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Ballard's agent to talk to management


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You have valid points bc everyone knows or can see that AV's treatment of Ballard seems absurd or harsh. But can you honestly say they haven't given Ballard an opportunity considering Gillis gave away 2 first rounders for this guy? There's probably more to it, plus we don't watch players in practise and other aspects. They are at ice level plus reviewing tapes, scouting etc. lets give them the benefit of the doubt here and hope the coaching staff are being paid to do what they suppose to do. Unless you think I can provide better viewpoint than the staff by watching the game on TV one time or live, assuming I was sober.

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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

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For those who think Ballard has been 'playing great', he is currently ranked 539th in GVT. A place generally reserved for goons, unproven rookies, and players who are having awful seasons. Tom Sestito is ranked above him.

Now before anyone says 'Dats because he's not playing in da top four!', to put that in perspective, his partner Tanev is ranked 286th. Which for a 3rd pairing guy, is excellent. Same kinda icetime. Same kinda useage. Way different results.

Ballard is being benched for a reason. However, Alberts, Vandermeer and Barker aren't capable of better numbers than what Ballard is providing. So the question becomes what is an acceptable GVT/Cap dollar spent on a 3rd-pairing type of player? And if we're not calling up K-Con or Andersson, can we live with Alberts, Vandermeer and Barker?

Regardless, Ballard HAS to be traded. Or bought out. It's only a matter of when.

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But than what are you saying? The coaching staff is just reading stats? Lets just wait til Ballard gets traded and see what he can do on another team. Than Av can look like a joke if Ballard turns out good. But you can't compare Ballards results from yotes and panthers to here, bc the Canucks are way deaper in defense, so you would need to bring more to the table here than you would be those teams to be in the lineup. That being said, I would pick Ballard over Alberts and Barker. (Although I haven't seen much of Barker)

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But than what are you saying? The coaching staff is just reading stats? Lets just wait til Ballard gets traded and see what he can do on another team. Than Av can look like a joke if Ballard turns out good. But you can't compare Ballards results from yotes and panthers to here, bc the Canucks are way deaper in defense, so you would need to bring more to the table here than you would be those teams to be in the lineup. That being said, I would pick Ballard over Alberts and Barker. (Although I haven't seen much of Barker)

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I would be interested to know why you believe every aspect of a player can be neatly arranged in some kind of statistical analysis.

Do you honestly not believe that luck and other factors play a role in hockey?

Are you really looking at Ballard and Rome overall as players and suggesting that Rome is a better offensive player skill-wise than Ballard is? Why not look at their entire careers for the stats you seek?

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Cam Barker looked good in the offensive zone getting point shots on goal, but in the defensive zone he was getting danced and looked uncomfortable on the right side.

Andrew Alberts completely abandoned his good position to try to throw a hit on a player that Chris Tanev had already. This led to the Matt Stajan chance. Bad decision.

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Instead of trading ballard the canucks should get rid of AV! If this was just a class with one player then I would consider it being a fault with the player but AV has proven time and time again that he is not doing is job! So I say keep the player fire the coach!

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And I'd be interested to know why you keep saying that. I've said repeatedly to your replies that I use my own observations of their play as well as the backing statistical data to evaluate players. Just because I put numbers in my post doesn't mean I don't watch a majority of the games.

Feel free to show me by real game time how the argument I'm using supported by the numbers is incorrect. Otherwise take them as they are - my opinion based on all the data available. You should know by now I'm not just posting numbers irrespective of actual play.

And I'm not suggesting Rome is a better offensive player, I'm saying more should be expected of Ballard offensively in the same style of minutes considering his price tag, even if he has to adjust to not playing in the same role he had in Phoenix and Florida. I'm not expecting 20-30+ points out of him each year, but so little production can't be solely on the coaching and management.

I don't have the visual for how Ballard played in Florida his final year there, but you keep talking about how he had 28 points and then went to 7 here, so I'd be interested in your take on what you observed of his play there. I'd certainly hope you wouldn't call me out on posting some stats and then do the same yourself.

