Darren Haynes interview with Baertschi ...

[GioforPM]

We have no idea what's in Sven's head.

Except when he says what's in his head, at length. Why do you discount this?

[Harry Lime]

Please stop talking about Pavel Brendl. Pavel Brendl eats cereal in the morning, and reads the newspaper. I eat cereal in the morning, and read the newspaper. I am Pavel Brendl.

What Sven has is a media relations issue. He hasn't learned to guard himself. If he had never said a word to the press, we would be looking at him the same way as our other prospects, as coming around with the points and skill at the NHL level. Take him out of the 'Sven' vacuum, and he took ten games to find his stride, and now we will see what he can do. Just like Johnny and Monohan this season.

[Flames Fan, Ph.D.]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I'm just saying that it shouldn't be the only thing to feed his confidence. Playing well within a team and winning is what should ultimately feed his confidence. It seems like that is what Hartley is trying to instill in the team. It (confidence) really comes down to being useful and it sounds like Baertschi is pigeon-holing himself as someone that needs to use a hammer to be useful. It takes more than a hammer or saw to build a house.

I disagree.

What Sven is expressing is not unusual. When you enter new surroundings, your understanding of achievement is still rooted in your old surroundings. Once Sven gets comfortable in his new, well-rounded 2 way game, he'll be able to see new facets to his game and take confidence from them.

[SeanCharles]

Could we all just shutup about Sven for a while and let him develop then judge him... I'm sure I'm not the only one who is sick and tired of all this scrutiny directed towards a 21/22 year old kid.

It takes time to become an NHLer. Get over it, Sven will get there I can assure you.

Comparing Sven's acheivements in the WHL, as a player under 20, to players much further back is ludacrious! Sven getting 2PPG was extremely impressive and shows he has loads of offensive skill.

Why do we got to hate on the kid even after he plays arguably his best NHL game and comes away with 2 primary assists and drew a penalty and even got rewarded with some PP time??

The kid played good. Give him a friggen break for at least doing that much.

None of us are NHL scouts, none of us actually know what Sven will be.. Just enjoy it when he looks like the player we all (actually not all) think he can become.

[Chill Cosby]

It's "ubertalented"
Not "uber talented"

[MissTeeks]

Pavel Brendl was fat and lazy, that's why he didn't last in the NHL.

[GioforPM]

Sorry for being "ludacrious". How 'bout we just compare Sven to the players who got less points than him then and how they are doing now? My point was that WHL points =/= NHL success.

Or let's just look at the top guys. Sven got 2 PPG that year. Simminin got 1.94, and no sniff of the NHL - he will never get one either. Was he ubertalented?

More on point - this was a pretty good forecast, at least so far, it seems (ignore the title - it doesn't call him a bust or anything).

http://www.firstroundbust.com/2011/0...-bartschi.html

I like Sven. I'm tired of the excuses (not his - his boosters who preach patience and then demand top 6 time when he gets 2 assists).

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

Pavel Brendl was fat and lazy, that's why he didn't last in the NHL.

Lots of kids are like that. Maybe they should have been patient.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Sorry for being "ludacrious". How 'bout we just compare Sven to the players who got less points than him then and how they are doing now? My point was that WHL points =/= NHL success.

Or let's just look at the top guys. Sven got 2 PPG that year. Simminin got 1.94, and no sniff of the NHL - he will never get one either. Was he ubertalented?

More on point - this was a pretty good forecast, at least so far, it seems (ignore the title - it doesn't call him a bust or anything).

http://www.firstroundbust.com/2011/0...-bartschi.html

I like Sven. I'm tired of the excuses (not his - his boosters who preach patience and then demand top 6 time when he gets 2 assists).

How about you just relax and have some patience for one of our prospects who's clearly shown that talent is there and might not quite have the mental makeup built up yet.

Jesus. You're not shocking the world by throwing out the obvious fact that junior success doesn't automatically mean NHL success.

Seriously ... what is your deal? It's boring already, we get it.

[FlamesAddiction]

I almost get more of a Rob Schremp vibe from Baertschi sometimes.

I recall Schremp making similar statements before about needing to score in order to be confident.

[Zevo]

Gioforpm is the ying to Ashaxs yang.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Zevo

He's the ying to Ashaxs yang.

If people would read the content of Ashasx posts and not just flag the poster, they'd notice he's not saying anything ridiculous about Sven. But his bluster at his start on this site has clouded too many opinions about his posts so people don't even look at the content and just assume it's hyperbole.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Lots of kids are like that. Maybe they should have been patient.

I wouldn't be too sarcastic towards patience. Patience is what allows you to have had multiple accounts here, including this brand new one.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Zevo

Gioforpm is the ying to Ashaxs yang.

Except I want to be wrong.

