A few days ago, we learned about the playmaking Portland Winterhawk forward Ty Rattie. Today, let’s talk about another very talented draft eligible player from that line: goal scoring machine Sven Bartschi. With goal scoring instincts and natural ability reminiscent of rookie phenom Jeff Skinner, Bartschi is quite arguably one of the best pure goal scorers of the draft class.
The Basics: Goal scoring forward for the Portland Winterhawks; 34 goals and 51 assists for 85 points in 66 games played
Strengths: Bartschi comes with about as complete an array of offensive skills as there is. He has wonderful hands and puckhandling ability and has no problem weaving through traffic to create scoring opportunities. From the faceoff circle and in, he is a devastating scoring threat: finding seams, sneaking behind defenders or unloading an absolute bomb of a slapshot. The passing ability is criminally underrated and one Central Scouting talent evaluator believes he could be the best playmaker in the entire WHL. He is a quick and deceptive skater, displaying excellent edgework and balance. Bartschi plays with a great deal of passion and feistiness that should endear him to the hometown fans at the next level.
Weaknesses: Yes, he’s another one of those smallish forwards checking in around 5’11 185, but he isn’t afraid to take a hit to make a play. The top end speed is a bit mediocre which could limit his breakout rush opportunities at the NHL level. He loves being the focal point of the offense and likes playing with the puck on his stick but when he is not involved offensively, he can sometimes get frustrated and begin to force his game a little. The defensive side of the game is quite suspect but with the right amount of coaching should be able to eventually grade out as average.
Draft Day Outlook: Bartschi is listed as Central Scouting’s 7th best North American skater and figures to be selected somewhere between 10th and 15th overall. With talks of the Maple Leafs looking to upgrade one of their first round picks and rumored interest in linemate Ty Rattie, it may not be out of the question to see the organization move up with the intention of reuniting Portland’s dynamic duo in Toronto.
Previous Draft Profiles:
Mark Scheifele – April 26th, 2011
Matt Puempel – April 22nd, 2011
