Sven Baertschi | LW

[Attila Umbrus]

16 hours ago, Kanukfanatic said:

I put this in the Nov 1 game day thread (just some thoughts on Baer):

 

 

I am in the camp that thinks Baertschi still has value. 

 

I think it would be a bad idea to lose him on waivers and I hope management finds a way to prevent that from happening.

 

The further we get into the season, the more injuries will pile up. So either we will need Baer in our own top 6 or some other team will and I am hoping we get some value if we have to trade him.

 

In the past 4 years Baer has had a points per game of .41 to .55 (.54 & .55 in last two years).

 

That would put him as our 5th or 6th highest points per game forward this year if he was at the higher end of those numbers (like he was in the last two years).

 

Petey  1.50

JT Miller  1.17

Boeser  1.17

Horvat  .92

 

Baer  .54-.55

 

Leivo  .50

Sutter  .50

 

I think Baer has value playing with Bo on our team and it allows us to play good players like Leivo and Pearson further down in the line up. It also gives us added depth for inevitable injuries.

I really want to see a line of Baer, Horvat, and Gaudette....we know Bo and Baer already have chemistry, but it's tantalizing to see what Gaudette can bring to that line with the chemistry he showed with Baer in the preseason. 

[Googlie]

Gotta question management here - call Baer up and sit him in the press box 2 or 3 games, while Utica loses one of its 3 best playmakers (and with another injured, too, in Boucher) and can't score a goal in 4 periods (so far)

[Gurn]

30 minutes ago, Googlie said:

call Baer up and sit him in the press box 2 or 3 games

Maybe you could wait till he actually sits out 2 or 3 games before questioning management about something that has not happened?

[mll]

1 minute ago, gurn said:

Maybe you could wait till he actually sits out 2 or 3 games before questioning management about something that has not happened?

He is not playing tonight - that's 2 games.  

[Gurn]

11 minutes ago, mll said:

He is not playing tonight - that's 2 games.  

I have not seen the starting line up and the game is still an hour and a half away.

[mll]

3 minutes ago, gurn said:

I have not seen the starting line up and the game is still an hour and a half away.

Green confirmed that he isn't playing.

[Gurn]

6 minutes ago, mll said:

Green confirmed that he isn't playing.

Well, that does change things, doesn't it?

Does Sven still make an NHL salary playing in Utica, if not maybe this is the teams way of acknowledging how well he's played down there by paying him nhl money even if he sits?

[mll]

3 minutes ago, gurn said:

Well, that does change things, doesn't it?

Does Sven still make an NHL salary playing in Utica, if not maybe this is the teams way of acknowledging how well he's played down there by paying him nhl money even if he sits?

He's on a one way deal - same salary in both leagues.  He actually makes more money in the AHL because there is no escrow in the AHL.

 

[Gurn]

14 minutes ago, mll said:

He's on a one way deal - same salary in both leagues.  He actually makes more money in the AHL because there is no escrow in the AHL.

 

Weird decision then, but some had to come up I suppose.

[Googlie]

And Comets shut out again, 6 - 0.  Not saying that Sven would have been the difference (prolly missed Boucher more than Baertschi,) but Goldy especially looked lost without his buddy.   Powerplay was anemic, energy was low, and creativity almost non-existent.   But ..... 6 scoreless periods when Baer isn't playing.

 

 

Edited November 3, 2019 by Googlie

[Alflives]

6 minutes ago, Googlie said:

And Comets shut out again, 6 - 0.  Not saying that Sven would have been the difference (prolly missed Boucher more than Baertschi,) but Goldy especially looked lost without his buddy.   Powerplay was anemic, energy was low, and creativity almost non-existent.   But ..... 6 scoreless periods when Baer isn't playing.

 

 

From a Canuck’s POV are the Comets there to win a Calder Cup or to develop young players to help us win the Stanley Cup? 

[Googlie]

3 minutes ago, Alflives said:

From a Canuck’s POV are the Comets there to win a Calder Cup or to develop young players to help us win the Stanley Cup? 

That's an interesting question.  My take is that nurturing the Linds, Jaseks, Juolevis et al in a winning environment is better development than getting them used to losing.

[Alflives]

Just now, Googlie said:

That's an interesting question.  My take is that nurturing the Linds, Jaseks, Juolevis et al in a winning environment is better development than getting them used to losing.

And it’s a winning environment, right?  

[Googlie]

1 minute ago, Alflives said:

And it’s a winning environment, right?  

Well, my point was that they were 8-0-0  before Baer got taken out of the mix, and now they are 8-2-0, so yes, it was a winning environment (still is, as that's still a great record)

[Kanukfanatic]

Doesn't matter what happens in the Comets game...Baer is up to support the big team.  Those that don't get that are silly.

 

Comets are a distant thought to what needs to happen with the Canucks.  If the Canucks do well..the Comets get a better team. It is connected.  But be clear what the priority is here.

 

PS: I would like the Comets to kick butt....however that is not the top priority.

[Dats hockey]

1 hour ago, Kanukfanatic said:

Doesn't matter what happens in the Comets game...Baer is up to support the big team.  Those that don't get that are silly.

