With the Vancouver Canucks roster pretty much set to start the 2015-16 season, the only real uncertainty that remains is the value of the contract that restricted free agent Sven Baertschi will receive as he gets ready to step into what's most likely a top-six position in the fall.
Here's another comparable that probably works in the Canucks' favor in the Baertschi case.
The Ottawa Senators' Alex Chiasson was just awarded a one-year contract worth $1.2 million in his Thursday arbitration hearing, according to
NHL.com.
Chiasson is two years older than Baertschi, but Baertschi actually got to the NHL first, with those five games for Calgary back in 2011-12. Chiasson didn't make his NHL debut until the following season, when he played seven games in Dallas while spending most of his year with the AHL Texas Stars.
In 2013-14, however, Chiasson established himself as a full-time NHLer and posted 35 points, while Baertschi played just 26 NHL games. Same thing last year, after Chiasson moved to Ottawa: he had 26 points in 76 games while Baertschi had six points in 18 games with the Flames and Canucks.
Because he's older, Chiasson had arbitration rights where Baertschi does not, which should theoretically improve his bargaining position. But Chiasson asked for $2.475 million while the Senators offered $1 million. He'll have to settle for less than half of what he was shooting for with his $1.2 million arbitration award for next season.
Since there's every indication that the Canucks are game to give Baertschi the multi-year deal he's looking for, I can't see any way that his contract value should exceed Chiasson's when he has not yet even proven himself as a full-time NHLer.
Alex Burrows at Smashfest
Luke Fox of Sportsnet has a good piece
here on Thursday night's Smashfest event in Toronto.
Vancouver's Alex Burrows was the runner-up in the ping-pong tournament in 2014. This season, he reached the semi-final before falling to Patrick Eaves of the Dallas Stars—a first-time player who ended up taking this year's title.
Fox has lots of gossipy tidbits from the event, which included appearances by everyone from Eric Lindros to Toronto mayor John Tory to Canadian tennis ace Milos Raonic.
Here's what he got from Burrows, about what he expects to see from Jacob Markstrom:
Vancouver's Alex Burrows, 2014's Smashfest runner-up, believes teammate and Canucks backup Jacob Markstrom can be a No. 1 goaltender in the NHL.
"Why not? He's got the size. Goalies are just getting bigger and bigger and bigger these days. It's the new trend," Burrows told me. "He's one of those guys who's 6'6". He's working with Rollie Melanson, one of the best goalie coaches. There's no reason why he can't be a No. 1 going forward."
If Burrows is right and Markstrom starts to assert himself at the NHL level next season, that could definitely help the team pick up more points than the experts are currently projecting.
Pickings are getting pretty slim on the Canucks news front. My recommendations for your sports Sunday:
• The Canadian Open from Glen Abbey. Canadian David Hearn led the field by two strokes heading through the final round but as I type this—and as the live TV coverage picks up—he's in a tie with Australia's Jason Day, both at 16 under par.
Another Canadian, Adam Hadwin, is also making a charge. He's now tied for sixth through 13 holes, four shots off the pace.
• The final day of the Pan Am Games from Toronto. I've been disappointed that there wasn't more hype—and more live TV coverage—for this event, but the Canadians have done well and we've seen some very promising performances one year out from the next Summer Olympics in Rio.
With 217 medals so far, Canada will finish the Pan Am Games second to the U.S. in the standings.
A special shoutout today to the women's softball team, who upset the always-dominant Americans by a score of 4-2 in the gold medal game.
The Canadians did not fare as well in the new sport of womens' baseball, where they lost to the Americans by a score of 10-4.