Monday: Baertschi has cleared waivers according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet.
Sunday: Just a day after requesting a trade, the Vancouver Canucks announced they have placed forward Sven Baertschi on waivers. This will be the second time this season the 27-year-old has been put on the waiver wire.
Baertschi was put on waivers back on Sept. 30th, just before the start of the season. The veteran of 291 NHL games cleared, most likely due to his $3.37MM cap hit for the next two years. He was sent to Utica for the first time since the 2014-15 season. Baertschi didn’t let that stop him, however, as he has dominated at the AHL level, but has failed to make much a difference with the Canucks. With the Utica Comets this season, Baertschi has played 16 games and has scored four goals and 19 assists for 23 points, well above a point-per-game average.
Baertschi, who has been quite injury prone over his career, has struggled at the NHL level since signing a three-year extension back in the summer of 2018. He appeared in just 29 games last season due to injuries again, scoring nine goals and 14 points. This year, Baertschi has managed just two assists in six games. Known as a scoring, top-six player, the team doesn’t see him as such and don’t see him as a bottom-six option.
Waive him again