SnapIt
Registered User
- Feb 19, 2013
- 750
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Keith Ballard's skill-set was never really utilized. He can be a catalyst to our offence if his speed is used properly.
Instead, Ballard was designated to the 3rd pairing, playing passive, defensive hockey. Gotta love those ineffective zone entries the Canucks have been using (long tip-in pass? Seriously?!). Shocking how our scoring has been absolute ****.
No, Ballard isn't the solution to all our offensive woes. But this situation represents the team as a whole for the past couple of seasons. They are not playing to their strengths.
Instead, Ballard was designated to the 3rd pairing, playing passive, defensive hockey. Gotta love those ineffective zone entries the Canucks have been using (long tip-in pass? Seriously?!). Shocking how our scoring has been absolute ****.
No, Ballard isn't the solution to all our offensive woes. But this situation represents the team as a whole for the past couple of seasons. They are not playing to their strengths.
I have nothing bad to say about Ballard as a person. He's handled what must be a very difficult situation for him with a great deal of class.
But the notion that he stunk because of Vigneault is utter rubbish.
He started each of his 3 seasons here playing regularly through the first half of the season. He was given a chance to perform in 15-17 minutes/game of icetime. He didn't get PP time (he didn't deserve it) but was getting a consistent run-through 5-on-5 as our #5 (ish) defender.
And he was crap. All 3 years. And then ended up getting benched in the second half of the season.
What skillset?
He's a good skater and decent puck carrier, yes.
But that doesn't mean anything when you can't see the ice, can't pass the puck, can't shoot the puck, and the play constantly dies when the puck is on your stick.
Somehow the way Vigneault used Rome was 'laughable' and he was Vigneault's pet, but the fact of the matter is that Rome out-performed Ballard offensively in the same minutes. And defensively, for that matter.
9 points in 83 games over the past 2 years. If you want more icetime, earn it. He didn't.
Fat Tony
Fire Benning
- Nov 28, 2011
- 3,012
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I look at Bouwmeester under Sutter as an example of a Dman that was badly misused. His drop off in production and subsequent recovery coincided with Sutter's tenure with the Flame.
When I first heard Vancouver got Ballard t the draft, I was excited, watching clips of him from the past playing for coyotes and Florida respectively he was a very very good top 4 dman, kills penalties and rushes the puck. Thought I would see that same skillet here in van but it didn't materialize. Bieska was the talk being trade bait, because he clearly sucked. Blame av here, treated him unfairly from the very beginning, it would be cool to see Ballard stay in Vancouver another year but under a new coach, but guess that won't happen because he"ll be one of the buyout candidates this offseason
Ballard was given long stretches of regular play at the start of each of his 3 seasons here.
If he would have shown that he was capable of providing solid defensive play, or could add something to our offense, he would have received more responsibility. Look at a guy like Wellwood and how his icetime increased as he earned Vigneault's trust.
Instead Ballard was just a waste of space from start to finish. It's hilarious to see people still claiming that he could have added something to our offense just because he looks kinda ok carrying the puck up ice on occasion - the guy was an utter offensive black hole who was a *downgrade* from Shane O'Brien and Aaron Rome offensively.
For a guy who gets billed as a 'skill defender' his vision and passing ability are astonishingly awful. His outlet passing is just ghastly.
yoss
Registered User
- May 25, 2011
- 3,006
- 37
The thing that ****s with me a bit is that Ballard was playing solid early in the season. Then he had a game or two, mainly one game with a brutal giveaway and some bad plays and suddenly he is no longer in the lineup.
They use Cam Barker instead. I've been impressed with how Alberts played in the last part of this year including playoffs, so i can't complain TOO much on that one, but why the **** does he just give up on him after an off game or two? I love Bieksa, but if he were Ballard I doubt he sees any action after those couple of games, let alone get top ice-time of all the d-men. You could substitute Edler in there too, and same thing.
I'm not a coach, so i don't know. But imo he played the best hockey since he's been here early in the year, has an off game or two and bye bye pretty much for at least half the games after being a regular in the line-up early on.
They use Cam Barker instead. I've been impressed with how Alberts played in the last part of this year including playoffs, so i can't complain TOO much on that one, but why the **** does he just give up on him after an off game or two? I love Bieksa, but if he were Ballard I doubt he sees any action after those couple of games, let alone get top ice-time of all the d-men. You could substitute Edler in there too, and same thing.
I'm not a coach, so i don't know. But imo he played the best hockey since he's been here early in the year, has an off game or two and bye bye pretty much for at least half the games after being a regular in the line-up early on.
The only things Ballard was known for before coming a canuck was swinging his stick into his goalies head, and being the funny faced defender on that great looking goal ever by ovechkin. The only thing hes been known for since was 2011 when he was doing amazing hipchecks along with hamhuis. Funny how the exact tear the canucks get 2 hipcheckers and try to bring back the dying art the refs mysterious start calling clips on everyone. Although a few 'rat's were blatantly clipping after that.
Hes been misused but hes too small for this conference, never shoots the puck even before being a canuck and too expensive for next year
Hes been misused but hes too small for this conference, never shoots the puck even before being a canuck and too expensive for next year
Dude, I could be as good as Bieksa if I took a couple weeks off work and got back in shape.
(only kinda)Rome and Ballard have different games. I would argue that a head to head comparison is invidious. The "decent puck carrier" role vacated by Erhroff's departure was not filled. The coach did not exploit Ballard's "good" skating game, he has tried to make him into a no-risk third pair defender.
I think that players have an onus to learn more skills, of course. And they all say that they will do whatever they are asked.
However, there should also be some onus on a coach to understand what kind of a toolkit he has got before them. A wrench is not a hammer. Ballard is not Rome. I don't think that AV thought of Ballard as a weapon.
Sharpshooter
Registered User
- Dec 14, 2011
- 13,590
- 9
Only if you back into shape? Yeah, I'm sure that's the only thing preventing you from becoming a top 4 defenceman in the world's best hockey league.
Fat Tony
Fire Benning
- Nov 28, 2011
- 3,012
- 0