[Stay Golden]

Forget Pro sports, for your personal life, and career wise confidence is paramount if you want to succeed. Sports at this level is even more hinged to having confidence because the players are constantly under a microscope from not just their employers, but the opposition, the fans and media as well.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

Here's the guy who worked with Backlund. I wonder if Baertschi should consult him.
http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/02/01...ikael-backlund

That's not the guy I was talking about. This was a former swedish coach of his. He didn't do well to start the season and it wasn't until the end of November that he found his game. His former coach flew into Calgary and spent a couple weeks mentoring him. I can't find the interview but Backlund specifically mentioned that as the turning point for him.

Regardless, with Backlund it was all about changing his game to have success at the NHL level. With Baertchi it's all between the ears. You can argue that he shouldn't of been sent down to the AHL last year, but it seemed pretty clear that he took it the wrong way and didn't make the most of it.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

I wouldn't be too sarcastic towards patience. Patience is what allows you to have had multiple accounts here, including this brand new one.

I only have one account, never had one before.

It was just a joke BTW. Not sarcasm towards patience. I fully agere with being patient. I find that there are those who boost Sven who are not. Demanding a call up every time a Flame was injured, when he was still underperforming in Add, demanding top 6 minutes when he has a good game. Patience includes not forcing him into a situation he can't handle yet. Top 6 minutes, for example, means top 6 opponents. Let's ease him into that, like with Monahan last year to this year.

[Phil Russell]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

We have no idea what's in Sven's head.

Except when he says what's in his head, at length. Why do you discount this?

OK. I'll play along. Sven says that when he has success it makes him more confident. Stop the presses. Success breeds confidence. If you are reading anything more into his statements you are pretending to know Sven better than you know him.

[Calgary4LIfe]

^^Was Shiminin not an over-ager? You have to compare players right across the board. IIRC, Sven's 2PPG was special because it had been quite a number of years before someone at his age achieved that mark.

As for Sven and his confidence issues - mentally fragile? Maybe. Or maybe he is just a 21 year old kid still who is a bit overwhelmed and thought that things would have come easier for him, as it probably did in every league right up until this point.

There are lots of things that Sven needs to work on. I think he has been improving them, and even if he finished with zero points yesterday and a minus 3 I would still say he is improving. Why? He was hustling much more than he has (maybe getting over his sickness, maybe just picking up his game) and he was actually being creative out there more often. His confidence definitely seemed a bit better.

Now before we all start repeating what Warrener was wondering aloud about whether we want a mentally fragile guy moving forward, think about what Iginla said. Paraphrasing here, but something like: "I remember in my first coming in, I thought I was going to be a scorer. Suddenly I found that I wasn't scoring in the NHL, and thought I would just end up being a 3rd line plugger." Something close to that, anyways. We all know how that story unfolded.

I would bet the majority of kids breaking into the NHL can be considered 'mentally fragile' at the start of their careers - at least for those that things just don't instantly come easy for them. Heck, I would bet that if you spoke with Monahan, he probably started doubting himself during stretches last year. It happens.

Anybody listen to Byron's interview post-game? "If you just keep doing the right things and getting chances, eventually they will go in." That comes from having a bit more experience. Cliche answer for sure, but even vets are known for 'gripping their sticks too tightly', etc., when things aren't going their way.

The only POSSIBLE issue with Sven - and repeat, POSSIBILITY - is not buying-into what Hartley is demanding, which is constant hard-work. I think Hartley (and Burke - he was the one that mentioned it after all) want Sven to compete hard at all times. I think Sven coasts a bit too much instead of skating hard enough. Started working on that a bit, and last night he probably had the most consistent hustle since early in the season last year.

I don't even know if it is really an attitude issue. I don't think it is a conditioning issue (with the caveat excluding the possibility of the virus going around was already bothering Sven since the first game of his call-up). What I think it is, is habit. I think this is how Sven played in Juniors. I think his IQ and skill-level was probably good enough where he learned to coast and only really turn it on when there was a decent opportunity. Definitely helps when you are taking long shifts, as most high-end prospects do in juniors. Now Sven finds himself with guys who have just as good of IQ, who are bigger and stronger, who are better conditioned, who are faster and who are just as skilled if not more so.

That is my working theory anyways. He needs to be kept on the line with Byron and Jooris who both hustle continuously every second of every shift. Heck, hire CHARLIE SIMMER to sit beside him the odd time Hartley decides to scratch Sven, and make him explain to Sven what happened on every play :P (that play developed because he was moving his feet... that play died because he stopped moving his feet).

I would double-down and bet that Sven will end up being a key piece. Face of the franchise? No, there are guys who have passed him (but who he can catch again) and guys who I think he is just a tier below (Monahan, Bennett, Gaudreau). If he ends up being the "Patrick Sharp" of this team, then that is still a very, very important piece.

Edit: Brainfart - wrote Roger Millions for some stupid reason instead of Simmer.

[Ashasx]

Brendan Shinnimin was an overager and almost two years older than Sven during the 11-12 season.

The list of players to put up two points per game after their draft year is miniscule.