2 Minutes in the Box with Sven Bartschi

This is also called the lost audio file.

We conducted an interview with Sven Bartschi at the World Jr. Championship in Buffalo but it was buried on the same clip with some other interviews with Toni Rajala and , so it took a while to sit down and sift through the myriad audio clips on file to actually discover it.

Well, persistence pays off, so here is a Q & A with the Portland Winterhawks winger and Switzerland native. It's a few months old, but you will hopefully gain some insight into who he is as a player from his answers and some of the video clips at the bottom.

B2011DW: What happened today (in Switzerland's preliminary round loss to Finland) in the game; what are some of the things you would assess played a role in coming up short?

SB: I think we were playing against a team like that- the Finland guys- we have to be the hardest working team on the ice. And today, we wasn't the hardest working team on the ice. We didn't create a couple of chances, like shots from the blue line didn't hit the net. We have to work harder on the ice against these teams.

B2011DW: How has your first year in North America gone, playing with Portland?

SB: It was a dream for me to play over here in North America. When I came to Portland it was just amazing- the whole organization and stuff. I started pretty good in the season, the whole team started pretty good in the season. It's great to be in America, to be in Portland.

B2011DW: Great to have Nino (Niederreiter) on the team with you?

SB: Yeah, it's makes it a lot easier. I've known him a long time- maybe five or six years- and he's a great guy and I can learn so much from him.

B2011DW: Who are you skating with in Portland?

SB: I just play the whole season right now with Ty Rattie and the centers they changed. I don't know yet maybe (Craig) Cunningham plays with us- I don't know. It's just great to play with Ty- he's a great player, too.

B2011DW: Describing who you are as a player to someone who hasn't seen you- how would you describe your game and what you provide?

SB: It's more like sniper. I score a couple of goals there. Ty's more the playmaker and we play pretty good too with each other. That makes it perfect for us, the communication and stuff- I score more and he's more the passer. It makes it a lot easier.

B2011DW: Were there any guys you modeled your game after from the NHL or players in Switzerland you looked up to when you were younger?

SB: A great player I know is Sidney Crosby. I mean, he started the season like crazy, and I can learn so much from him when I watch him in every game. You can see he's the hardest worker on the ice every shift, every shift. He's a smart guy on the ice- he does all the right things. That's the real hockey, right?

B2011DW: You and Ty are going through your draft season together- coming here do you notice the stage or greater pressure here than you feel on your WHL team?

SB: It's the whole season- I got time to show what I can. I don't think I have more pressure here to play- it's just pressure more to play for my country. And that's big pressure because I love to play for my country and that makes it a lot easier.

B2011DW: (Pointing to Niederreiter a few feet away) Have you talked to that guy about what he went through last year in terms of the draft?

SB: It would be hard to go the same way, but it's a challenge. But you see that he can do that, so why not me? Why not the other guys on the team? it's a big challenge.

B2011DW: Does Nino still love Mountain Dew?

SB: Yeah, still, yeah. (laughs) I just saw him last night. Still the same guy.

B2011DW: Do you have the same passion for Mountain Dew that Nino does?

SB: I go more for Dr. Pepper. (laughs)



Here are some clips on Bartschi from NHLDraftVideo- he can certainly score 'em. Nice release and can put the puck in the net from the outside with his heavy, bullet wrister.





We were standing off to the side when Open Ice Hockey shot this video asking Bartschi and Niederreiter about the acquisition of Craig Cunningham, so it's cool to include this clip, showing both players with their reaction on adding the Bruins prospect and the tournament in general. (You can even see our digital recorder creep up into the picture during the Bartschi portion- look ma, we're famous!)