But on that note, to give a comparison to what I was already talking about with PP time, Ballard had more PP time obviously in Florida. That last year he ended up with 9 points of his 29 on the PP. The year before he had 5 points of his 34 on the PP. His production, certainly even strength was down even then, but I have no idea what factors came into play for that (issues within team, with coach, different teammates, etc.). Bouwmeester moved to Calgary the second last year he was there, so he was mainly competing with McCabe for PP points. Weise, Stillman, Booth, Horton and Frolik were all prominent forwards on the PP which changed a bit to Weise, Horton, Frolik, Reinprecht and Stillman in Ballard's last year.

We know who the Canucks have had on the PP the last while, the Sedins, Kesler, Edler, Ehrhoff and Salo. Edler's been here the whole time, and his points each year get a big boost from the PP since it's so good and he's usually on the 1st unit. He had 21 of 37 points on the PP at the same time Ballard had 5 in 34, and 19 of 42 when Ballard had 9 of 28 his final year in Florida. Of course we know our PP gets way more points than Florida's, but we do as well 5 on 5. Edler had more 5 on 5 points than Ballard before the trade and we know how Edler can generate his own points and benefit from better players around him, and Ballard has definitely had less to work with for help but still generated very little in the way of points for himself.

Ballard has not been good enough in his own right, considering who he's been playing with and against, and in the ice time and roles he's been given, to warranty immunity from criticism. When it comes to looking to the future of this club, especially with the cap going down next year, we have to be able to explore our options and see what each player can do.

Ballard may not have gotten a fair shake, I support that idea, but I don't think it was out of malice and he hasn't done much with what he has been given to warrant a lot more considering who he's competing against - regardless of how much anyone makes.

Ballard had an NTC with Florida, but that doesn't automatically carry over to the new team after they agree to waive it for a trade. Only if the new team agrees to allow the NTC to continue will it factor in.

Now, we don't know if the Canucks have agreed to continue Ballard's NTC from Florida, we just know they had the option and that Ballard likely wouldn't stand in the way of almost any deal.

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For those who think Ballard has been "playing great", he is currently ranked 539th in GVT. A place generally reserved for goons, unproven rookies, and players who are having awful seasons. Tom Sestito is ranked above him.

Now before anyone says 'Dats because he's not playing in da top four!', to put that in perspective, his partner Tanev is ranked 286th. Which for a 3rd pairing guy, is excellent. Same kinda icetime. Same kinda useage. Way different results.

Ballard is being benched for a reason. However, Alberts, Vandermeer and Barker aren't capable of better numbers than what Ballard is providing. So the question becomes what is an acceptable GVT/Cap dollar spent on a 3rd-pairing type of player? And if we're not calling up K-Con or Andersson, can we live with Alberts, Vandermeer and Barker?

Regardless, Ballard HAS to be traded. Or bought out. It's only a matter of when.

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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

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lol.....yes clearly that very strategy worked last year too when Edler and Hamhuis stunk in the playoffs (and Ballard was our best D hands down) after getting "cookies" all year. Playing time should be not based on favoritism or who you THINK is going to do better. It should be based on who IS doing better?

Wasn't that the argument the last two years when Ballard struggled? The same standard should apply to the entire team.......

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So people who disagree with you about Ballard's lack of minutes are so stupid they type in ebonics? Makes it easier to discredit their point I guess. Personally, I think the individuals who really show their inability to understand hockey rely on stats, especially advanced stats. Looks like I get to use Ronnie Hortense's quote from Goon again:

"This ain't ******* baseball!!!"

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But on that note, to give a comparison to what I was already talking about with PP time, Ballard had more PP time obviously in Florida. That last year he ended up with 9 points of his 29 on the PP. The year before he had 5 points of his 34 on the PP. His production, certainly even strength was down even then, but I have no idea what factors came into play for that (issues within team, with coach, different teammates, etc.). Bouwmeester moved to Calgary the second last year he was there, so he was mainly competing with McCabe for PP points. Weise, Stillman, Booth, Horton and Frolik were all prominent forwards on the PP which changed a bit to Weise, Horton, Frolik, Reinprecht and Stillman in Ballard's last year.

