Sven Bärtschi | |||
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Bärtschi with the Winterhawks.
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Born |
Bern, CHE |
5 October 1992 ||
Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
Weight | 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb) | ||
Position | Left Wing | ||
Shoots | Left | ||
NHL team Former teams |
Vancouver Canucks SC Langenthal Calgary Flames |
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National team | Switzerland | ||
NHL Draft | 13th overall, 2011 Calgary Flames |
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Playing career | 2008–present |
Sven Bärtschi (sometimes spelled: Baertschi) (born 5 October 1992) is a Swiss professional ice hockey player who plays for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played his first professional games in 2009 for SC Langenthal in the National League B before moving to North America to join Portland in the Western Hockey League (WHL), where he finished as the runner-up for the league's Rookie of the Year award. He was selected by the Calgary Flames in the first round, 13th overall, at the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and made his NHL debut in 2012.
Bärtschi began his professional career in 2009–10 for SC Langenthal in the Swiss National League B and was pursued by SC Bern of the National League A. He chose instead to move to North America to pursue an NHL career. He was selected by the Western Hockey League (WHL)'s Portland Winterhawks seventh overall in the 2010 Canadian Hockey League import draft. Bärtschi led all WHL rookies in 2010–11 with 34 goals and 85 points, and finished as the runner-up to Mathew Dumba for the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year.
Heading into the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Bärtschi was ranked by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau as the seventh best North American based skater, and was selected 13th overall by the Calgary Flames. The team quickly signed him to a three-year entry level contract US$1.45 million per season, including bonuses. He attended the team's training camp that fall, but was returned to Portland for the 2011–12 WHL season. Bärtschi was among the league's leaders offensively, averaging 2.00 points per game (94 points in 47 games) and was named WHL player of the week three times. His teammates named him Portland's most valuable player, and he was named to the WHL's Western Conference second all-star team.