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PHT’s Three Duds of the Week: Stewart, Babchuk and Ballard

Chris Stewart

St. Louis Blues’ Chris Stewart (25) warms up prior to an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2011, in St. Louis. Stewart was acquired by St. Louis on Saturday from the Colorado Avalanche. (AP Photo/Bill Boyce)

AP

Every Monday, we’ll highlight (lowlight?) three of the NHL’s biggest duds from the past week.

1st Dud: Chris Stewart, St. Louis Blues

Key stat: Zero goals in last eight games played.

To be fair, this could go to any of St. Louis’ top-six forwards. The Post-Dispatch reports that 55 percent of all points scored by Blues forwards have come from the third or fourth lines, so top-end guys like David Backes, TJ Oshie and Patrik Berglund all shoulder some of the blame.

Just not as much as Stewart.

With three points on the year (and just one assist) Stewart’s offense has dried up at a time where the Blues really need him to contribute. St. Louis’ power play ranks dead last in the NHL and that’s tied directly to Stewart, who dined out on the man advantage last year with 12 PP goals, tied for seventh most in the league.

Stewart was pegged by many to be a potential 40-goal scorer this season, but with this slow start and head coach Davis Payne juggling bodies like it’s Cirque du Soleil, it’s looking doubtful he’ll get there. Right now Stewart’s on pace for just 15 goals and a minus-22 rating.

2nd Dud: Anton Babchuk, Calgary Flames

Key stat: Has appeared in four of Calgary’s nine games this season.

The Flames acquired Babchuk last season as part of the Ian White-Brett Sutter trade and he paid immediate dividends, scoring 27 points in 65 games (finishing tied for third on the team in powerplay goals.) As such, the Flames inked him to a $2.5 million deal this offseason, figuring he’d be a key part of their blueline.

So why has Babchuk been a healthy scratch in five of the last seven games?

Good question. There are some vague explanations in this piece from the Calgary Herald -- head coach Brent Sutter said he wants to see more of a “structured game” from the 27-year-old rearguard -- but nothing definitive. I’d say it has something to do with Babchuk’s lack of production, but he can’t be expected to produce when he hardly plays. Maybe it’s the fact he owns a booming shot but has yet to register a single shot on goal this season. Yeah, that’s probably it.

3rd Dud: Keith Ballard, Vancouver Canucks

Key Stat: Pointless over his last nine games. (Though if you ask certain Canucks fans, it’s “pointless acquisition in the first place.”)

After starting the season so brightly -- he scored a beauty goal in the season opener against Pittsburgh -- it’s all gone downhill for the maligned Vancouver defenseman. Ballard is minus-10 in his last 10 games, displaying much of the form that made him a regular in the press box (and Alain Vigneault’s doghouse) last year.

If you’d like to weigh in with your duds of the week, add ‘em in the comments section below.