Canucks recall Sven Baertschi

Photo Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin/USA TODAY Sports

The Vancouver Canucks need goals. They need more of an offensive push from all over their lineup. They need Sven.

On Tuesday the club announced the recall of forward Sven Baertschi from the AHL’s Utica Comets. Based on the timing of the recall – immediately before the club takes to the ice for the game-day skate on Tuesday – we can assume that he’s in Calgary, and prepared to go in Game 4 if the Canucks decide they need him.

This could be a key tweak for a Canucks team that has, despite rolling four lines in a balanced fashion in this series, seen their depth forward lines struggle to win the territorial battle behind the Sedin twins. Baertschi’s impact on puck possession has generally been mixed, but depending on where he lines up, he could help fatten up Vancouver’s forward depth.

That is, of course, if his recall isn’t in reaction to an injury that we don’t yet know about, which actually seems more likely. We’ll presumably know more once the Canucks take the ice for their game-day skate in Calgary.