Sven "Only Needs Love" Baertschi

[Edo]

And he's being outperformed by both of them, even with his undeserved pp time, which is ample more than those two rookies get.

What does Vey have to do with evaluating Sven anyway? He's not even on the roster anymore.

And it comes back to that vicious cycle of streaky guys who rise/fall depending on their confidence. Not all guys are cut from the same cloth. It should be pretty obvious to everybody that Baertschi needs consistent linemates, with consistent time, and ample opportunity to figure it out. Giving him 8 minutes won't do that.

It just is what it is.

 

[biturbo19]

The thing that's really disappointing to me thus far, is that Baertschi so far has looked a lot like a guy who has somehow had the offensive pizzazz beaten out of him. I say Pizzazz because it's a bit doubling fitting, as that flair he's shown at times (and seemed to have back on track with Utica last year looking like a different player...even jumping into the preseason here), the creativity just seems to have de-materialized...just rarely even seem to see him trying to make that "risky" east-west play that he needs to be making to be successful as an NHLer. Baertschi on his game, is going to serve up some offensive zone "pizzas"...but he's also going to thread some beauty passes right to prime scoring areas offensively. That's what he has to do to be successful, and it can be a fine line.

Right now though, he just looks like he's playing not to screw up...and he just doesn't have the skillset or intensity for that. If he's "not screwing up", he's still not really doing much of anything. He needs to be taking those risks and trying stupid spinorama between the legs dekes then thread a pass back straight up through the slot and have big WillieD shaking his head in disgust...right up to the point a Canuck hammers it home and all is well.

Just seems what we've got here is a player with a very specific offensive skillset, and not a lot else. Like an Ales Hemsky type, and shows flashes of all the skill to be just that...which would be a great outcome here. But very much "live by the sword, die by the sword" type player, who i think really needs to spend a lot of time each game actually handling the puck - that's where his skillset is, and has to be if he's ever gonna find any success.

Right now though, he doesn't look like he feels comfortable trying silly things with the puck and handling it extensively (outside the PP really). Tough to do in such limited minutes...But if he can't break through that somehow (or the staff can't find a way to help him break through that), he's not gonna make it. At every lower level he's dominated, he's done it by possessing the puck and doing nifty things with it - outside of that, away from the puck...he's basically just minutes floated out to the ether, hoping he doesn't goof up defensively. Not a lot else to offer there.

 

[WTG]

You are absolutely correct Biturbo19

Baertschi is so afraid to make mistakes that he isn't showing the flair he had in the minors.

Wish we could recall Travis Green for a few games and put WD on IR so Baertschi can get some of his flair back.


This isn't the same Baertschi I saw in Utica. This is the Baertschi that I saw come into Utica looking like a grinder.

We need to allow him to play his game. Because when Baertschi is on he is absolutely dynamite.

 

[Pip]

To me it looks like he struggles to create time and space for himself at this level. The NHL is a huge jump up from the AHL and many can't make the jump. We'll have to see if Baertschi can adjust.

 

[F A N]

Maybe try Baertschi with McCann.

 

[Wilch]

He has to overcome his mental hurdles.

I don't think the difference in time and space for players to operate between the AHL and NHL is the cause for Baertschi's performance disparity.

 

[Jyrki21]

problem with baertschi is that while he's not hurting the team possession-wise, he doesn't provide any other attributes when he's not helping the team score goals...if the best you can say about him is that he's 'not terrible' then there's not much keeping him on the club

I don't imagine he's ever going to be a big star on anything, but if we're looking at second-tier players, I'd rather have a skilled guy who doesn't appear to be doing anything but the team plays OK with him, than an "energy guy" or grit player or whatever that has some clearly defined role, but doesn't actually help the team win games.

A guy like Bärtschi is going to bust out a nice goal from time to time given the opportunity, even if he is disappointing overall because he doesn't do it more. This is why I didn't mind Mason Raymond either. People were annoyed with his style more than his contribution, I felt, just as people love grinders and "hard workers" and board-shakers whose style doesn't necessarily help the team in real life.

