Baertschi scratched again.

[HighLifeMan]

Sven needs to placed on a different line and away from Hudler. They play very similar offensive games and as a result with Hudler being the more polished player at this point in time he is losing the touches he would normally be accustomed to having. On a whole I just don't think these two compliment each other very well. Both are very skilled players who love to have the play run through them..are on the smaller side, are not overly fast, and have struggles with one on one battles.

I would keep Hudler with Monahan and have Sven play primarily with Backlund, or on the wing with Colborne and Cammalleri.

At this point I would not be totally opposed to Sven being sent down and regaining his confidence either. I personally don't like the way Sven's icetime has been handled, but we have had this discussion many times before . He is a dynamic offensive talent and needs to be played as such to have success.

 

[Lunatik]

I have no problem with Sven being scratched again, quite frankly he has been barely noticeable. I think the outrage about him being sat goes to show how overrated he is, because he has done nothing to prove he can hold a regular spot in an NHL lineup. I am not even sure he can yet, I would be perfectly fine with him being sent to the Heat and moving one of Backlund or Colborne to the wing and calling up Street to center the 4th line.

 

[FLAMES666]

I have no problem with Sven being scratched again, quite frankly he has been barely noticeable. I think the outrage about him being sat goes to show how overrated he is, because he has done nothing to prove he can hold a regular spot in an NHL lineup. I am not even sure he can yet, I would be perfectly fine with him being sent to the Heat and moving one of Backlund or Colborne to the wing and calling up Street to center the 4th line.

Pretty much agree with this. He looked good his first game back from being benched before, but has now gone back to floating around and really not battling every shift. If he continues this I would send him down.

 

[Anglesmith]

Pretty much agree with this. He looked good his first game back from being benched before, but has now gone back to floating around and really not battling every shift. If he continues this I would send him down.

The hell? He's maybe not been effective and productive, but to say he's not battling is just plain ridiculous. He is always working hard on every shift that I've seen.

 

[doug88]

He obviously doesn't fit in calgary, I just don't see him having a good career with the flames.. I'd love to see him in Nashville!

 

[holyprime]

I don't really get what Hartley's trying to achieve with the scratching:

• It's not like the team has a better chance to win with a guy like Jackman in instead of Bärtschi.
• Confidence goes a long way in playing well, in almost any sport.
• Bärtschi didn't play bad (i have a small sample size of 2 games tough). He isn't an offensive dynamo right now, but his forecheck is pretty good and he even covers the center position in the defensive end for a fellow rookie, without doing any major mistakes.
• He does a lot of the little things, like breaking up plays or get himself open very well. In one of the two games i watched, he was on the perfect spot two times but didn't receive any pass.

I might be a little biased as a countrymen, but how on earth does scratching a guy help him out when he's struggling offensively (different case if he'd be a lazy floater)? It's not like it's impossible to send him to the AHL to work on some things and get his confidence back, by putting him in a position to succeed instead of the pressbox.

It's especially weird to me as Hartley was very good developing young players in his single year he was in Switzerland. He demanded a lot, but also rewarded them if they worked hard. I'm really wondering what Bärtschi has done to get into his doghouse.

 

[Pirate King Luffy]

Get over it. He is the coach, he can make decisions that he thinks are best for the team. I would like Baertschi to play, but Baertschi is obviously not doing something right. You can complain and whine all you want. It isn't going to affect Hartley's decisions in any way.

 

[Kranix]

I don't know what the issue is with Baertschi.

Doug Maclean was talking about it on the radio. He told a story about years ago in Columbus, he had Dave King as the coach and King played Klesla only 4 minutes one game, and Maclean says to King, "Look, Dave, we're not winning the Stanley Cup, we need Klesla to develop. And the next night he played him 3 minutes...and later King was fired." haha

 

[FLAMES666]

The hell? He's maybe not been effective and productive, but to say he's not battling is just plain ridiculous. He is always working hard on every shift that I've seen.

