Keith Ballard Keith Ballard ( born November 26 , 1982 ) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently a member of the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . He played college hockey for the Minnesota Golden Gophers of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association ( WCHA ) for three seasons . After his freshman year , he was selected 11th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft . Before he made his NHL debut , he was traded twice – initially to the Colorado Avalanche , then to the Phoenix Coyotes . He played his professional rookie season in 2004 – 05 with the Coyotes ' American Hockey League ( AHL ) affiliate , the Utah Grizzlies , then debuted with Phoenix the following season . After three years , he was traded to the Florida Panthers , where he spent two seasons before being dealt to Vancouver at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft . Internationally , Ballard has represented the United States in four World Championships , winning bronze in 2004 . He has also played in two junior tournaments – the 2000 IIHF World U18 Championships and 2002 World Junior Championships . Playing career . Junior and college ( 1999 – 2004 ) . Ballard played two seasons at the junior level in the United States Hockey League ( USHL ) , initially with the United States National Development Team in 1999 – 00 , then the Omaha Lancers the following season . He recorded 51 points over 56 games in 2000 – 01 . With a league - leading 22 goals among defensemen , he earned First Team All - Star honors and a selection to the 2001 USHL All - Star Game . In the post - season , he helped the Lancers win the Clark Cup as league champions , notching seven points in 10 playoff games . In 2001 – 02 , he began a three - year tenure of college hockey with the Minnesota Golden Gophers of the WCHA , a conference within the National Collegiate Athletics Association ( NCAA ) . He joined a defensive corps in Minnesota that included future NHL players Jordan Leopold and Paul Martin . Ballard was a much - anticipated freshman and was named the WCHA ' s pre - season rookie of the year . Making his collegiate debut on October 5 , 2001 , he notched two assists against the North Dakota Fighting Sioux . Ballard started his rookie campaign on a six - game point streak that included two goals and four assists . Recording 10 goals and 23 points over 41 games total as a freshman , he earned WCHA All - Rookie Team honors . In the first round of the subsequent WCHA playoffs , he scored the series - clinching goal in overtime to eliminate North Dakota . The Golden Gophers advanced to the 2002 NCAA Championships , where they captured their first of back - to - back national titles . Ballard scored the first goal of the NCAA final against the Maine Black Bears , helping Minnesota to a 4 – 3 win in overtime . The following year , Ballard recorded a college career - high 41 points over 45 games , fourth among NCAA defensemen and third in team scoring . He was named a WCHA All - Academic and University of Minnesota Scholar Athlete for combined performance with the Golden Gophers and in classes . He helped the Golden Gophers to the Broadmoor Trophy as WCHA playoff champions and earned WCHA Final Five All - Tournament Team honors after recording two assists and a + 4 rating in the final two games of the post - season . The Gophers then defeated the New Hampshire Wildcats in the 2003 NCAA Final by a 5 – 4 score to repeat as national champions . Ballard received NCAA West Regional All - Star honors for his efforts during the tournament . Ballard was named an alternate captain in his third year and produced 11 goals and 36 points over 37 games . His 0 . 97 points - per - game average ranked second among NCAA defensemen , while his five game winning goal s were second among all WCHA players and fifth in the NCAA . Ballard served as captain in place of Grant Potulny when the latter was sidelined with injury . Ballard was also sidelined for seven games during the campaign himself with a knee injury . He was voted by his teammates as Minnesota ' s most valuable player and received WCHA First All - Star Team , WCHA All - Tournament Team and NCAA West First All - Star Team honors . Ballard was also one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award , given to the NCAA ' s top men ' s ice hockey player ( it was awarded to Junior Lessard of the Minnesota - Duluth Bulldogs ) . The Golden Gophers failed to defend their national championship , however , losing their regional final to Minnesota - Duluth . Ballard left the Golden Gophers seventh all - time among team defensemen with 33 goals . He was also the 74th player in team history to notch 100 points , which also ranked him 11th among defensemen . Phoenix Coyotes ( 2004 – 08 ) . Ballard was selected in the first round , 11th overall , by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft . The choice was seen as a surprise by draft observers , as he was projected to be a late first - round to second - round pick . Ballard himself professed the early selection to be unexpected , saying he was ready to be drafted between the 20th and 40th positions . Scouting reports listed him as a puck - rushing offensive defenceman with comparisons to Phil Housley . Before making his NHL debut , he was traded twice . He was initially dealt by Buffalo to the Colorado Avalanche on July 3 , 2003 , for Steven Reinprecht . The following year , he was traded again to the Phoenix Coyotes , along with defenseman Derek Morris , for forward Chris Gratton , defenseman Ossi Väänänen and a second - round selection in the 2005 draft . Ballard signed with Phoenix a year later to an entry - level contract worth an annual $ 1 . 2 million over three years , including bonuses . With his NHL contract , he decided to forgo his senior year of college hockey . The decision was spurred by his performance at the 2004 World Championships with Team USA , competing with NHL veterans . Ballard indicated that he would only leave the University of Minnesota if he was offered the maximum allowable contract for a rookie , as designated by the collective bargaining agreement of the time , which he received . Due to the NHL lockout , he made his professional debut in the AHL with the Coyotes ' minor league affiliate , the Utah Grizzlies in 2004 – 05 . He notched two goals and 20 points over 60 games in his professional rookie campaign . As NHL resumed play the following season , Ballard played his first game with the Coyotes on October 5 , 2005 , against the Vancouver Canucks . He scored his first NHL goal in his debut , beating goaltender Dan Cloutier . Ballard finished with 8 goals and 39 points as a rookie ; both remain career highs . He led all NHL defensemen in shorthanded goals with three . Ballard was sidelined for 13 games in his second NHL season due to a bone fracture in his hand , suffered while blocking a shot during a game on October 9 , 2006 . He went on to record 27 points in 69 games . In the off - season , he was re - signed on August 29 , 2007 , to a two - year contract . In 2007 – 08 , Ballard recorded a career - low 21 points . Florida Panthers ( 2008 – 10 ) . During the 2008 NHL Entry Draft , he was dealt , along with defenseman Nick Boynton and a second - round pick in the draft , to the Florida Panthers in exchange for forward Olli Jokinen . Upon trading for Ballard , Florida head coach Jacques Martin heralded him as the club ' s number - two defenseman , behind Jay Bouwmeester . Prior to the 2008 – 09 season , Ballard signed a six - year , $ 25 . 2 million contract extension with the Panthers . The deal came with a season remaining on his existing contract , previously signed with the Coyotes . Ballard went on to tally 34 points during his first campaign with Florida in 2008 – 09 . The following season , on November 30 , 2009 , Ballard was involved in an on - ice incident that injured his own teammate , goaltender Tomáš Vokoun . After being on the ice for a goal during a game against the Atlanta Thrashers , Ballard aimed to smash his stick against the post and mistakenly hit Vokoun in the mask . Vokoun was taken from the ice on a stretcher and suffered a cut on his ear that required stitches ; he missed two games before returning to the lineup . Ballard , who apologized to Vokoun following the game , was not disciplined by the Panthers or NHL . He went on to match his career - high eight goals and added 20 assists for 28 points in his second season with the Panthers . He also ranked third in the league in blocked shots with 201 . Ballard had played parts of the season with a hip injury . After completing the campaign , he underwent the second hip surgery of his career in May 2010 to repair a stress fracture and remove a cyst . Vancouver Canucks ( from 2010 ) . On June 25 , 2010 , during the 2010 NHL Entry Draft , Ballard was traded to the Vancouver Canucks along with Victor Oreskovich , for Michael Grabner , Steve Bernier , and Vancouver ' s first round pick , the 25th overall selection , used to select Quinton Howden . After spending two months of the off - season on crutches while recovering from surgery , he reported to the Canucks ' training camp , but struggled in the pre - season . Four games into the regular season , he suffered a concussion after being hit into the boards by Los Angeles Kings forward Brad Richardson on October 16 , 2010 . He was subsequently sidelined for five games . Upon returning to the lineup , however , his play continued to struggle . Averaging 13 minutes of ice time a game , he was eventually taken out of the lineup for four games in November by Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault . It marked the first time in his career he was a healthy scratch . After being re - insterted into the lineup , he scored his first goal as a Canuck in a 6 – 1 win against the San Jose Sharks on November 26 . Several months later , Ballard suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament ( MCL ) in his right knee during a game against the Ottawa Senators on February 7 , 2011 . The injury resulted from opposing forward Milan Michalek tripping him from behind , which Canucks general manager Mike Gillis pointed out did not occur anywhere near the puck , alluding to the play as illegal and disrespectable . Ballard finished his first regular season with career lows in games played ( 65 ) , goals ( 2 ) , assists ( 5 ) , points ( 7 ) and average ice time per game ( 15 minutes and 14 seconds ) . His individual struggles came amidst a franchise record season for the Canucks , who won the Presidents ' Trophy as the NHL ' s regular season champion for the first time in team history . Entering the playoffs as the first seed in the West , the Canucks advanced past the Chicago Blackhawks , Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks to qualify for the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals . Facing the Boston Bruins , Vancouver lost the Stanley Cup in Game 7 . Over the team ' s 25 playoff games , Ballard dressed for 10 . Playing only one game of the final two rounds , he droppd in the depth chart behind Aaron Rome and rookie Chris Tanev . International play . Ballard made his international debut with Team USA at the 2000 IIHF World U18 Championships in Switzerland . He was named to the squad while playing in the National Under - 18 Development Program for the 1999 – 2000 season . He contributed a goal and an assist in six games , as the United States finished in eighth place . Two years later , Ballard was named to the under - 20 squad for the 2001 World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic . He played in seven games , recording a goal and an assist . The United States lost in the quartefinal to Russia and went on to place in fifth after defeating Sweden 3 – 2 in a consolation match . Following his third year with the Minnesota Golden Gophers , Ballard debuted with the United States men ' s team for the 2004 World Championships in the Czech Republic . He was named to the squad after forward Scott Gomez withdrew himself due to personal reasons . As the lone NCAA player on the national squad , he helped the United States to a bronze medal finish . His lone goal of the tournament and first career goal in men ' s international competition came during a 7 – 1 round - robin win against Ukraine . Three years later , Ballard began a three - year stretch of consecutive appearances at the World Championships . He recorded an international career - high three assists at the 2007 tournament in Russia , as the United States were eliminated in a 5 – 4 shootout loss to Finland in the quarterfinal . Competing in Quebec City and Halifax , Canada , the following year , Ballard recorded two assists in five games while ranking seventh among team defensemen in average ice time per game . The United States finished in sixth place , losing in the quarterfinal to Finland . Ballard made his second bronze medal game appearance with the United States at the 2009 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland , but lost to Sweden by a 4 – 2 score . He contributed a goal and two assists in nine games while ranking second on the squad in plus - minus with a + 3 rating and sixth among team defensemen in average ice time per game . Playing style . Ballard is a two - way defenseman , capable of contributing both offensively and defensively . Known for his hard hitting , specifically with hip checks , he led his club in hits during his first five years in the NHL . He is also proficient in shot - blocking . Offensively , Ballard is noted as a good skater , making him able to start plays from the defensive zone . He has a reputation as a player with intensity and a competitive edge . Personal life . Ballard was born in Baudette , Minnesota , to parents Steve and Joanne . He has a sister , Jessie . His family runs a fishing resort at Lake of the Woods in Minnesota , founded by Ballard ' s grandparents in 1961 . Ballard left home following his sophomore year of high school to pursue his hockey career with the U . S . National Development Team in Ann Arbour , Michigan . During his time with the Omaha Lancers , he graduated from Millard North High School in Omaha , Nebraska . He was a multi - sport athlete during high school career , having earned an All - Conference selection as a [ fullback and linebacker playing football and finishing as Conference championship runner - up as a golfer . Ballard and his wife have a daughter who was born in May 2010 .