CanadianRugby Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 (edited) Watching the 2011 playoffs. Daaaaamn that team was good. Anyway, watching Ballard play. I think he's playing his role ok, and he's physical. Only later, when Kesler, Erhoff and Edler were messed up. Rome suspended, Maholtra and Hamhuis out, that guys like Ballard were asked too much defensively. Update: wow I thought everyone was gonna disagree. I guess it was mostly just AV that hated him. Edited July 2, 2020 by CanadianRugby 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post AriGold2.0 Posted July 2, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted July 2, 2020 (edited) When I hear the name "Keith Ballard" I will only remember this moment.. Edited July 2, 2020 by AriGold2.0 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Biestra Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 I thought he was good enough to not be scratched that often, and I thought it was worth it to try him out as a winger if he wasn't going to get used on the blueline anyway. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoneypuckOverlord Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 more agile more offensive, equally as physical, as Aaron Rome. He's just one of those pretty damn good players who never really got a long with A.V. That was all unfortunately. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Kneel Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 It was that bad hip injury, 2010 he had surgery after a stress fracture and to remove a cyst. Otherwise I think he would have stayed longer. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post LeanBeef Posted July 2, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted July 2, 2020 Yeah he was lowkey one of my favorite players in his time here... Unfortunately though, he never really got that trust from AV. As you mentioned, once we ran into injuries in the final he was asked to do too much.... Played with Bieksa for the very first time (not once played together during he season) and had some tough matchups resulting in a horrible game which happened to be his last in the playoffs that year. Also two years later, Ballard was having a pretty solid run pre playoffs with Alberts or Tanev (cant recall)... and then comes rookie Frankie Corrado and that's the end of his chance on the team. He was physical, stood up for his teammates, and was a great skater. Kinda reminds me of a more physical Stecher, always played with effort. 4 1 1 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NHL'er Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 Just never left AV's dog house. I thought he deserved to be treated better or play more. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Where's Wellwood Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 I think we traded for him before we signed Hamhuis. Once Hamhuis signed in free agency, Ballard lost his potential spot in the top 4. Also, his injuries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reyezone Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 We may have found advanced analytics would not look so favourably on his all around game had he played these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancaster Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 35 minutes ago, Hairy Kneel said: It was that bad hip injury, 2010 he had surgery after a stress fracture and to remove a cyst. Otherwise I think he would have stayed longer. This. Hip surgery takes like 1-2 years before it gets back to "normal". I think BMO had surgery one year and his stats dropped quite a bit the year he came back. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post King Heffy Posted July 2, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted July 2, 2020 Loved Ballard. Skated well, threw a few hits, was willing to drop the gloves to defend teammates, and never complained about his role. 6 3 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoneypuckOverlord Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 4 minutes ago, King Heffy said: Loved Ballard. Skated well, threw a few hits, was willing to drop the gloves to defend teammates, and never complained about his role. this. He was also ok playing the bottom pairing and not play high minutes as long as the team was winning. Dude also have good hockey iq, and puck possession game. It's unfortunate that this type of player for whatever reason A.V doesn't like, right now Shayne Gostisbehere seems to be the latest victim. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewbieCanuckFan Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 (edited) 50 minutes ago, King Heffy said: Loved Ballard. Skated well, threw a few hits, was willing to drop the gloves to defend teammates, and never complained about his role. Yeah I didn’t like him as a player for us but he put the team ahead of his ego. NEVER complained about his scratches (at least not publicly), never demanded a trade.....basically just kept his mouth shut. Edited July 2, 2020 by NewbieCanuckFan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuktravella Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 ballard was the man love that guy screw av garbage playing favorites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elvis15 Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 2 hours ago, Where's Wellwood said: I think we traded for him before we signed Hamhuis. Once Hamhuis signed in free agency, Ballard lost his potential spot in the top 4. Also, his injuries. Pretty much that. The injuries really derailed his time here and he was moved to depth once we acquired Hamhuis. He was a decent enough player who was paid too much and never really found his footing here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Heffy Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 Probably a more unpopular opinion: We won the trade. Ballard gave us some quality minutes, albeit overpaid and in a lesser role. Grabner got waived after camp, Bernier lasted one season in FLA, and Howden was a bust. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devron Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 53 minutes ago, King Heffy said: Probably a more unpopular opinion: We won the trade. Ballard gave us some quality minutes, albeit overpaid and in a lesser role. Grabner got waived after camp, Bernier lasted one season in FLA, and Howden was a bust. It was a crap trade but sometimes trades turn into not much for either side Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coconuts Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 If I remember correctly we brought him in before we signed Hamhuis, getting Hammer as a ufa was never guaranteed. I'm not sure they really knew what to do with Ballard after that. Injuries and being in AV's doghouse certainly didn't help his case either. I remember him as a good teammate, and an entertaining character guy. Despite the $&!# he got I don't recall him complaining. Though it could be that my memory of what went on back then is a bit spotty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostsof1915 Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 The loss of Luc Bourdon left a vacuum that didn't get replaced. AV might be a nice guy. But he played favourites which was maddening. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruilin96 Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 I don't hate Ballard, just didn't like the deal in general. We traded a 1st round pick, a depth roster player and a decent prospect for a player we eventually use the compliance buy-out on. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, he never got out of AV's doghouse, which made it a lot worse. I would've prefered resigning Willie Mitchell and the bring in Dan Hamhuis instead. The first round pick should've been packaged to get another top 6 scoring winger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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