Based on the defense pairings at practice, head coach Alain Vigneault appeared to be leaning towards scratching $4.2 million man Keith Ballard for the third consecutive game. Many Canucks fans have been mind-boggled by Vigneault's continued decision to sit Ballard and have accused him of playing favourites with Aaron Rome.
In an interview with the FAN 590, Canucks general manager Mike Gillis explained that Ballard is not yet 100 percent.
"Keith [Ballard] had an hip injury that he dealt with all summer long, so he was not weight-bearing for about two months. He got a bit of a slow start and then when he got the concussion he had to be off for a minimum of a week without any physical activity. It just seemed to set him back a bit."
Earlier this week when Dan Hamhuis was set to return from injury, head coach Alain Vigneault was asked who would be scratched from the lineup. He said that he was not sure yet but he will "[play] the players who enable you to win," leading Canucks fans to speculate that Ballard was scratched for performance reasons.
Gillis clarified that it was for health reasons and not performance-related.
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Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Kevin W
Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis: Keith Ballard Scratched for Health Reasons
November 13th, 2010 by Kevin W Leave a reply »
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