Keith Ballard Takes Bigger Role on Vancouver Defense

Keith Ballard got his first taste of top line minutes last night as he logged a game high 23:53 minutes of ice time in the 2 – 1 Vancouver Canucks win over the Nashville Predators, the 23:53 minutes of ice time was a season high for Ballard. And with Thursday’s unfortunate news that fellow defenseman Alexander Edler is likely gone until at least the playoffs due to his pending back surgery, it’s very clear that Ballard will have to step up and play the role of a top pair defenseman and log major minutes which will most definitely make Ballard earn his $4.2 million per year salary. Keith Ballard has only 5 points in 39 games this season. Ballard best season was in his rookie year in the 2005-06 season, where he recorded 39 points in 82 games with the Phoenix Coyotes. Ballard has scored no less than 21 points in a season; this is where I believe Ballard will end up at the end of this season. Ballard only has fantasy value in the deepest of leagues at the defense position.