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NHL ENTRY DRAFTJune 22, 2002Keith BallardTORONTO, ONTARIO Q. Did you know you were going to go to Buffalo? KEITH BALLARD: No, I couldn't have asked for a bigger surprise today. I was sitting in my seat eating pop corn. I didn't expecting to until between 20 and 40 or something like that. It was a huge surprise for me. Q. How would you describe yourself as a player? KEITH BALLARD: I think I'm more of an offensive defenseman. I play with a little bit of grit, but the majority of my skill comes offensively. Q. How do you overcompensate for your size? KEITH BALLARD: I think the biggest thing I've got to do is not play like I'm 5-11. I have to play more like I'm 6-1, 6-2. Not be afraid of the physical play in the corners and the net, things like that. Q. What's your commitment right now to staying in school or trying to come to join the club at some level? KEITH BALLARD: Well, as of right now, I'm happy in school, but I've got three years down the road to think about that. I guess when the time comes, I know I'll be ready. Whether or not the club is ready, that's up to them, I guess. Q. How about the experience of the NCAA Championship and what that adds to you and your tractability as a player? KEITH BALLARD: It's another great milestone in my career. I think having that experience, playing in a big game in front of a lot of people, it just makes it a little better, being able to play in pressure situations like that. Q. How much do you know about this organization? Have you followed them from when you were a kid or throughout your college career? How much do you know about them? KEITH BALLARD: To be honest, I don't know a whole lot. I guess I'm willing to learn a lot more. Q. As far as this year, you won a National Championship and now you are drafted pretty high in the first round. How does this cap off your year? KEITH BALLARD: This is unbelievable. You know, I capped off the team goal at the end of the last season winning the National Championship and then started to focus more on the draft. And now to complete one of my personal goals it's an unbelievable feeling. Q. Do you think you need more time in college to develop as a player? KEITH BALLARD: Definitely. There's a lot of things I need to work on in my game before I make the next step, like strength, quickness, defensive play. Just a lot of maturity things, I think. Q. Where were you expecting to go? Did you have any expectations where you might go? KEITH BALLARD: I thought anywhere between 20 and 30 or 20 and 40; this is definitely a surprise to go at number 11. Q. Have you spoken to them before the last at all? KEITH BALLARD: Yes, I had a couple of meetings prior to this. Q. The frozen four happens to be in Buffalo next year, I'm sure you would like to get a preview of Buffalo before you go back to Minnesota? KEITH BALLARD: Yeah, that would be great. Something to focus on now, getting back to the tournament. Just being drafted by Buffalo, being that it is in Buffalo make this is that much better. Q. Wondering if you had any players that inspired you or that you mold your game after? KEITH BALLARD: I've waxed a couple of player, both and professional players levels, Chris Chelios, the way he plays with grit and competitiveness, Rafalski, Jordan Leo polled my old teammate last year at Minnesota, have just been role models for me growing up. End of FastScripts... |
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