LAST SHOT TO STICK AS CANUCK?
Canucks GM Jim Benning says Sven Baertschi and Markus Granlund must prove they belong here
Sven Baertschi and Markus Granlund have hit a fork in the career road. Fortunately for the restricted free agent Vancouver Canucks, who endured underperforming and injury-plagued seasons, they are facing a yield sign instead of a stop sign.
General manager Jim Benning is willing to give forwards Baertschi and Granlund another chance to prove the 25-year-old veterans are part of the solution and not part of the problem for an NHL team trending younger.
“That’s the point they’re at in their careers,” Benning said. “They’re either going to take the next step and be good NHL players that can produce, or they’ll fall by the wayside. It was a difficult year for both of them and maybe it was adjusting to the style of play that (head coach) Travis (Green) wanted.
“They have a lot to prove and I expect them to rebound from where they were at.”
Baertschi had 14 goals and 15 assists in 53 games — a pace that would have meant 21 goals over 82 games — before his season ended with a shoulder separation. Granlund was reduced to a checking role and had but eight goals and four assists in the same amount of games before his season ended with ankle surgery.
The forwards have arbitration rights and no leverage, so they’ll be qualified but won’t see significant raises or security.
Baertschi’s salary cap hit this season was US$1.85 million and Granlund’s was $900,000. The Canucks have the hammer and could offer a one-year, show-us deal, much like they did when Erik Gudbranson returned this season from wrist surgery.
“That’s a fair statement,” said Benning.
It’s also fair to take issue with Baertschi because he was put in a situation to succeed. But what about Granlund’s deployment? He went from 19 goals the previous season with Henrik and Daniel Sedin to a bottom-six checking role.
That’s tough to stomach in a
contract season.
Baertschi had his moments before a heavy hit from Nashville Predators defenceman Alexei Emelin ended his season. e combined with Bo Horvat and Brock Boeser for 11 points in a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 4 at Rogers Arena. Boeser had a hat trick and four points, Horvat a goal and three assists and Baertschi three helpers.
And there was the return meeting in Pittsburgh on Nov. 22 when Boeser bagged two more goals in a 5-2 triumph. It came a night after Boeser had two goals and Baertschi also struck in a 5-2 win at Philadelphia.
Baertschi then suffered a broken jaw on a clearing attempt by Mark Giordano in Calgary on Dec. 9. He would miss 11 games, then scored four times in his next 16 outings. Then, after the Canucks lost five of six games, Green did what any rookie
NHL head coach has to do to send a message to the room. He sat a veteran.
Baertschi was scratched Feb. 15 in San Jose because Green had minorleague connections with the Swiss winger. He knew Baertschi could take it. He knew he would respond. He scored in two of his next three games.
“Sometimes, he’s harder on certain guys — but that’s a good thing,” said Baertschi, who bounced from the first to the fourth line in a trying season.
“When he cares and sees potential, he’ll even chase you around at practice. That’s how he is and it’s usually a good sign.
“I can see in my game where I’m kind of hesitant. The big thing for me is to act instead of react.”
The big thing for Granlund was to wrap his head around a demotion.
He was a bottom-six fixture and often a fourth-liner asked to shut down the opposition as opposed to generating scoring chances. And when his season ended Feb. 8 in Tampa Bay — he landed awkwardly on his ankle after being hit by Lightning forward Ryan Callahan and needed surgery — it was truly a lost season for the Finn.
“You want to score — everybody looks at the statistics,” said Granlund, who saw his average ice time slip from 17:19 to 16:15 this season and his shot total go from 122 to 93. “It’s a tough role when you start your shift in the D-zone. It’s a long way to go to the other end.
“But if you want to win games, you’ve got to have players like that. I know what he (Green) wants from me and I’m OK with that. I think I can play every role and that’s a key to being a good player in this league.
And obviously, I want to play here.”
Everybody wants to play, but the Canucks have a glut of forwards.
If you factor Elias Pettersson, Jonathan Dahlen and Adam Gaudette into the mix — and a veteran centre on a short contract to replace Henrik Sedin and ease the kids’ transition — the Canucks could carry 14 forwards and not have room for five who played here this season.
There might not be opening-night room for Nikolay Goldobin, Brendan Gaunce, Tyler Motte, RFA Reid Boucher and UFA Darren Archibald, if they are re-signed. Maybe some get moved to bolster the back end.
“I’m having conversations every day with other GMs and if there are things we can do to upgrade our roster, we’ll look to do that,” said Benning.