out - which will never happen anyway - I bet he would sign on with another team for a minimum of 3 mil per season and probably more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUndaCanuck Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Last year he was playing at about the value of a 1M defenceman. This season he's upped his game quite a bit. Last game was the best of his tenure as a Vancouver Canuck. Amazing hits, solid defensive plays and some shifty, smart moves on the attack. He played like a 3M dollar man last game. Keep it up Ballard, we'll need your A-game for when one of our big top-4 go down to injury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Vintage Canuck- Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 He has been playing some decent hockey lately but I still don't think he is worth $4.2M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldnews Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 I think Ballard has actually come up bigger than he's getting credit for. The Canucks came into the season with a rusty top four - Hamhius and Bieksa have not looked like themselves and are just rounding into form, Edler and Garrison were coming off injuries without a lot of time to tune up for the season (they've played well but are also tuning up) - what the Canucks really needed in these first ten games, with a makeshift second line and questionable scoring punch (although they've fared alright), was to play sound defensively and Ballard has been stellar with Tanev - they stepped up and played like a solid top four pairing, imo along with Raymond and Kassian, the biggest bright spot in the lineup (of course I take the tenders for granted)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smashian Kassian Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 He's worth the 4.2 if he continues the way he's been playing. Bieksa, on the other hand... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookieCrumbs Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 He's been great, and besides, it's not my money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d.joh91 Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 I'm fine with paying Ballard 4.2m if he continues to shut down opposing teams like he has Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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