Not battling every shift. His effort is very inconsistent shift to shift.

 

[MarkGio]

I don't know what the issue is with Baertschi.

Doug Maclean was talking about it on the radio. He told a story about years ago in Columbus, he had Dave King as the coach and King played Klesla only 4 minutes one game, and Maclean says to King, "Look, Dave, we're not winning the Stanley Cup, we need Klesla to develop. And the next night he played him 3 minutes...and later King was fired." haha

Interesting. I never took Maclean as a player's GM. I believe Feaster is a player's GM too. Although, he clearly let Sutter stay that extra year.

 

[BVicious]

Get over it. He is the coach, he can make decisions that he thinks are best for the team. I would like Baertschi to play, but Baertschi is obviously not doing something right. You can complain and whine all you want. It isn't going to affect Hartley's decisions in any way.

Kind of a poor attitude to bring to a discussion board don't you think? Your contribution to the discussion makes one wonder why there are trade proposal threads, line combo idea's, etc.

Regardless if Hartley makes a decision and he know's best, fans are gonna agree or disagree. And they come here to discuss it.

You can point out the obvious in every thread or you can contribute...

 

[Hand of Gaudreau]

I don't really get what Hartley's trying to achieve with the scratching:

• It's not like the team has a better chance to win with a guy like Jackman in instead of Bärtschi.
• Confidence goes a long way in playing well, in almost any sport.
• Bärtschi didn't play bad (i have a small sample size of 2 games tough). He isn't an offensive dynamo right now, but his forecheck is pretty good and he even covers the center position in the defensive end for a fellow rookie, without doing any major mistakes.
• He does a lot of the little things, like breaking up plays or get himself open very well. In one of the two games i watched, he was on the perfect spot two times but didn't receive any pass.

I might be a little biased as a countrymen, but how on earth does scratching a guy help him out when he's struggling offensively (different case if he'd be a lazy floater)? It's not like it's impossible to send him to the AHL to work on some things and get his confidence back, by putting him in a position to succeed instead of the pressbox.

It's especially weird to me as Hartley was very good developing young players in his single year he was in Switzerland. He demanded a lot, but also rewarded them if they worked hard. I'm really wondering what Bärtschi has done to get into his doghouse.

Poor rookie camp, rookie tournament and training camp I would suspect. Plus ol' Burkie lit him up in a pre season presser.

 

[TylerSVT*]

He plays next game, scores a goal and Flames win.

 

[InfinityIggy]

He plays next game, scores a goal and Flames win.

Then sent to Abbostford

I think that is why AH is okay with Bart being scratched, he just wants to see him with the Heat again

 

[Rockmorton]

Poor rookie camp, rookie tournament and training camp I would suspect. Plus ol' Burkie lit him up in a pre season presser.

Exactly. Hartley and Burke have both said that his game needs work. Even feaster has used the phrase "a work in progress", so I don't think you can hang this one on Hartley having a problem with Sven. It appears Sven is having a problem adapting to the new style the flames want to play.

I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that he is no longer the "Golden Child". Before this season, Sven was THE guy. It was very easy for him to impress given the state of the flames prospects. Now there are at least a half a dozen prospects who are competing for the same ice time and, while Sven has a higher ceiling than some of them, a few of them are, seemingly, a better attitude to learning about what is required at the NHL level.

I really hope he has the maturity to pull this off, otherwise we might be looking at a "Kyle Turris" kind of situation, where a talented player can't get his game on track under the current system needs to go somewhere else to realize his potential.

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

I think the start the Flames had factors into this. CGY is doing better than expected so Hartley's expectations are (unrealistically) high.

A few more games like the last could be a much needed reality check. There's no way Jackman should be in over anyone tbh. Street or Hanowski are someone I'd rather see on the 4th line over Jackman.

 

[Anglesmith]

I think the start the Flames had factors into this. CGY is doing better than expected so Hartley's expectations are (unrealistically) high.

