"The Keith Ballard crisis could be solved by Kevin Bieksa's cold or flu.

Bieksa was absent today from practice, and Vancouver Canucks coach Alain Vigneault told reporters the defenceman was not feeling well. If Bieksa is unable to play Thursday, Ballard's banishment to the press box could end after one game when the Canucks play the Ottawa Senators.

Bieksa was not at the arena, an indication he is ill and not injured.

Ballard was a healthy scratch Tuesday for the first time in his National Hockey League career and watched the Canucks lose 2-0 to the Montreal Canadiens. With a salary of $4.2 million US, Ballard was one of the most expensive extras in Canuck history.

Even if Bieksa is well enough to play Thursday, Ballard could yet get into the lineup if Vigneault decides to scratch someone else — say, Andrew Alberts, who had a lousy game in Montreal, taking three penalties and finishing minus-one in just 10:30 of ice time.

Pending Bieksa's status, Vigneault said he hasn't decided about any lineup changes."