The thing that's really disappointing to me thus far, is that Baertschi so far has looked a lot like a guy who has somehow had the offensive pizzazz beaten out of him. I say Pizzazz because it's a bit doubling fitting, as that flair he's shown at times (and seemed to have back on track with Utica last year looking like a different player...even jumping into the preseason here), the creativity just seems to have de-materialized...just rarely even seem to see him trying to make that "risky" east-west play that he needs to be making to be successful as an NHLer. Baertschi on his game, is going to serve up some offensive zone "pizzas"...but he's also going to thread some beauty passes right to prime scoring areas offensively. That's what he has to do to be successful, and it can be a fine line.

Right now though, he just looks like he's playing not to screw up...and he just doesn't have the skillset or intensity for that. If he's "not screwing up", he's still not really doing much of anything. He needs to be taking those risks and trying stupid spinorama between the legs dekes then thread a pass back straight up through the slot and have big WillieD shaking his head in disgust...right up to the point a Canuck hammers it home and all is well.

Just seems what we've got here is a player with a very specific offensive skillset, and not a lot else. Like an Ales Hemsky type, and shows flashes of all the skill to be just that...which would be a great outcome here. But very much "live by the sword, die by the sword" type player, who i think really needs to spend a lot of time each game actually handling the puck - that's where his skillset is, and has to be if he's ever gonna find any success.

Right now though, he doesn't look like he feels comfortable trying silly things with the puck and handling it extensively (outside the PP really). Tough to do in such limited minutes...But if he can't break through that somehow (or the staff can't find a way to help him break through that), he's not gonna make it. At every lower level he's dominated, he's done it by possessing the puck and doing nifty things with it - outside of that, away from the puck...he's basically just minutes floated out to the ether, hoping he doesn't goof up defensively. Not a lot else to offer there.

Fully agree with this.

 

[Scurr]

He has to overcome his mental hurdles.

I think that's right.

I don't think the difference in time and space for players to operate between the AHL and NHL is the cause for Baertschi's performance disparity.

I think that's wrong. The NHL is a huge step up from the AHL. Defensemen get there faster and with a lot more conviction. There isn't a lot of contain style defence being played at that level. BearG has been mauled often.

In an effort to adjust Baertschi has been trying to move the puck along quicker but like Bit said, that's just not his game. He's an excellent stick handler that's able to use that to twist and turn away from defenders to open up passing lanes. That's the mental hurdler he has to overcome. It takes some confidence to hang onto the puck and challenge defenders. That's what he needs more than anything imo. I thought his last game was a step in the right direction.

 

[Pip]

He has to overcome his mental hurdles.

I don't think the difference in time and space for players to operate between the AHL and NHL is the cause for Baertschi's performance disparity.

That just seems like wishful thinking to me.

 

[opendoor]

The thing is, this is the 3rd year in a row that Baertschi has looked like this at the NHL level with little to no improvement. There's a reason he couldn't crack a lottery team's roster when in Calgary. Hopefully it's just a mental hurdle he needs to overcome, but at some point people have to consider that this might just be how good he is.

Benning might want to update his scouting reports from 2012 for any future transactions.

 

[Get North]

I don't think he's ever been on a line with some grinders and maybe that is what he needs because he won't be relied on to dig the puck or get aggressive on the forecheck. Those guys like Gaunce, Cracknell, Hansen, Dorsett, are maybe what he needs. He would be relied on finding soft, open spots in the offensive zone. If he still can't manage to find space and get himself open then just call it quits on him.

 

[ManoWarrior]

The thing that's really disappointing to me thus far, is that Baertschi so far has looked a lot like a guy who has somehow had the offensive pizzazz beaten out of him. I say Pizzazz because it's a bit doubling fitting, as that flair he's shown at times (and seemed to have back on track with Utica last year looking like a different player...even jumping into the preseason here), the creativity just seems to have de-materialized...just rarely even seem to see him trying to make that "risky" east-west play that he needs to be making to be successful as an NHLer. Baertschi on his game, is going to serve up some offensive zone "pizzas"...but he's also going to thread some beauty passes right to prime scoring areas offensively. That's what he has to do to be successful, and it can be a fine line.

Right now though, he just looks like he's playing not to screw up...and he just doesn't have the skillset or intensity for that. If he's "not screwing up", he's still not really doing much of anything. He needs to be taking those risks and trying stupid spinorama between the legs dekes then thread a pass back straight up through the slot and have big WillieD shaking his head in disgust...right up to the point a Canuck hammers it home and all is well.

