Confirmed Trade: [COL/BUF] Casey Mittelstadt for Bowen Byram

bleedgreen

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9 points in 17 games, terrible at FO and not exactly a shutdown C, what exactly has he looked great at?

I get that they needed a 2c but Byram despite having a so so season I'm sure still has cache around the league and who knows maybe they tried to move him somewhere else but I have to think Kadri could have been had and I get he makes more but won't Mitts be looking for similar money next year?
What about Zegras? I dunno I'm sure Avs fans will attack me but Mitts is a 40-50 point vanilla player and I just don't think he's a 2C on a team with cup aspirations.

Maybe an Avs fan can answer in a non dick way and explain the reasoning why Mitts and if there were any other rumours.
I mean isn't Girard more on a mitts level?

A year ago Avs fans said they felt Byram had more value than Quinn. A ridiculous take of course but his game couldn't have fallen that much that he went from insane takes on his value to mitts 1 for 1?
Well I’ve watched the games and been to two Avs games since the trade. People stat watch way too much when judging something like this imo. They need a solid team, and Mitts is an obvious improvement over RyJo. They’re a better team with him and I have no doubt about that. I live in CO and while I’m a Canes fan first I watch as much Avs hockey as most Avs fans do. Mitts has been great imo. I’d take him any day over RyJo obviously and I’m happy that Byram got a clean start in Buffalo. I’m personally not upset about losing the potential future of Byram, as great as a player he is I personally question how healthy he can be and if he reaches his potential. This trade was a risk both ways, and I’m fine with it both ways.
 
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HogtownSabresfan

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Jan 13, 2010
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Well I’ve watched the games and been to two Avs games since the trade. People stat watch way too much when judging something like this imo. They need a solid team, and Mitts is an obvious improvement over RyJo. They’re a better team with him and I have no doubt about that. I live in CO and while I’m a Canes fan first I watch as much Avs hockey as most Avs fans do. Mitts has been great imo. I’d take him any day over RyJo obviously and I’m happy that Byram got a clean start in Buffalo. I’m personally not upset about losing the potential future of Byram, as great as a player he is I personally question how healthy he can be and if he reaches his potential. This trade was a risk both ways, and I’m fine with it both ways.

He is okay but he's not a dominant 2C. Better as a 3C but with Avs talent maybe doesn't matter.
 

IWantSakicAsMyGM

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Oct 13, 2011
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9 points in 17 games, terrible at FO and not exactly a shutdown C, what exactly has he looked great at?

I get that they needed a 2c but Byram despite having a so so season I'm sure still has cache around the league and who knows maybe they tried to move him somewhere else but I have to think Kadri could have been had and I get he makes more but won't Mitts be looking for similar money next year?
What about Zegras? I dunno I'm sure Avs fans will attack me but Mitts is a 40-50 point vanilla player and I just don't think he's a 2C on a team with cup aspirations.

Maybe an Avs fan can answer in a non dick way and explain the reasoning why Mitts and if there were any other rumours.
I mean isn't Girard more on a mitts level?

A year ago Avs fans said they felt Byram had more value than Quinn. A ridiculous take of course but his game couldn't have fallen that much that he went from insane takes on his value to mitts 1 for 1?

There are very rarely any legitimate rumors coming out of Colorado. The Avs front office is notoriously tight lipped, and there are no leaks.

As for why Mitts, I think he was probably the best young C that could realistically be had, and the Avs really needed a good RFA 2/3C who they can reasonably extend for 3-5 years. I agree he's not anything really special, but sometimes you have to take what you can get, rather than holding out for what you really want. And the Avs pro scouts have earned some trust, so I'm willing to wait and see if there's more there.

As for why Byram, I think his time was getting short in Colorado no matter what. Makar and Toews mean he's not getting top pairing minutes, or PP1 time, and likely would never be more than a 2nd pairing guy in Colorado, so he probably wouldn't want to stay for the long term, likely preferring to get a chance at a top pairing and a big paycheck elsewhere. Trading Girard doesn't change that, and we'd likely lose Byram in the next year or two anyway.

And Girard is signed for 3 more years at $5m, and is much more likely to sign a relatively team friendly extension. It's not like too many teams are going to want to give him a chance on their top pairing.
 

shadow1

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Nov 29, 2008
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Mittelstadt has been good overall. He had a great start with Colorado, but has slowed down the last five games.

With that said, his two-way game has been impressive. I wouldn't call it elite, but it's above average. He's a smart player and a really good back checker who breaks a lot of plays up. So even while going through his current scoring slump, Mittelstadt's still playing solid hockey (most nights; he's had a couple tough games recently).

Slump or no slump, the trade needed to happen. The Avalanche have needed a 2C dating back to the start of last year. Colton isn't it, and Johansen really wasn't it.

As an anecdote, Colorado got healthy around the start of March, and played Chicago on March 4th. This was their line-up (confirmed via Dobber):

LWCRW
LehkonenMacKinnonRantanen
PariseColtonDrouin
WoodJohansenKiviranta
CoglianoWagnerO'Connor
Nichushkin (DTD)

As I watched that game, I kept thinking to myself "aside from Nichushkin, who's still hurt?". The answer was shocking: no one. Tatar had been traded and "2C" Johansen's play had deteriorated so much that he could play no higher than 3C minutes. (Colorado won the game, but that's beside the point)
 

Bender

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Sep 25, 2002
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9 points in 17 games, terrible at FO and not exactly a shutdown C, what exactly has he looked great at?

