[News] Sven Baertschi retires

[Phaneufenstein]

One of the funniest things coming out of the Baertschi timeline in Calgary was when he scored a nice goal off a slick interception in the O-zone and the crowd was chanting his name.... I think that's when his career as a Flame had peaked.

Iggy was asked about the crowd in a post-game interview and he said that he thought the crowd was chanting "Sarchy" not Baertschi. Too funny!

Too bad about Baertschi though, he had great promise at the time.

[PuckSlap]

Originally Posted by Inferno

I remember falling for the hype and making some stupid comment on Facebook about how he was going to be the next Iginla. I get reminded of it every time it shows up on my Facebook Memories.

I was showing people the video of him deflections the pick off his helmet

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[Finger Cookin]

Weird to announce this 9 years after he stopped playing. Good luck to you Sven.

[Geeoff]

definitely one of my least favourite Flames.

Wish him well in whatever he does in the next chapter. Hopefully, his dad doesn't meddle so much.

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by kipperiggy

I know he was highly touted when we drafted him but Rasmus for Baertschi is a hell of a deal in hindsight.

Saying Baertschi for Andersson is like saying the Flames traded Jordan Kyrou for Brian Elliot

[Chonger]

Someone want to buy 30 Baertschi young guns???

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[rollie619]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

Saying Baertschi for Andersson is like saying the Flames traded Jordan Kyrou for Brian Elliot

Or Vlasic for Kippersoff. I agree same logic, but it's why some picks have higher value in certain years ('13,'15,'16,'23). It's part of good team building to make sure you have more picks in those years.

[FireGilbert]

Came for a Forever a Flame joke. Leaving disappointed.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Sucks his career never panned out how it was supposed to. Good luck to him in his post-hockey life

[Kipper_3434]

Sven was an exciting prospect for us. When there wasn't much to be excited for, as a flames fan at the time, Sven was a spark of hope. Thanks for that.

I too believe he was hampered by injuries as so many smaller skilled players are. I remember his whl stats made him appear to be better than RNH in his D +1. Exciting times.

[browna]

Ah, the Swiss miss (with apologies to Martina Hingis). That said, the pressure he faced after his second game in the league, was unfair.

What ruined Sven, fairly or not, was 3 goals in his first 3 games.

Given he only played 5 games that season (as end of the season call up), he heard all that summer from fans and were asked questions all summer, about how he was going to be a star in the league and the new hope for the Flames.

I am sure the pressure going into season was a lot more intense that he had planned. And then to combat that, so his Sven's ego didn't get the best of him, I am sure you had Hartley go old school hard on him even harder that next season to temper expectations. Whether or not he himself thought he himself was going to emulate his scoring because of that 5 games sample size or not, it didn't do him any favours.
To many here's dismay, he started that first full season in the AHL but with the Flames pretty sad in those days, the pressure mounted to call him up after a couple months, where by that time he was talked up and touted, unfairly, as the Flames only hope to save that season.

If he came in, played well, but didn't score those 3 goals that season before, it's a good chance IMO his career takes a different trajectory, as he doesn't have those high expectations going into the next season, the coaches lay off him a bit and he gets more comfortable without pressure on him etc...it's those very subtle things that can change perceptions and expectations of the fans and media and team, and the player is the one left dealing with that un needed pressure and risk their confidence to be shot really really early In a career, which they may or may not recover from.

[trackercowe]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

Weird to announce this 9 years after he stopped playing. Good luck to you Sven.

He played for Vegas (one game) last year, and has been in Europe the last year. He's still been playing these last 9 years.

[kipperiggy]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

Saying Baertschi for Andersson is like saying the Flames traded Jordan Kyrou for Brian Elliot

That’s why I said in hindsight though it probably wasn’t the right use of the word

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

He played for Vegas (one game) last year, and has been in Europe the last year. He's still been playing these last 9 years.

Joke over head......

[sch19lks]

Originally Posted by rollie619

Or Vlasic for Kippersoff. I agree same logic, but it's why some picks have higher value in certain years ('13,'15,'16,'23). It's part of good team building to make sure you have more picks in those years.

Pardon

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

He was only 22 when he left the Flames organization, so I don't think the Flames staff ruined him. He spent more time on the farm team than he did in Calgary and didn't exactly light it up there either. I think injuries were the biggest factor. The guy missed significant time and never played a full season.

Oh they absolutely did. Specifically Hartley relentlessly bullying him. Very few prospects will come out as anything if that's their first experience in the NHL, not a chance. Just brutal stuff, hate that coach so much and that he was every associated with the Flames. Super dumb hire.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by savardandjokinen

I still think Hartley and Burke ruined him. Shane O'Brien discussed how mean Hartley was to Sven on a podcast.

Glad we got Rasmus for him, truly believe he would have had a good career with the Canucks and onward if it weren't for concussion issues.

He had parts of 3 seasons where he looked like a middle six guy, he and horvat had some good chemistry too, then injuries just caught up

Feel bad for him he had to retire so early

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by AndyM

I'll never forget him getting absolutely rocked at the Saddledome during the World Juniors. It was scary. You could hear a pin drop.

I am convinced that that is why he was never the same player.

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[Calgary4LIfe]

I disagree with the notion that Hartley or Burke ruined him. He was lazy, and that's what ruined him, and that's what Burke spoke about during that now (in)famous press conference.

[rollie619]

Originally Posted by sch19lks

Pardon

My apologies. Don't want to mispronounce such an icon.