Just seems what we've got here is a player with a very specific offensive skillset, and not a lot else. Like an Ales Hemsky type, and shows flashes of all the skill to be just that...which would be a great outcome here. But very much "live by the sword, die by the sword" type player, who i think really needs to spend a lot of time each game actually handling the puck - that's where his skillset is, and has to be if he's ever gonna find any success.

Right now though, he doesn't look like he feels comfortable trying silly things with the puck and handling it extensively (outside the PP really). Tough to do in such limited minutes...But if he can't break through that somehow (or the staff can't find a way to help him break through that), he's not gonna make it. At every lower level he's dominated, he's done it by possessing the puck and doing nifty things with it - outside of that, away from the puck...he's basically just minutes floated out to the ether, hoping he doesn't goof up defensively. Not a lot else to offer there.

Spot on. I actually liked his last game. He was competing and if he plays that hard consistently, we'll see him get in a groove offensively. Bo and Hansen are also great linemates for him.

 

[VanJack]

Shinkaruk and Baertschi need to switch places....and they probably would have by now if Benning would just admit defeat and put the guy on waivers....but instead he'll get every opportunity just like Vey did last year before the light bulb finally goes on...bad trade, no doubt about it.

 

[Addison Rae]

Thought Baertschi was pretty good for the second straight game.

 

[VanJack]

Thought Baertschi was pretty good for the second straight game.

So if he was so good, why does he consistently get benched in the third period of games, and why after 10 games does he have 'zero goals'?....for a guy who supposedly brings offense, getting outscored by Cracknell and Prust isn't a good thing.

 

[TheWanderer]

The thing that's really disappointing to me thus far, is that Baertschi so far has looked a lot like a guy who has somehow had the offensive pizzazz beaten out of him. I say Pizzazz because it's a bit doubling fitting, as that flair he's shown at times (and seemed to have back on track with Utica last year looking like a different player...even jumping into the preseason here), the creativity just seems to have de-materialized...just rarely even seem to see him trying to make that "risky" east-west play that he needs to be making to be successful as an NHLer. Baertschi on his game, is going to serve up some offensive zone "pizzas"...but he's also going to thread some beauty passes right to prime scoring areas offensively. That's what he has to do to be successful, and it can be a fine line.

Right now though, he just looks like he's playing not to screw up...and he just doesn't have the skillset or intensity for that. If he's "not screwing up", he's still not really doing much of anything. He needs to be taking those risks and trying stupid spinorama between the legs dekes then thread a pass back straight up through the slot and have big WillieD shaking his head in disgust...right up to the point a Canuck hammers it home and all is well.

Just seems what we've got here is a player with a very specific offensive skillset, and not a lot else. Like an Ales Hemsky type, and shows flashes of all the skill to be just that...which would be a great outcome here. But very much "live by the sword, die by the sword" type player, who i think really needs to spend a lot of time each game actually handling the puck - that's where his skillset is, and has to be if he's ever gonna find any success.

Right now though, he doesn't look like he feels comfortable trying silly things with the puck and handling it extensively (outside the PP really). Tough to do in such limited minutes...But if he can't break through that somehow (or the staff can't find a way to help him break through that), he's not gonna make it. At every lower level he's dominated, he's done it by possessing the puck and doing nifty things with it - outside of that, away from the puck...he's basically just minutes floated out to the ether, hoping he doesn't goof up defensively. Not a lot else to offer there.

Playing him with grinders makes no sense, in this case.

Honestly, WD is horrible with the way he deploys rookies and benches them for making mistakes. Willie D plays not to lose, and it's gone to show with his 3rd period turtle coaching. How exactly has that been working out for him?

 

[Intangibos]

So if he was so good, why does he consistently get benched in the third period of games, and why after 10 games does he have 'zero goals'?....for a guy who supposedly brings offense, getting outscored by Cracknell and Prust isn't a good thing.

I guess McCann isn't playing well either, then? He's consistently getting benched in the third period of games as well.

Also, nobody said he was 'so good', just that he seems to be improving and settling in.