I get that they needed a 2c but Byram despite having a so so season I'm sure still has cache around the league and who knows maybe they tried to move him somewhere else but I have to think Kadri could have been had and I get he makes more but won't Mitts be looking for similar money next year?
What about Zegras? I dunno I'm sure Avs fans will attack me but Mitts is a 40-50 point vanilla player and I just don't think he's a 2C on a team with cup aspirations.

Maybe an Avs fan can answer in a non dick way and explain the reasoning why Mitts and if there were any other rumours.
I mean isn't Girard more on a mitts level?

A year ago Avs fans said they felt Byram had more value than Quinn. A ridiculous take of course but his game couldn't have fallen that much that he went from insane takes on his value to mitts 1 for 1?
Mitts has been ok recently after a strong start but you can see that he's still adjusting to the system - which really does take time to get used to.

I mean no disrespect but from watching a few Sabres games before and after the trade, it seems like granato's system is : "alright boys, you know how to play hockey so go out there and get'em!!". So coming from that kind of environment, it's not too hard to be more understanding if it's taking him some time to get up to speed.

Most guys who get to the Avs have a transition period where they aren't sure where they need to be or how they are supposed to be playing...it takes a while. Some guys like Lehkonen made the transition pretty easily whereas guys like Drouin and Manson took longer to get there... (Though by watching Manson play in recent weeks, you wonder where that's gone).
 
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lionsDen

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Mittelstadt, Avs fans have dropped mitts. And are starting to call him mitteljost, Casper.
 

Zman5778

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Oct 4, 2005
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I mean no disrespect but from watching a few Sabres games before and after the trade, it seems like granato's system is : "alright boys, you know how to play hockey so go out there and get'em!!".

Yeah, that's pretty much the "system". Go play fast....but don't hit anyone and do your best not to get hit. Also, try to avoid the front of the net in both zones as that's where physicality happens, and we don't want any of that. ESPECIALLY on the PK. Do not be near the goalie until the puck is past you. And even then....just swat at the puck. Don't try to shield a guy or wipe a guy out.
 

Bender

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Sep 25, 2002
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Yeah, that's pretty much the "system". Go play fast....but don't hit anyone and do your best not to get hit. Also, try to avoid the front of the net in both zones as that's where physicality happens, and we don't want any of that. ESPECIALLY on the PK. Do not be near the goalie until the puck is past you. And even then....just swat at the puck. Don't try to shield a guy or wipe a guy out.
I feel for you guys. We had his brother.... TWICE and I absolutely hated it both times. His only 'qualification' for being an NHL Head Coach was being friends with the Lacroix family and being a former player.

Imagine having Sakic, Tanguay, Hejduk, Forsberg, Kariya & Selanne with Foote, Blake & Liles on your back-end and still not making it out of the 2nd round.

I hope you guys get a good coach after this season and get this thing going... it's been too long and you guys deserve a winning team.
 

TS Quint

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Sep 8, 2012
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Middelstadt’s contract will be interesting to see how many years they give him.

Byram has one more year to see how he looks in a full season with the Sabres. That’s an advantage.
 

McJedi

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Apr 21, 2020
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He wasn't a top 4D nor making an impact on the Avs for about a year and a half, so I'd say it still could be a win-win for each team.
Byram was routinely the #3 guy on the backend for TOI when he was with Bednar/Avs. Usually lead the Avs team in ice time 5 vs 5.

Byram was the Avs number 3.

Byram and Mitts both struggle with consistently. Their game to game impact seems to swing wildly from good to bad to good and bad again. Mitts had a promising start, but he's been more invisible than not in April.

Bigger disappointment to me was how poorly Makar and Toews looked defensively far too often this season. Makar was his typical outstanding self playing offense, but his defense took a big step back this year. Both his defensive decision making and effort. Cale lost the Avs a few games this year with bonehead plays.

And Toews going into a 7 year deal doesn't feel nearly as good today as it did back when he signed that contract. Dude loafs thru parts of the season. When he's engaged, he's great. But when he's loafing, he sucks.

The Avs had a smallish, but very vocal anti Byram contingent. They don't say much when Makar and Toews underwhelm. I'll say the quiet part out loud, it was be a JOKE if Makar won the Norris this season. Would mean defensive performance doesn't matter at all.

The Avs didn't improve defensively, at all, when Byram was traded. Manson played well for a minute, but has regressed as of late. Walker looked solid at times but also regressed in April. Makar, Girard and Toews all played a bit worse in their own end having to carry more of the load once Bo was gone. They've all struggled in April and are not going into the playoffs with any momentum.

Jack Johnson is washed, but Bednar won't acknowledge or address this. JJ is still tapped on the shoulder as a bad habit for the Avs head coach.
 
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ZYXWVUT

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Yep both of these guys have had fair share of issues in their time since the deal. Seemingly both came out of the chute strong but faded.
 

Pierce Hawthorne

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9 points in 17 games, terrible at FO and not exactly a shutdown C, what exactly has he looked great at?

I get that they needed a 2c but Byram despite having a so so season I'm sure still has cache around the league and who knows maybe they tried to move him somewhere else but I have to think Kadri could have been had and I get he makes more but won't Mitts be looking for similar money next year?
What about Zegras? I dunno I'm sure Avs fans will attack me but Mitts is a 40-50 point vanilla player and I just don't think he's a 2C on a team with cup aspirations.

Maybe an Avs fan can answer in a non dick way and explain the reasoning why Mitts and if there were any other rumours.
I mean isn't Girard more on a mitts level?

A year ago Avs fans said they felt Byram had more value than Quinn. A ridiculous take of course but his game couldn't have fallen that much that he went from insane takes on his value to mitts 1 for 1?

I mean, he's pretty damn close to being a shutdown C.



And yes, Byrams game absolutely cratered this year. Barely NHL caliber quite frankly.

 

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