Waived: Canucks place F Sven Baertschi on waivers (Dec 15)

[tantalum]

OK in his call up and instead of playing him another dozen “OK” games so you might have a chance to move him, they do the exact opposite. It’s been clear not much is working 5 on 5 so there was every chance to give him good ice. The team wouldn’t be hurt on the ice and if he can get things rolling a bit perhaps you’re able to get his contract off the books. They don’t have any of the bad contracts coming off the books in the summer to help them with what might be a plateaued cap.

 

[ginner classic]

This may be hindsight, but the pick we traded to Calgary for Baertschi became Rasmus Andersson, who is turning out to be a solid D-man.

There was plenty of foresight on here about how stupid it is for a team needing a rebuild to be trading multiple 2nd round picks to fill an age gap. Not 'hindsight'. Not 'ex-post'. McKeown, Andersson, Gustavsson and DeBrincat would all be welcome in this organization.

 

[Dab]

Baertschi was “OK”during his call up. according to Green. If our media had any balls the immediate next question should have been “please rate Loui’s performance over any similar game span this season”.

 

[Dab]

They’re probably both doing the player a favour and showing him how little value he has.

Being signed by Jim Benning is a blessing and a curse- on one hand you’ve hit the jackpot, reaping more earnings than you or your agent thought possible even on an open market- the downside is, of course that you kill any value you have around the league if things turn south- its unlikely someone will want to pick up a Jim Benning contract.

I’m not putting this on the player at all but the relishing part of this story is that had Baertschi signed for a little less he’d probably be on another team and much, much happier. Shows you money does not equal happiness.

 

[ccjon]

 

[opendoor]

Shocking that he cleared. It's amazing how much a guy clearing waivers after 1 year of his 3 year $10M deal flies under the radar given the host of other junk moves management has made.

It's also looking more and more like the team is going to be stuck using LTIR all season. Unless they package Baertschi up with an asset to get rid of him.

 

[MS]

Shocking that he cleared. It's amazing how much a guy clearing waivers after 1 year of his 3 year $10M deal flies under the radar given the host of other junk moves management has made.

It's also looking more and more like the team is going to be stuck using LTIR all season. Unless they package Baertschi up with an asset to get rid of him.

Not only that, it's the second time in two years that a $10 million 3-year contract cleared waivers one year in. This isn't a one-off.

It's kinda the Trump effect where astonishingly corrupt things which would have sunk previous administrations don't even make the news because they're only the 6th-worst thing to happen this week.

 

[vanarchy]

Is it actually possible that they waived him just to make a point to him/his agent in regards to trade value?

 

[F A N]

It's interesting that Benning detractors talk about Ferland's concussion history like it somehow affects Ferland's ability to perform, but when it comes to Baertschi they go back to the fact we traded a 2nd round pick for him and forget that Baertschi actually developed into a player who likely would have been a consistent 20 goal scorer had he managed to stay healthy and didn't suffer multiple concussions.

 

[xtra]

Was Baertschi a fading prospect in 2015..?..I don't think so...Benning had obviously scouted him enough (living in Portland)..Sven had decent second line LW numbers for the Canucks until injuries derailed his career...(and nobody can predict multiple injuries).

I didn't mind the Pouliot trade either..it was a gamble..didnt work out.

I believe both players played under Green,and were scouted by Benning.

I agree on the Sven deal. He was a top prospect who had shown enough that it was worth the risk.

However pouliot was a bad gamble. Most everyone on here called the disaster it was going to be cause we could all see he couldn’t play defense and he didn’t produce enough offense to offset that.

it was a bad gamble like the rest of them (save Sven) to jump start their competitiveness to make the playoffs.

 

[Hansen]

Is the Baertschi trade still a win?

 

[4Twenty]

I remember stating prior to Baertschi's extension that I argued that if they were going to give him term, they had to hard line him on cap hit ie. if you're giving him 3 years, he has to take $2.5m, or if he wants more AAV he takes a one year deal.

Benning as per usual, gave him everything he asked for.

Any value that Baertschi could've had went out the window when they gave him "market value" AND term.

Baertschi, Granlund, Vey, Pouliot, Gudbranson being Jim Benning's key age gap acquisitions to be on a timeline to compete in the Sedins last season grows even more laughable as each day passes.

 

[xtra]

It's interesting that Benning detractors talk about Ferland's concussion history like it somehow affects Ferland's ability to perform, but when it comes to Baertschi they go back to the fact we traded a 2nd round pick for him and forget that Baertschi actually developed into a player who likely would have been a consistent 20 goal scorer had he managed to stay healthy and didn't suffer multiple concussions.

I don’t recall Sven having concussion issues when we traded for him (could be wrong) but ferland was known to have big concussion issues which is why it was a stupid gamble espically for 4years and a NMC

 

[4Twenty]

Is it actually possible that they waived him just to make a point to him/his agent in regards to trade value?

I'm guessing that is one of the reasons they put him on waivers while being in the AHL.

No team wants Sven Baertschi at the contract Jim Benning thought he was worth.

