So whats happening with Sven these days?

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by ignite09

So put your money where your mouth is. Several posters have been asked to provide quotes they said they had, and didn't deliver. Past time one of you posts some kind of quote from a relevant source that ousts Baertschi as a self serving A-hole the way some portray him, or STFU.

You are never going to get what you are asking for. Not because the claims are untrue, but because of the sensitive nature of the information, which is not going to make its way easily to any "relevant source".

I'm not sure I understand what the problem is. Based on the amount of anecdotal evidence, Sven's attitude in the summer and the early part of the season quite likely was an issue—one that I suspect was badly overblown in the absence of transparency, and how these things tend to translate for alarmists in the fan base who latch on to any bit of gossip and exaggerate it. But things change, and young, immature kids will quite often grow up quickly. Since it has been pretty quiet on this front, and since he seems to be starting to produce consistently at the AHL level, I am willing to bet that this is a dead issue. All evidence suggests that if there was once a problem, the team has addressed it successfully.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by ignite09

So put your money where your mouth is. Several posters have been asked to provide quotes they said they had, and didn't deliver. Past time one of you posts some kind of quote from a relevant source that ousts Baertschi as a self serving A-hole the way some portray him, or STFU.

Freeway actually has contact with the team FYI. Do you really expect him to provide sources. It was great that he came in and commented on this. In return, he gets attacked.

I personally don't care how Baerstchi is. Entitlement, pouting... He is still essentially a young kid. He admitted he pouted the year before - remember the whole "I talked to my mom, and she said" article?

So what if he hasn't matured yet? Players mature at different rates in every area - offence, defence, with the puck, without the puck, leadership, personal maturity, etc. To me, sure, it is a little disheartening hearing that perhaps Baertschi has some maturing to do personally, but so what? He has some maturing to do physically too. Just part of the process.

Some players - no matter how skilled - don't ever mature in any number of facets that prevent them from becoming NHL players. One thing about Baertschi is that he is a hard worker. One thing about Ward is that he is the type to help nurture a player in becoming professional and a 'good human being'.

Baertschi is in the right place at the moment to mature on and off the ice, in every way possible, and part of an organization that has been making a whole lot of progress in the whole development area. Guys are passing him in the organization, as much as some don't like or want to admit it, but that doesn't mean that Baerstchi can't bounce back and re-take the lead. It is up to him. Granlund IS the better prospect right now. Will he be next year? That will be up to Granlund and Baertschi. It is really as simple as that in my eyes.

Sometimes high picks (as Calgary fans are well aware of) fall on their face. Sometimes they never manage to get up again, and the ones that do become better players for it. I remember Jarome talking about when he was a rookie, saying something like (and paraphrasing here): "When I was playing in the NHL, I found it so much more difficult to score goals and compete with everyone. I thought that perhaps my level would be only a 15 goal player after a little while."

Prospects doubt themselves all the time - even future HHOFs. Some prospects have a tougher go of it, and require a longer development cycle for any number of reasons.

There does seem to be some concerns with Baertschi's attitude (or at least, were some concerns.. maybe they are fixed now? Maybe not yet?). Point is, Baertschi is far from a finished product. He was NOT NHL-ready this season. Hartley has proved himself NOT to be a 'hard-ass' on the kids - there are a number of them doing quite nicely on the Flames - younger and older than Baertschi.

If Baertschi really feels he has been mistreated or under-appreciated, he just has to look at all the other rookies up on the Flames' team that put in their fair share of work coupled with the right attitude. He (along with Ramage) were for a short while the last two picks by the Flames that were not up in the NHL (or otherwise injured). Maybe that was the 'wake-up' call he needed? Maybe not.

Either way, he is a young guy who has 'growth' to do, just like any other young guy out there. He just happened to be Calgary's most anticipated prospect for quite a while, and even he was probably putting way too much pressure on himself (remember the whole "I want to be the next face of the franchise" comment he made at the end of last season?).

