EagleShield Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Most equitable solution for both really. Ballard deserves better than to be a 5/6 guy or a healthy scratch, and better treatment; and we need to be paying less for a 5/6 guy, and we need a RHD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vancanwincup Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 I think everyone is looking at this in the wrong light, we should be be pretty thankful that we can scratch Ballard while we have Bieksa injured, to me this is a great sign as to the depth of the Canuck's blueline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elvis15 Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Those of you who are using the overpaid chip are just dumb. MG did not sign Ballard to that contract.. Even if he is overpaid, who cares.. If you sit him, that's 4.2 million sitting in the press box. That's still on your cap.. So why bench him at all, especially if he's doing well? Most of you are talking as if benching a player clears his cap hit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theminister Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 If we have a roster spot open up for whatever reason, I can see Connauton getting an opportunity. He's in much the same situation as Schroeder was last year, where he'd been playing well and we had to see what he could do at the NHL level sooner or later. Connauton has 10 points in the last 11 games with the Wolves as of March 1st. ....... I mentioned earlier Ballard has 15 points in 131 games with Vancouver so far. Aaron Rome has played in basically a similar role (#5/6/7 D-man, with lesser minutes and little to no PP time) yet he had 19 points in 138 games with Vancouver. Rome is not known at all as a D-man who should be good at offence. When Rome is on a better PPG pace that Ballard (a $4.2M D-man who'd previously had 20-30+ point years) that's a sign that you aren't good value for your contract. Ballard does bring other things to the table: he's physical for being a smaller player, has great mobility and is a fantastic team guy (one of my favourite guys on the team off-ice). Considering his skillset (and price point) more is expected of him offensively even in the limited minutes he receives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down by the River Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Feel bad for Ballard, him and Tanev are arguably our two most consistent dmen this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallstreetamigo Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 I don't get why alot of you say Ballard has been constintly good but its a known fact he had 3 turn overs and was minus 2 in the Coyotes game. So are the smart Canuck fans implying that Ballard was scratched bc AV thinks he's ugly? There has much more to it than the way the guys look. I think we, as a fan, tend to think we are smarter or know what's going on more than the staff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heretic Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 I think everyone is looking at this in the wrong light, we should be be pretty thankful that we can scratch Ballard while we have Bieksa injured, to me this is a great sign as to the depth of the Canuck's blueline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merci Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Luongo + Malhotra + Ballard = 12 million in cap space. That is the equivalency of have two top 6 forwards being payed 6 million each. Luongo is going to be traded eventually and we will improve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snolan Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 I think regardless of outcome it can be said Ballard was playing well enough not to be scratched, he needs to get out of Van I don't think he's ever been given a fair shake here. The bottom line I believe is he doesn't fit into AV's defensive system, he coughs up the puck too much and AV won't use him in offensive situations which is where Ballard is useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallstreetamigo Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 When Ballard was acquired to be an offensive d-man top 4 guy, yes. Who pays 4.2 million for a defenceman who's mediocre defensively and horrible offensively? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thad Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 It's the same style argument as why Rome got playing time over Ballard. I agree Ballard has been much better this year to earn the #5/6 spot at least, even without any offensive production, but we also can't just sit our #7/8 guys all year and expect them to step in with no issues if they don't occasionally get a game. I don't think this is an indictment of Ballard's play as much as it is an opportunity to see what else we have. As I already mentioned Ballard is the most likely candidate to move to make cap room for next year beyond a goalie deal, and he's a good enough player and team guy that there will be a team willing to take him on who has more cap space and could use depth to increase their chances come playoff time. Ballard deserves a fresh start, so I'm not surprised if it happens sooner than later. Essentially this. +1 People can't see anything beyond this being a slight to Ballard when I doubt it's anything like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleShield Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Ballard for Hamonic and Reasoner? I want their 1st, but I don't see that happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombieksa Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Ballard for Hamonic and Reasoner? I want their 1st, but I don't see that happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elvis15 Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 The Islanders. Visnovsky and Streit are both UFAs - they have only 28 million in committed cap next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theminister Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Ballard straight across for Visnovsky or Streit could make sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforhockey Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Do think Ballard has been playing well this year... curious of wwhy he sat out last night....previous night made sense.....ie size factor as for ballard ..he was okay for the first 5 gms are so....was lucky he played with tanev who bailed him out a number of times....he did alot of passing to Tanev that ende up in his skates with a man forechecking already and a number of bnehead moves with the puck at his own blueline....thought he settled down and played a smarter game after that... but really is there an issue here you dress a big bodied dman against a big physical LA team(keeping in mind - that AA was there to clear the crease or keep players from crashing the goalies-which ballard cant effectivly do vs heavy forwards) and then with a short turnaround and flight problems...keeping AA in and giving Barker a day to play......then ballards probably in next game?????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Carell Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Just get Ballard out of here and end the drama, MG. Same with Luongo or Schneider, just choose one. I'm aware trades are hard to perform, especially with NTC's, but hopefully Ballard and Schneider or Luongo are gone before the end of the trade deadline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boudrias Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 And most of 'you' are talking as if benching him was clearly AV playing favourites and there could be no other logic. When he's a prime candidate for cap relief when it drops for next season, you have to see what else you have on your team to replace him, or look for an alternative. It's unlikely we see Ballard here next season, no matter how well he's played this year or how much people like him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiznac Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 I'm getting tired of AV playing his favorites head games all the time... Change up the coach, he's losing the room or so it seems... There's almost zero emotion in the Canuck's game right now... Although I'll say it's been nice watching the Sedins (especially Henrik) show some jam and actually check with some ferocity and push back in the scrums etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theminister Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 It's not that Ballard hasn't been given chances before, even if they were short lived. I can easily understand how it'd be hard to get back into a groove like that, but when Hamhuis and Edler are ahead of him on the depth chart and putting up 80+ points between them each year, you can hardly fault AV for not using Ballard in other situations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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