SCB striker Sven Bärtschi has decided to end his career immediately for health reasons. Accordingly, the club and the 30-year-old from Bern terminated the contract, which ran until spring 2025, by mutual agreement today.
Bärtschi can look back on a successful professional career. With his achievements in North America, he served as a role model for many Swiss players who wanted to make the leap into the NHL.
The Bern native was trained at SC Langenthal and moved to North America in 2010 at the age of 17 in the WHL junior league in Portland. In the 2011 NHL draft, the forward was drafted number 13 in the first round by Calgary. Only one Swiss player had been drawn earlier in the history of the draft at that time (Nino Niederreiter 2010 as number 5).
In the NHL, Bärtschi played for the Calgary Flames, the Vancouver Canucks and the Las Vegas Golden Knights. He totaled 294 NHL games, 66 goals and 138 points.
After 12 years in North America, Bärtschi returned to Switzerland last summer and switched to SC Bern. Now he is retiring at the age of 30.
SCB sports director Andrew Ebbett says: “Not many players achieve in their career what Sven Bärtschi has achieved. He can look back on his professional days with pride. As a hockey pro, you want to keep playing forever. It is all the more challenging to pay attention to the body’s signals. I have the greatest respect for Sven Bärtschi’s decision and wish him all the best.”
Statement by Sven Bärtschi
“Today I am announcing my retirement as a professional ice hockey player with mixed feelings. It’s a painful decision. Ice hockey is a sport that demands everything from the body. Like most players, I’ve had a number of injuries that are now taking their toll. After months of training, I realized that my body can no longer perform as well as I need it to. And playing with less than 100 percent, I can’t accept that.
Ever since I first came into contact with ice hockey as a four-year-old in Langenthal, this sport has been my passion. I got to know and love the game along with my brother and some of my best friends who are still my best friends.
There are so many people I want to thank for making me the player I have become. Getting drafted in the first round made me incredibly proud. But I’ve never forgotten where I come from.
That’s one of the reasons why it was always my goal to return to Switzerland one day to play in front of my friends and family. It gives me a good feeling that I was able to play my last games as a professional ice hockey player where my journey began – and where my home is: in the Bern region. In the canton where a boy from Aarwangen just wanted to play ice hockey for fun and had no idea that this sport would one day bring him so many experiences, adventures and friendships.
I hope I was able to inspire many young Swiss players to always believe in themselves. Follow your dreams and don’t let them stop you!
Special thanks go to my family, my wife Laura, who has always supported me through the ups and downs. I look forward to spending more time with my children, Emmy and Callan, and seeing them pursue their dreams. I would also like to thank SC Bern and all the fans for their support. All the best, Sven!»
Source of the message: SC Bern
2023-08-03 21:16:38
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