Let's just see how this plays out, rather than attacking one another on the forums. Sven is a very, very hard-worker (would ride the bike after practice in Portland after the games/practices while his teammates would play video games, last off the ice in most practices and even would go back on the ice after the games were over). He is in a good situation in Abbotsford with the coaching. He is in a good position in Calgary's organization with them WANTING Sven to work out, and making sure he gets as much development opportunities and chances as possible.

It may be true that he has pouted, or it may be an exaggeration. It doesn't matter either way - what most of us think (aside from 1 or two posters who feel he is NHL ready now and should never have been sent down) is that Sven needs time to develop more before he is NHL ready. He simply was not this year. Let's see how he finishes this year and see how he comes into camp next year.

[Tinordi]

Pretty myopic to conclude after seeing Sven's performance at rookie camp that nothing was wrong with his attitude. Burke's handling of Sven and comments about Sven reflect that pretty clearly. That's actually fine, I don't blame Sven he was a young player that was given the keys to the new car without really having to earn it. He experienced early success and was given alot of responsibility by Feaster and co. to show that there was a positive future. It would have been very difficult for Sven, a guy who's always been the best player on the ice throughout his entire hockey playing career to not believe his own press clippings. I blame more Flames management of the development of the prospect then I do Sven. Then along comes Brian Burke who nipped that in the bud pretty well.

Anyway, I'm not concerned at all with Sven. He'll likely need another year in the AHL to really show he's top line offensive player. Sven needs to prove he belongs. Bottom line. I'm sure he will. I bring to you the story of Gustav Nyquist. That dude spent 5 years in college and the minors before really being given a shot. Now he's one of the best offensive players in the league. Don't rush Sven, let him work it out and frankly if he doesn't work it out it's on Sven and he would have busted anyway.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/fa...ngs-superstar/

[FlameZilla]

The best aspect of the situation is that, in the space of only 2 years, he's gone from being '"the only decent Flames prospect in years" to being just one of many in a decent stable of prospects.

I really cannot argue with how Burke has handled this situation, attitude or not. I can't help thinking Sven may have been protected a bit by Feaster, seeing as how he was his first ever Flames draft choice. Feaster had a lot of his meagre reputation riding on Sven. Now that the situation has changed a lot, Baertschi who is another year older and wiser can approach the offseason with a lot more experience and perspective. And maybe a drive and willingness to compete in all 3 zones which he didn't have before.

Until I hear the actual stories about a whiny, pouty Sven and can evaluate the actual sources of the info and their motivations/perspectives, I have to take those rumours and posts with a good pinch of Orange Julius (no offence to Freeway; I'm sure his source is the real deal, but you just never know if that source has misinterpreted the situation or has an agenda of some sort). That sort of rumour is akin sewing circle gossip until it's truly out in the open. His source could be the type of person who saw the same things we saw and jumped to his own conclusions. That being said, I would love to know the full story via DM if at all possible.

[SeanCharles]

I wish we'd stop with the Sven back and forth banter...

HE WILL BE FINE!

He will be a top-6 NHLer... how good of one is in his hands.

He's still my favorite prospect and I think he will be a great player one day..

[Freeway]

He's heading into the last year of his contract and he's shown flashes of greatness. Attitude issues, whether they're months and months old or current (only stuff I heard about was ancient/summer) don't diminish how skilled or creative the kid is.

If he can get the rest figured out, he'll be a player.

[FlameZilla]

Devo22 posted this in the prospect updates thread, and I think it hits the nail on the head (even if it is from HF!)