 

Comets are a distant thought to what needs to happen with the Canucks.  If the Canucks do well..the Comets get a better team. It is connected.  But be clear what the priority is here.

 

PS: I would like the Comets to kick butt....however that is not the top priority.

They still have a solid team without Baer, this is a sink or swim moment for the comets. Canucks needed a forward they are not going to call up a nobody it was clearly going to be an impact player for the comet( it’s Kinda what they are working towards down there. They are trying to be called up )

 

Hope comets fans understand that

[khay]

10 hours ago, Kanukfanatic said:

Doesn't matter what happens in the Comets game...Baer is up to support the big team.  Those that don't get that are silly.

 

Comets are a distant thought to what needs to happen with the Canucks.  If the Canucks do well..the Comets get a better team. It is connected.  But be clear what the priority is here.

 

PS: I would like the Comets to kick butt....however that is not the top priority.

I get what you are saying and I agree that Baer should be the first call up. But to say that the Comets are a distant thought is a bit shortsighted. The players on that team needs to be developed properly so that they can help the team over the next few seasons. Imagine if an injury occurs to a scoring forward in the playoffs race or heck, in the playoffs and our first call up is fully developed Kole Lind or bottom 6 injury occurs and fully developed Jonah Gadjovich is the first call up. Same thing goes for defence.

 

 

[GoldenAlien]

This debate is way premature.  Baertschi was stuck in Chicago overnight because of a flight delay and landed in Anaheim 45 minutes before the morning skate.  He participated anyway but was likely exhausted.  Then San Jose was the next night.  Baertschi hasn't played in the NHL since February and his only experience with the current lineup is from preseason.  Green probably wanted to get him into a full practice before throwing him in. 

 

Plus, on the personal side, the guy has a new wife and baby.  I doubt they moved a six month old across the continent not knowing how long he'll be in Utica.  So he probably hasn't seen his son since he was sent down.  Now he will.

 

Baertschi has scored over 0.5ppg in each of the past three seasons, while averaging less than 16 minutes a night.  That makes him a solid 40 point scorer at the NHL level.  Obviously he has struggled with injuries but he's not an AHL player.  It would be unreasonable for the Comets to expect him to play there the whole season.  Plenty of NHL teams don't waive someone of his caliber to the farm and their prospects do fine.  Part of development is dealing with adversity and stepping up when needed.  The Canucks just played back-to-back games with 5 defensemen against division rivals.  You don't hear anyone complaining.  If we want our prospects to be pros, then they need to learn how to win without key players.

 

Not to mention it's only been two games.  The Comets had a hot start where they averaged nearly 5 goals per game.  They were never going to keep that up and win every singe game for the rest of the season.  They're still third in the East, they have a great defense and goaltending tandem, they'll bounce back. 

[UticaHockey]

24 minutes ago, GoldenAlien said:

This debate is way premature.  Baertschi was stuck in Chicago overnight because of a flight delay and landed in Anaheim 45 minutes before the morning skate.  He participated anyway but was likely exhausted.  Then San Jose was the next night.  Baertschi hasn't played in the NHL since February and his only experience with the current lineup is from preseason.  Green probably wanted to get him into a full practice before throwing him in. 

 

Plus, on the personal side, the guy has a new wife and baby.  I doubt they moved a six month old across the continent not knowing how long he'll be in Utica.  So he probably hasn't seen his son since he was sent down.  Now he will.

 

Baertschi has scored over 0.5ppg in each of the past three seasons, while averaging less than 16 minutes a night.  That makes him a solid 40 point scorer at the NHL level.  Obviously he has struggled with injuries but he's not an AHL player.  It would be unreasonable for the Comets to expect him to play there the whole season.  Plenty of NHL teams don't waive someone of his caliber to the farm and their prospects do fine.  Part of development is dealing with adversity and stepping up when needed.  The Canucks just played back-to-back games with 5 defensemen against division rivals.  You don't hear anyone complaining.  If we want our prospects to be pros, then they need to learn how to win without key players.

 

Not to mention it's only been two games.  The Comets had a hot start where they averaged nearly 5 goals per game.  They were never going to keep that up and win every singe game for the rest of the season.  They're still third in the East, they have a great defense and goaltending tandem, they'll bounce back. 

His wife and son were in Utica. I saw her carrying a little munchkin in a 47 Baertschi jersey and wearing noise blocking ear muffs (the music at the Aud is way too loud). My guess the reason why it took a week for him to report to Utica was out of courtesy to help bring his family with him.

[mll]

1 hour ago, UticaHockey said:

His wife and son were in Utica. I saw her carrying a little munchkin in a 47 Baertschi jersey and wearing noise blocking ear muffs (the music at the Aud is way too loud). My guess the reason why it took a week for him to report to Utica was out of courtesy to help bring his family with him.

Immigration paperwork.  Baertschi was alone his 1st week in Utica - wife and son joined only later.  He spoke about that in that article to a Swiss paper.

 

His wife and son are now in Portland - they'll stay there until they know what happens with him.