 

[4Twenty]

I agree on the Sven deal. He was a top prospect who had shown enough that it was worth the risk.

However pouliot was a bad gamble. Most everyone on here called the disaster it was going to be cause we could all see he couldn’t play defense and he didn’t produce enough offense to offset that.

it was a bad gamble like the rest of them (save Sven) to jump start their competitiveness to make the playoffs.

Sven was no longer a top prospect and was falling down the pecking order each day in Calgary. His production had regressed in his NHL and AHL games.

It was not any different than the Pouliot deal, other than it was made at the deadline vs during training camp. It was a guy getting passed by every shiny new prospect joining the organization.

Treliving was on record as stating no other team was willing to provide a 2nd round evaluation on Baertschi. Bad target, overpay to acquire, overpaid contracts...the Jim Benning special.

 

[vanarchy]

I'm guessing that is one of the reasons they put him on waivers while being in the AHL.

No team wants Sven Baertschi at the contract Jim Benning thought he was worth.

Yeah we would have to add at this point to get him off the team. It sucks for Sven but better to stay put.

 

[4Twenty]

Yeah we would have to add at this point to get him off the team. It sucks for Sven but better to stay put.

or retain salary, but this deal having another year after this season pretty much makes him untradeable until the offseason at the earliest.

 

[vanarchy]

or retain salary.

Even then, his concussion history is probably a big question mark for other teams.

 

[Hockeyphysio]

It's interesting that Benning detractors talk about Ferland's concussion history like it somehow affects Ferland's ability to perform, but when it comes to Baertschi they go back to the fact we traded a 2nd round pick for him and forget that Baertschi actually developed into a player who likely would have been a consistent 20 goal scorer had he managed to stay healthy and didn't suffer multiple concussions.

Didnt he have a history of Concussion issues before we traded for him?

 

[orcatown]

I don’t recall Sven having concussion issues when we traded for him (could be wrong) but ferland was known to have big concussion issues which is why it was a stupid gamble espically for 4years and a NMC

Baertschi had major concussion issues prior to the trade. He was concussed badly at the WJC in 2011. Then, while playing for the Abbotsford farm team of the Flames in 2012, he was knocked out of action for a large part of the season by a very bad concussion. Came back and was not close to being the same player. In Calgary there were reports of issues related to head injury.

Baertschi was damaged goods and one of the major reason he got moved.

There is always hope that a player can recover but taking Baertschi was just one more gamble by Benning and a very poor one.

 

[StreetHawk]

I’m not putting this on the player at all but the relishing part of this story is that had Baertschi signed for a little less he’d probably be on another team and much, much happier. Shows you money does not equal happiness.

Canucks would love to do him a favour like Biega, but I don't see a move like that happening.

And you're right, it's a blessing and a curse. Curse, is if you don't perform to the value of the contract, you're now going to spend the rest of the contract in the AHL. See Alzner, Gagner, etc. who have had to do that.

No issues with him asking for a trade, but he's got to realize what the situation is. He knew very well, after seeing the Gagner situation unfold last season that he was in line for the same if he didn't excel in camp. Took to the TDL for Gagner to get moved and that was a 1 for 1 for someone with the same term and virtually the same cap hit.

 

[4Twenty]

Canucks would love to do him a favour like Biega, but I don't see a move like that happening.

And you're right, it's a blessing and a curse. Curse, is if you don't perform to the value of the contract, you're now going to spend the rest of the contract in the AHL. See Alzner, Gagner, etc. who have had to do that.

No issues with him asking for a trade, but he's got to realize what the situation is. He knew very well, after seeing the Gagner situation unfold last season that he was in line for the same if he didn't excel in camp. Took to the TDL for Gagner to get moved and that was a 1 for 1 for someone with the same term and virtually the same cap hit.

Just like Gagner last year, Sven Baertschi is better than guys who are currently on the roster. That's why he's frustrated.

But Jimbo and Travis' top 6/bottom 6 white board strategy is to be adhered to more so than putting the most talent on the ice. Seems to be working amazingly well since November 1st.

 

[opendoor]

Yeah, I imagine it is annoying being in the AHL when the Canucks are paying Eriksson, Beagle, and Schaller $11M to put up a combined 8 points in 73 GP. Or when a guy like Graovac who has 1 point in the AHL this season gets more call up games than you do.

 

[F A N]

Baertschi had major concussion issues prior to the trade. He was concussed badly at the WJC in 2011. Then, while playing for the Abbotsford farm team of the Flames in 2012, he was knocked out of action for a large part of the season by a very bad concussion. Came back and was not close to being the same player. In Calgary there were reports of issues related to head injury.

Baertschi was damaged goods and one of the major reason he got moved.

There is always hope that a player can recover but taking Baertschi was just one more gamble by Benning and a very poor one.

Really now? Baertschi was moved by Calgary because he was damaged goods?

 

[sting101]

Would have liked to see him back with Horvat but Green is done with him it appears. Meanwhile Eriksson Schaller are on the roster and struggling badly or proving they dont belong.

The whole issue here is Baertschi is damaged goods. Just have to be patient...if he can continue to play well and stay healthy a team should take him