42. Sven Baertschi, LW, Calgary Flames
Height: 5-11, Weight: 190, Fall ranking – 18

Baertschi has had a tumultuous season with plenty of growing pains. He struggled to adjust to Bob Hartley's system with the Flames and the toll it took on his confidence was notable. His assignment to the AHL was disappointing, but at the same time a necessary step in his development. The Swiss forward is still a creative and offensively gifted player, but he needs to learn when to make the safe play and when to take risks with an environment of less pressure. The two-way skill set he has is still one that is NHL-ready and of great value to the young Flames. Now it falls to Baertschi to wrap his head around the mental portion of the game, and adjust to the heightened pressure and speed of the NHL.

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/article...spring-update/

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by ignite09

So put your money where your mouth is. Several posters have been asked to provide quotes they said they had, and didn't deliver. Past time one of you posts some kind of quote from a relevant source that ousts Baertschi as a self serving A-hole the way some portray him, or STFU.

Freeway is a member of the media with sources. He is one of the few that can say things like that.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by ignite09

So put your money where your mouth is. Several posters have been asked to provide quotes they said they had, and didn't deliver. Past time one of you posts some kind of quote from a relevant source that ousts Baertschi as a self serving A-hole the way some portray him, or STFU.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by ignite09

So put your money where your mouth is. Several posters have been asked to provide quotes they said they had, and didn't deliver. Past time one of you posts some kind of quote from a relevant source that ousts Baertschi as a self serving A-hole the way some portray him, or STFU.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by nemanja2306

And that's why he's in the AHL. If we were the Oilers, he'd be playing top 6 minuts, puting up decent points but being a wreck defensively.

I like Granlund, but calling him a better prospect than Sven is ludicrous. Take a look at a guy like Strome. Drafted 5th overall, yet got called up to the NHL just a few months ago.

It's not a disaster Sven is still in the AHL, and I find it hilarious that people are wring off a 21 year old prospect as a bust.

It's not writing off Sven to say that Granlund is the better prospect right now. It's merely a recognition of the fantastic last two years of development that Granlund has had. He caught up and then passed Sven. Doesn't mean that Sven regressed much.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

You are never going to get what you are asking for. Not because the claims are untrue, but because of the sensitive nature of the information, which is not going to make its way easily to any "relevant source".

I'm not sure I understand what the problem is. Based on the amount of anecdotal evidence, Sven's attitude in the summer and the early part of the season quite likely was an issue—one that I suspect was badly overblown in the absence of transparency, and how these things tend to translate for alarmists in the fan base who latch on to any bit of gossip and exaggerate it. But things change, and young, immature kids will quite often grow up quickly. Since it has been pretty quiet on this front, and since he seems to be starting to produce consistently at the AHL level, I am willing to bet that this is a dead issue. All evidence suggests that if there was once a problem, the team has addressed it successfully.

Textcritic with some sanity after 4 pages of complete rubbish.

[Rerun]

Just thought I would post Sven's game by game stats

http://theahl.com/stats/gamebygame.php?id=4632

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by New Era

The two threads where they all live are linked in this thread. Feel free to let your fingers do the walking.



Villainization? What a drama queen! Let me guess? Leave Sven alone!

This is the response I get for supporting a Calgary Flame.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

This is the response I get for supporting a Calgary Flame.

No, that's the response you get for being a drama queen.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by New Era

No, that's the response you get for being a drama queen.

lol just pure irony.

Who's being the drama queen in this thread?

[sureLoss]

Can't deny he is getting better as the season progresses:

December 0.2 pts/game
January 0.36 pts/games
February 0.72 pts/game
March 1.00 pts/game

And just opened April with a 5 point game

[Drury18]

Sven Baertschi had 2g, 3a for the Heat tonight.

First career 5 point game.

Tied the Abbotsford Heat franchise record for most points in a game with 5.

Ended the evening a +5

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Can't deny he is getting better as the season progresses:

December 0.2 pts/game
January 0.36 pts/games
February 0.72 pts/game
March 1.00 pts/game

And just opened April with a 5 point game

You could've just added:

April 5.00 pts/game


At this rate, he'll be 20.00 pts/game by May!

[saXon]

Can't wait to see those highlights!