His expectations are that a) everyone play as well as they can and b) the team plays as well as it did in its first few games. Neither of those goals is unrealistic. The fact is, if we consistently bring our game, we can take down any team. It's just difficult to bring that intensity every single game. The best teams can win on an off night.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

We wouldn't of won with Sven in the lineup last night, but I'm really looking forward to seeing him comeback. Hopefully he establishes himself now that Glencross is out.

 

[MarkGio]

His expectations are that a) everyone play as well as they can and b) the team plays as well as it did in its first few games. Neither of those goals is unrealistic. The fact is, if we consistently bring our game, we can take down any team. It's just difficult to bring that intensity every single game. The best teams can win on an off night.

Yes. Or good teams usually have 1 or 2 players that can take over and win it, usually in goaltending or in goals. Washington often is lackluster but Ovechkin is a game changer.

Flames don't have the game changer, goaltending, or high end talent to take a night off and expect to win.

 

[Lunatik]

Then sent to Abbostford

I think that is why AH is okay with Bart being scratched, he just wants to see him with the Heat again

I was not happy with Baertschi last time he was in Abbotsford, he showed little consistency while here and that is one fo the reasons I am not up in arms about him being scratched.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

He obviously doesn't fit in calgary, I just don't see him having a good career with the flames.. I'd love to see him in Nashville!

Based on what exactly?

Right or wrong our coach is using a tactic to try and get Sven to learn how to be pro. So because he's young, and learning and having some struggles right now, obviously he's not gonna have a good career here. So why don't trade him to your team (who also doesn't play an overly offensive system) because that will suddenly make him know how to be a star in the NHL.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I also get why people are frustrated about Jackman getting minutes over some of our young guys, but I think that's a little misplaced frustration to an extent personally. If Backlund and Sven were playing to expectations, there would be no competition with Jackman for minutes.

Sven isn't playing on the 4th, and the coach doesn't want him on the 4th, so really it's the other wingers in the top 9 that Sven is competing against.

In regards to Backlund, Hartley views him as our 4th best center right now so that's why he's seeing 4th line minutes. If Stajan or Monahan was on the 4th, people would be complaining about that to.

Now I get the argument about Colborne, he's the other candidate to go on the 4th but Hartley feels he's out played Backlund, and right or wrong that is up for debate. What pisses me off, while I understand where Hartley is coming from, Backlund is not a 4th line guy. He's going to ruin him playing him there. In Backlund's case, I'd personally scratch Jackman AND Grats and play Backlund on the wing else where in the top 9. If he's not successful there, then trade him for a dman and do all parties a favour.

The argument about Jackman taking ice time from these guys should not be an issue because neither or them are 4th line players. Sven isn't in competition with him and in Backlund's case he shouldn't be playing with him.

 

[Richi]

Well, once again the title of this thread lives up to it´s potential. What is up with Hartley? Jackman instead of Baertschi on the line with Monahan and Hudler...????????

My guess is that Hartley wants to make every Flames fan an alcoholic...

 

[Taranis]

Again versus the Jets? Come on! I know he isn't playing to the standard Hartley wants, but how is sitting him in the press box going to help him?

 

[Mike Jones]

Well, once again the title of this thread lives up to it´s potential. What is up with Hartley? Jackman instead of Baertschi on the line with Monahan and Hudler...????????

My guess is that Hartley wants to make every Flames fan an alcoholic...

I just read about the potential benching while having my morning coffee.

What I found interesting in this morning's Calgary Herald (Print edition - don't know if it's online) is Hartley's comment that every time Bart is benched for a game everyone reacts as if "he's Rocket Richard".

I have never really heard that comparison from fans. What I have heard is real concern about the botched development of a high end prospect. The kid needs time and he needs opportunity. Rebuilding teams are supposed to give their young players both - even when they fail the first few times.

This situation is going to reach a point where there's either a trade or move to Europe.