C Casey Mittelstadt (2017, 8th, BUF) II

[Breakers]

That was when Nanne got moved to forward right?

Yeah Nanne was on the 4th line Romanko and Ramsey
Nanne - Romanko - Ramsey

 

[Breakers]

so we are trying to use Rem Pitlick as a way to say Casey played with talent? I have nothing against Pitlick, but he had an anomaly of a draft year for Muskegon...what you see is what you get - decent NCAA talent with very limited pro ability. I would hardly use Pitlick and Reedy as any example to say Casey should have performed better.

In 38 games, the highest goal scorer on the team has 12...let that sink in for a second. just a blah year for this team who hopefully improves next year with some decent recruits and maybe a Brinkman as well if he accelerates in time.

How many prospects get to develop with other 1st round prospects on their line???
At least he got to play with drafted prospects which is better than a lot of other blue chip prospects can say.

Minnesota has 13 drafted players. Other NCAA teams have like 4 or 5.

 

[57special]

Yeah I'm intrigued to see him at this level. His year wasn't so good in college, so I'd expect him to struggle but who knows really? Players have made the jump and found the higher level to fit them better for whatever reason before.

I saw quite a few of his games and I thought he looked really good. He just didn't have very good team mates. Doesn't mean that his skills will translate into other leagues, but what I've seen of him so far is special. His skill is extraordinary.

 

[57special]

so we are trying to use Rem Pitlick as a way to say Casey played with talent? I have nothing against Pitlick, but he had an anomaly of a draft year for Muskegon...what you see is what you get - decent NCAA talent with very limited pro ability. I would hardly use Pitlick and Reedy as any example to say Casey should have performed better.

In 38 games, the highest goal scorer on the team has 12...let that sink in for a second. just a blah year for this team who hopefully improves next year with some decent recruits and maybe a Brinkman as well if he accelerates in time.

I expected more from Reedy this year.

Basically, the team looked out of sync all year.

 

[AmericanDream]

I expected more from Reedy this year.

Basically, the team looked out of sync all year.

that is my point, just a shit show - so many guys I expected more from, namely Reedy and McManus - and of course CM should have found a way to produce more, I am not arguing that, but when your top scorer has 12 goals you can chalk it up to a shit season...

 

[57special]

I was really disappointed in Bristedt, too. Imagine if CM got to play with Bjugstad, Haula, or even Rau.

 

[CowbellConray]

Compared to guys like Eichel, Larkin, Connor etc who are all solid NHLers but not necessarily elite players, his production was pretty low.

Like I said though, some guys thrive at the highest levels and it isn’t always linear. He could be one of those guys, it’ll be interesting to see if that’s the case.

I mean I don’t think anyone is comparing Mittelstadt to Eichel in this thread. Eichel has an insane year on a very strong squad.

Connor played on a line with 2 20 year olds and had zach werenski on the backend. Mittelstadt isn’t playing with nearly the same talent.


It’s almost too ironic the comparison you can make between Casey’s team this year and the Sabres from last season. You had maybe 2-3 good players and the rest of the team just doesn’t have any skill at all.

Either way I expect Casey to push hard for a spot next year. His skating and offensive instincts are something we badly need on the big club

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Great signing by Buffalo. Of the top prospects drafted last year, I thought he had the most offensive upside in the draft. I think he's going to adapt quickly due to his hockey IQ which IMO is off the charts. But as with Kyle Connor where it took him a year in the AHL to now become a top winger in the NHL the jump from college to NHL is a big one. Caution is best exercised on big expectations. But I wouldn't be surprised if he fits in quickly with perhaps Jack.

 

[57special]

His skills or IQ won't limit him in the NHL. Skating is already above average, but could improve even more. he wasn't getting abused in college, but he will need to get bigger to survive in the NHL, i think. He likes to handle the puck in traffic...hope he keeps his head up.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I would have to think they put him with Eichel and Reinhart. May as well put him on the top line with offensive players with similar hockey IQ.

Could be a fun line to follow.

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

Oh his college stats were underwhelming? Good thing he tore up the WJCs. Good job Botterill.

 

[AmericanDream]

I would have to think they put him with Eichel and Reinhart. May as well put him on the top line with offensive players with similar hockey IQ.

Could be a fun line to follow.

I would like that, or put with him with a sound defensive guy like ROR who could do wonders for him as well...either way I think Buffalo is going to have a big turn around next year. A top 5 pick who could jump in right away next year, Casey will be there next year, a healthy Eichel, and resurgent Reinhart and this team starts to look respectable again.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I would like that, or put with him with a sound defensive guy like ROR who could do wonders for him as well...either way I think Buffalo is going to have a big turn around next year. A top 5 pick who could jump in right away next year, Casey will be there next year, a healthy Eichel, and resurgent Reinhart and this team starts to look respectable again.

I can see a Macknnon, Rantanen, Landeskog thing happening soon. If Middlestadt joins Eichel and Reinhart on the #1 line. The thing keeping Jack from going to an even higher level is a player he can play off of. Lines are rarely drawn up on paper to look good. But to me this one looks obvious, and it would not surprise me if they find success. One thing is for sure, will tune in more Sabres games just to see how it goes.

 

[57special]

I'm trying to remember the last time CM played on the wing for extensive periods. Would be ironic if he's like Eric Staal, and stinks at any other position but C, as C is the one position that the Sabres are loaded at.

