[ricardodw]

To play in the NHL he either has to revert to a goal scoring machine or put on 15 lbs of muscle and win some puck battles.

If he goes with the natural ability that he was blessed with he has to be more offensively dynamic than Gaudreau, Hulder or Raymond. None of these guys is expected to play a physical game at all and have to perform with outrageous skill.

Realistically Baertschi might be able to beat out Raymond who has always had the skill but the Canucks and the Flames (last year) did not think that his high skill was enough to over-come his non-aggressive , no contact play.

Why is Granlund with the Flames and Rienhart in the AHL? It could be argued that Rienhart had every bit as a good a season in the AHL as Granlund. Somewhere over the last year it got through to Granlund that he had to physically compete and make some hits and block some shots. Rienhart did not even try to play like Bouma on the 4th line.

It might have taken him the full off season after his first North American season. Marks him as intelligent and coachable.

It took Backlund 3-4 seasons to get through that there was more to him being successful than dispsy doodling and avoiding contact. in 2011-12 season as a 21 year old he was playing a lot like Baertschi is today. He didn't buy in to NHL hockey until half way through last year.... as a 24 year old after Burke openingly wanted to trade him.

Baertschi has to decide if he only wants to play in the NHL as Gaudreau/Raymond or if he is willing to be Backlund.

The Flames organization has basically told him to be a Backlund, that he does not have the crazy skills of a Gaudreau / Cammalleri.