We know who the Canucks have had on the PP the last while, the Sedins, Kesler, Edler, Ehrhoff and Salo. Edler's been here the whole time, and his points each year get a big boost from the PP since it's so good and he's usually on the 1st unit. He had 21 of 37 points on the PP at the same time Ballard had 5 in 34, and 19 of 42 when Ballard had 9 of 28 his final year in Florida. Of course we know our PP gets way more points than Florida's, but we do as well 5 on 5. Edler had more 5 on 5 points than Ballard before the trade and we know how Edler can generate his own points and benefit from better players around him, and Ballard has definitely had less to work with for help but still generated very little in the way of points for himself.

Ballard has not been good enough in his own right, considering who he's been playing with and against, and in the ice time and roles he's been given, to warranty immunity from criticism. When it comes to looking to the future of this club, especially with the cap going down next year, we have to be able to explore our options and see what each player can do.

Ballard may not have gotten a fair shake, I support that idea, but I don't think it was out of malice and he hasn't done much with what he has been given to warrant a lot more considering who he's competing against - regardless of how much anyone makes.

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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

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Cam Barker looked good in the offensive zone getting point shots on goal, but in the defensive zone he was getting danced and looked uncomfortable on the right side.

Andrew Alberts completely abandoned his good position to try to throw a hit on a player that Chris Tanev had already. This led to the Matt Stajan chance. Bad decision.

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And I'd be interested to know why you keep saying that. I've said repeatedly to your replies that I use my own observations of their play as well as the backing statistical data to evaluate players. Just because I put numbers in my post doesn't mean I don't watch a majority of the games.

Feel free to show me by real game time how the argument I'm using supported by the numbers is incorrect. Otherwise take them as they are - my opinion based on all the data available. You should know by now I'm not just posting numbers irrespective of actual play.

And I'm not suggesting Rome is a better offensive player, I'm saying more should be expected of Ballard offensively in the same style of minutes considering his price tag, even if he has to adjust to not playing in the same role he had in Phoenix and Florida. I'm not expecting 20-30+ points out of him each year, but so little production can't be solely on the coaching and management.

I don't have the visual for how Ballard played in Florida his final year there, but you keep talking about how he had 28 points and then went to 7 here, so I'd be interested in your take on what you observed of his play there. I'd certainly hope you wouldn't call me out on posting some stats and then do the same yourself.

But on that note, to give a comparison to what I was already talking about with PP time, Ballard had more PP time obviously in Florida. That last year he ended up with 9 points of his 29 on the PP. The year before he had 5 points of his 34 on the PP. His production, certainly even strength was down even then, but I have no idea what factors came into play for that (issues within team, with coach, different teammates, etc.). Bouwmeester moved to Calgary the second last year he was there, so he was mainly competing with McCabe for PP points. Weise, Stillman, Booth, Horton and Frolik were all prominent forwards on the PP which changed a bit to Weise, Horton, Frolik, Reinprecht and Stillman in Ballard's last year.

We know who the Canucks have had on the PP the last while, the Sedins, Kesler, Edler, Ehrhoff and Salo. Edler's been here the whole time, and his points each year get a big boost from the PP since it's so good and he's usually on the 1st unit. He had 21 of 37 points on the PP at the same time Ballard had 5 in 34, and 19 of 42 when Ballard had 9 of 28 his final year in Florida. Of course we know our PP gets way more points than Florida's, but we do as well 5 on 5. Edler had more 5 on 5 points than Ballard before the trade and we know how Edler can generate his own points and benefit from better players around him, and Ballard has definitely had less to work with for help but still generated very little in the way of points for himself.

Ballard has not been good enough in his own right, considering who he's been playing with and against, and in the ice time and roles he's been given, to warranty immunity from criticism. When it comes to looking to the future of this club, especially with the cap going down next year, we have to be able to explore our options and see what each player can do.

Ballard may not have gotten a fair shake, I support that idea, but I don't think it was out of malice and he hasn't done much with what he has been given to warrant a lot more considering who he's competing against - regardless of how much anyone makes.

Ballard had an NTC with Florida, but that doesn't automatically carry over to the new team after they agree to waive it for a trade. Only if the new team agrees to allow the NTC to continue will it factor in.

Now, we don't know if the Canucks have agreed to continue Ballard's NTC from Florida, we just know they had the option and that Ballard likely wouldn't stand in the way of almost any deal.

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