 

[AmericanDream]

I can see a Macknnon, Rantanen, Landeskog thing happening soon. If Middlestadt joins Eichel and Reinhart on the #1 line. The thing keeping Jack from going to an even higher level is a player he can play off of. Lines are rarely drawn up on paper to look good. But to me this one looks obvious, and it would not surprise me if they find success. One thing is for sure, will tune in more Sabres games just to see how it goes.

I would have no problem with that either. Casey is one of those players that simply elevates his game when the stage is bigger or his line mates are better...If he can withstand the grind/contact which I think he can as he is so smart like Patrick Kane with not putting himself in vulnerable positions, he has a shot at a solid 50 point season paying on that top line/2nd line as well...

I am excited to see him play the next 5-6 games with Buffalo, lets see what he can do, play him with some skill and like you said give him time in the off season to strengthen up his core a bit and let him loose next year.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I'm trying to remember the last time CM played on the wing for extensive periods. Would be ironic if he's like Eric Staal, and stinks at any other position but C, as C is the one position that the Sabres are loaded at.

U-18's. LW on a line with Brown and Yamamoto.

 

[tsujimoto74]

I would have to think they put him with Eichel and Reinhart. May as well put him on the top line with offensive players with similar hockey IQ.

Could be a fun line to follow.

Eichel and Reinhart don't play together, Eichel is only allowed to play with garbage wingers (currently, Girgensons and Pominville). Also, the Sabres have said they're putting Casey at C. I'm guessing we see him between Baptiste and Rodrigues.

 

[AustonsNostrils]

A Minnesota hockey legend Pat Micheletti, played a bit in the NHL in the 80s and now a TV/Radio analyst covering the Wild, Gophers, everything hockey in Minnesota was on radio this morning talking about Casey signing with the Sabres. Explains why the stats weren't incredible.

You could tell he was a notch above everybody else, you look at his stats and you're going to say 'well, where are those stats?'. Well I can tell you there were nights where the kid was so unbelievably good, he does things, this may be hard to understand, he makes plays these college kids just aren't ready for. And you better be ready when playing with Casey Mittelstadt, in a split second the puck will be on your stick and you'll have an empty net goal or a breakaway or some type of play where he just sets you up and it was incredible to watch.

Here's the audio

03-27 Minnesota college hockey analyst Pat Micheletti with Howard and Jeremy on Casey Mittelstadt

 

[57special]

CM needs to be playing with a shoot first guy. He can score, but what is special about him is his ability to see plays ahead of time, and make a flawless pass. Some lucky shooter is going to make a lot of money for himself playing on his line, though I have no clue who that would be on BUF. Okposo? A young Pominville, maybe...someone who is smart enough to understand how to get to the right places on the ice, and to be ready to shoot when that pass comes.

If I was BUF(assuming the CM turns out to be a player), I would think about moving ROR for a scoring winger. Of course, the draft might provide one of those, or Nylander might become that guy.

 

[DieTomi]

Oh his college stats were underwhelming? Good thing he tore up the WJCs. Good job Botterill.

A strong season in the NCAA is more important than the WJC no matter what you want to believe. He had a solid season throughout, but his point production was lacking just as it was in his draft year.

 

[schnapshot]

A strong season in the NCAA is more important than the WJC no matter what you want to believe. He had a solid season throughout, but his point production was lacking just as it was in his draft year.

His USHL production was not underwhelming.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

Points are only part of the equation. Especially as an NCAA freshman. That's why a kid like Adam Tambellini and Kieffer Bellows struggled as freshman then tore up the WHL.

Anybody who watched at least three or four Gophers games this year will tell you there was only one consistent threat who created multiple quality chances per game, and that one player was Mittelstadt.

Brady Skjei, another former Gopher, put up more points in his rookie NHL season than in his three full seasons at UM combined.

Besides, goal scoring was way down in the Big-10 this year. Gophers scored 40 goals less than last year. Penn State, who led the Big-10 in 2016-17 in scoring with 160 goals, led again this year but with only 138. The Gophers also had their worst offensive season in years.

That's not Mittelstadt's fault. He was the team's most productive and dynamic player as a freshman. That's what teams want out of their draft picks. I don't think there's one scout who thinks Mittelstadt isn't impressive or lessened his value because he didn't equal or surpass what Eichel or Keller did when they were freshman.

Look at Makar. Kid went 4th overall but the stats say he wasn't even the best freshman defenseman on his team. But Mario Ferraro outproducing him doesn't mean he has the higher upside.

 

[DieTomi]

His USHL production was not underwhelming.

Certainly nothing spectacular though, especially considering how many of his points came from the PP. Kyle Connor had 1.42 PPG compared to Mittelstadt's 1.25. His point production isn't very good but you can see his elite talents when you watch him play.

 

[AmericanDream]

Certainly nothing spectacular though, especially considering how many of his points came from the PP. Kyle Connor had 1.42 PPG compared to Mittelstadt's 1.25. His point production isn't very good but you can see his elite talents when you watch him play.

if you are in your 17-18 year old season, and above a ppg in the USHL, you most certainly are spectacular..or close to it...scoring is mainly done by 18-20 year olds outside of the USNDP..

Steeves and Drury only 2 I can think of close to it this year, in the entire league and both played entire seasons where as Casey bounced back and forth between high school hockey and the USHL..

 

[AustonsNostrils]