January 21, 2013

Flames rookie forward Sven Baertschi is done with the AHL.

When Sven Baertschi walked into a downtown restaurant Sunday night, he arrived as the Calgary Flames’ penalty minutes leader, with four.

As the 20-year-old left-winger joked the next morning, “I’m going to turn into a tough guy.”

Apparently, not a tough talker.

Baertschi hinted after Monday’s morning skate he exchanged a few friendly barbs with Swiss compatriot Luca Sbisa, but the Anaheim Ducks defenceman reported his rookie smack-talk wouldn’t leave an established NHLer shaking in his skates.

“He was there with his girlfriend and his girlfriend’s parents, so he was a little more shy than I was,” Sbisa said with a grin. “I think I won that battle, for sure.”

The showdown Baertschi was worried about was the one on the ice.