How much is Baertschi worth?
Restricted free agent showed flashes with Canucks last year, but lacked consistency
Who is Sven Baertschi?
The Vancouver Canucks would like to know. The restricted free agent is coming off an NHL season in which he was on an early pace for a career-high 25 goals. He then suffered a broken jaw, bouts of inconsistency and a season-ending shoulder injury.
If that wasn’t enough, management’s ultimatum for the 25-year-old left winger to “take the next step and produce or fall by the wayside” smacks of fork-in-the-road uncertainty.
Baertschi finished with 29 points (14-15) in just 54 games last season and that won’t command much of a bump from an expiring twoyear, US$3.7 million extension that had a $1.85 million cap hit.
Markus Granlund’s demotion from scorer to checker last season not only resulted in a drop from 19 to eight goals, his modest raise from $900,000 to $1.475 million in a one-year extension is a showus-now message.
The Canucks could offer Baertschi a bridge deal and his Switzerland-based agent, Anton Rufener, could respond by filing for salary arbitration before the July 5 deadline. The Canucks could counter by taking Baertschi to arbitration by the July 6 deadline.
Baertschi had 18 goals in 2016-17, so he’s a legit 20-goal possibility next season.
Other players in Baertschi’s age category are coming off average seasons after being rewarded for a breakout campaign.
Pittsburgh got Conor Sheary, 26, off the books Wednesday in a trade with Buffalo. The right-winger had 30 points (18-12) last season and has two seasons remaining on a three-year, $9 million extension following a breakout 23-goal season in 2016-17.
Tanner Pearson, 25, of Los Angeles had 40 points (15-25) last season, after the left winger was rewarded for his 24 goals in 2016-17. He has three seasons left on a fouryear, $15 million extension that has a $3.75 million cap hit.
What does this mean for Baertschi?
Likely a two-year bridge or even less if the Canucks want to really play hardball, because Baertschi has only teased of top-line potential.
Initially aligned with Bo Horvat and Brock Boeser on a high-octane line that torched the Pittsburgh Penguins for 11 points on Nov. 4, Baertschi looked like he had found his hockey nirvana.
He followed with four goals in six games that month before hitting the skids with an 11-game goal drought.
At his best, Baertschi uses speed to get to scoring areas and unleash a deceptively quick wrist shot. At his worst, he stays on the perimeter and has trouble finding the net.
In November, Baertschi oozed confidence. He didn’t have his head on an indecisive swivel. He was playing on instinct.
“That’s when I play my best — I’m not good at thinking the game,” said Baertschi. “Honestly, it’s more me acting than reacting and it’s kind of going with the flow and understanding what’s happening out there.
“It’s muscle memory and letting your brain take over and not worry. And that’s when I have the most fun.”
Baertschi broke his jaw on a clearing attempt by Mark Giordano on Dec. 9 in Calgary. He missed 11 games and scored four times in his next 16 outings. It was at that point, with the Canucks having lost five of six games, that coach Travis Green did what any rookie NHL head coach had to do to send a message to the room.
He sat Baertschi on Feb. 15 in San Jose. He knew Baertschi could take it. He knew he would respond — and he scored in two of his next three games before the season-ending shoulder injury March 2.
What’s all that worth? We’re going to find out.