Quote:
Originally Posted by Textcritic
I think this is a big part of the problem. While Baertschi is among the Flames longest tenured prospects, neither he nor his professional hockey career are actually that old. He will be 22 this year. Last season he was still eligible to win the Calder Trophy. This is likely as clear a scenario as where the "shiny new toy" syndrome applies, especially since Baertschi had an off year last year. He's still really young with tonnes of potential; it just seems like he has already been around forever.
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The problem with Baertschi is he has not taken the next step at either level of hockey he's played in since junior. He has not shown an ability to control play let alone be a dominant player. He is highly skilled but he doesn't appear to want to take the physical risks it takes to be high end player in the North American professional ranks.
The other problem with Baertschi is he is in the last year of his entry level contract. He is playing for his professional life this season. Flames management has said they expect players to step up and show they are NHL players in the first two or three years of professional service. Baertshi is coming into year three. The Flames may have a very hard decision to make on him come the end of this season. They really need him to step up and prove he is a top six player in the NHL or they may be forced to move him for a similar aged player with a lower ceiling but less risk in a position we need.