Not content to sign several unrestricted free agents on July 1st, Jim Benning also re-signed one of the Canucks’ restricted free agents. Sven Baertschi got a bit of security with a three-year deal worth an Average Annual Value (AAV) of $3.367 million.
The money makes sense for a second-line winger like Baertschi, even if he will face challengers for that second-line role over next few seasons.
Baertschi has 47 goals and 92 points in 190 games over his last three seasons with the Canucks. If not for injuries, Baertschi would likely have a couple 20-goal seasons under his belt. Unfortunately, he missed 29 games last season, partly due to some awful luck. He suffered a fractured jaw from a deflected puck and a separated shoulder from an awkward hit by Alexei Emelin.
At even-strength, Baertschi puts up points at a second-line rate. His 1.68 points per hour at 5-on-5 was 154th among NHL forwards that played at least 500 minutes last season. That may not sound great, but it’s firmly in second-line range and equal to the 5-on-5 scoring rate of Tyler Seguin, Max Domi, and Boone Jenner.
Baertschi provided more value on the power play, where he was a key component of the Canucks’ second unit. His 4.90 power play points per hour was good for fourth on the Canucks and 74th in the NHL among forwards with at least 100 minutes on the man advantage. He actually led the Canucks in power play goals per hour with 3.81, good for 7th in the NHL.
The retirement of the Sedins will potentially open up more minutes for Baertschi at both even strength and on the power play. If Baertschi can step into those minutes and produce, $3.367 million will look like a bargain.
On the other hand, the Canucks have several young left wingers looking to make the lineup and take offensive minutes. While Baertschi seemed like a natural fit to play with Bo Horvat last season, Horvat and Brock Boeser actually performed better without Baertschi.
When Horvat, Boeser, and Baertschi were together at 5-on-5, the Canucks were out-shot and out-chanced. When Horvat and Boeser had a different linemate, the opposite was true.
Potential left wingers for the top line include Brendan Leipsic and Nikolay Goldobin, both of whom played well to end last season. There’s also Jonathan Dahlen and, a couple years down the road, Jonah Gadjovich.
Will Baertschi still be a top-six forward in three years time? He’s proven himself a lot more than some of the younger wingers, so he has the leg up on them. It’s possible, as well, that he meshes with Elias Pettersson on a line, though Dahlen would seem to have an inside track on that role given their previous chemistry.
With that uncertainty in the lineup, Baertschi has to feel good about a three-year commitment from the Canucks. At the end of his contract, Baertschi will be 28 and an unrestricted free agent, looking for a big contract on the open market. Depending on the development of the wingers behind him on the depth chart, that contract might not come from the Canucks.