 

[Robongo01]

I think that strength was a big issue with the Flames and the Canucks tried to correct that this summer. The problem is it's likely going to take a couple of summers of hard, smart training to get that extra bit of strength and explosiveness so that he can gain some separation to create space for himself. He's just lacking that extra gear IMO, but I wouldn't write him off until next season if he doesn't improve

 

[Nomobo]

I think that strength was a big issue with the Flames and the Canucks tried to correct that this summer. The problem is it's likely going to take a couple of summers of hard, smart training to get that extra bit of strength and explosiveness so that he can gain some separation to create space for himself. He's just lacking that extra gear IMO, but I wouldn't write him off until next season if he doesn't improve

I don't think it's a matter of physical strength, more mental strength that he lacks.

Burke judged him right I believe but I hope I'm wrong...it's happened before.

 

[Addison Rae]

So if he was so good, why does he consistently get benched in the third period of games, and why after 10 games does he have 'zero goals'?....for a guy who supposedly brings offense, getting outscored by Cracknell and Prust isn't a good thing.

I just think he's been above average in 3 games (Anaheim, Montreal, Dallas) he's been fairly mediocre throughout the year but he churned out pretty good results in the ;ast 2 games, at least.

 

[bossram]

yeah, the vey/pedan/clendenning/baertschi deals will all get thrown into the same slop bucket, but i still think the baertschi acquisition was the only one of the 4 that i'd advocate was a good trade

problem with baertschi is that while he's not hurting the team possession-wise, he doesn't provide any other attributes when he's not helping the team score goals...if the best you can say about him is that he's 'not terrible' then there's not much keeping him on the club

he'll definitely have the the entire year to prove himself as he can't be sent down to utica, but he's going to be in an uncomfortable position if either mccann or virtanen (or both) stick around

Yes Baertschi was definitely the best bet of his "pick for prospect" trades.

Well not being terrible is better than the alternative....we already have one of those. The team chooses to employ Luca Pizzaman who is objectively terrible and actively drags the team down while providing no redeeming qualities...so I'll take Baertschi over that.

Even if Baertschi doesn't pan out the way we hope, I think there is some value in someone who can go out there, go about his way and not have any damage done against. He is also legitimately useful for zone entries, so that's something.

As for Bae vs McCann/JV, I'd say Bae is certainly better defensively. McCann has really good skill, but so far has been an possession black hole and has had defensive lapses (although he's only 19 and I'd advocate to keep him up anyway). Virtanen strikes me as someone who doesn't really fit in and should go down. He hits but other than that...really not much.

Only thing to do is wait and see. I'm not bailing on him yet.

 

[me2]

Right now though, he doesn't look like he feels comfortable trying silly things with the puck and handling it extensively (outside the PP really). Tough to do in such limited minutes...But if he can't break through that somehow (or the staff can't find a way to help him break through that), he's not gonna make it. At every lower level he's dominated, he's done it by possessing the puck and doing nifty things with it - outside of that, away from the puck...he's basically just minutes floated out to the ether, hoping he doesn't goof up defensively. Not a lot else to offer there.

At lower levels he was skilled enough, and the opposition poor enough, that he had time to work out what he wanted to do. He tore up Edmonton in the preseason when their cobbled together pre0season team was a disorganised rabble. I'm not sure it is in his head (confidence) so much as his head (ability at this speed of the game). He might just have hit his ceiling vs bigger, faster, stronger, quicker.

Maybe if he was playing with high level guys that could create that space and time for him by drawing attention, we have nobody like that (Sedins are set). Maybe he pulls it together and works out how to cope with the limited space and time. The team has all year to find out.

 

[SomeSortOfHockey]

I don't thing he is a NHL player. I don't think he will ever be a NHL player. Had the Canucks not given up a second round pick he would no longer be in the league. I actually think he is skilled in many ways and hoped originally he would be more, but he is not.

 

[Verviticus]

baertschi is gonna break out and everyones gonna make up all sorts of ******** about how hes playing differently

 

[ugghhh]

It seems like he expects that he'll have more time when he gets the puck on his stick. It's a bad habit that needs to get broken, and that's not going to happen with limited minutes.

At the same time, he needs to earn those additional minutes. He's had some good shifts, but there are many more that he just isn't skating enough -- too much thinking and not enough moving.

I think this is a tricky situation for WD to coach -- and I'll be interested to see how Baertschi progresses over the rest of the year.

If he does start playing better, I think WD should get a good amount of credit for it. This is a player who needs to be coached well to succeed.