In Bärtschi's case, chances seem better than they have been recently to remain in the NHL, as he will become an unrestricted free agent after the current season. "This status improves his negotiating basis and he can freely choose his next NHL team," EVZ's team manager Reto Kläy explains to Zentralplus.
There is, however, also the financial side of things. Kläy has to cut the team's cost by CHF 700,000 for the 2021-22 season. Apparently a deal breaker in Mirco Müller's case: "For one thing, I never had him on my short list of candidates," Kläy says to the same source. "And for another, I seriously ask myself: can we afford Mirco Müller?"
Still open is the future of defenseman Tobias Geisser and forward Calvin Thürkauf. Whereas Geisser is likely to make another push for the NHL, Thürkauf will have to wait and see if the Columbus Blue Jackets are going to offer him a contract extension. "If it doesn't work out, we're interested in a further cooperation," Kläy says to Zentralplus about Calvin Thürkauf.
