Confirmed with Link: Avs acquire Casey Mittelstadt for Bo Byram

[NorthernAvsFan]

This trade really confused me from Buffalo’s perspective when it happened and I still don’t get it for them.

I would’ve kept Mittelstadt as a top-6 centre and moved Cozens to the wing.

Top notch defensive centres, who can produce points like this are very difficult to come by.

 

[Toewsfordayz]

I suspect Mack's girlfriend is quietly upset that he used the L word to a teammate before he said it to her.

 

[Pokecheque]

This trade really confused me from Buffalo’s perspective when it happened and I still don’t get it for them.

I would’ve kept Mittelstadt as a top-6 centre and moved Cozens to the wing.

Top notch defensive centres, who can produce points like this are very difficult to come by.

They didn't pay Cozens nearly $50 million to sit on the wing. Mittelstadt was gone no matter what, the question was what the return was going to be. Now we'll see if they move on from Byram (which I would probably do), Power, or Samuelsson.

 

[NorthernAvsFan]

They didn't pay Cozens nearly $50 million to sit on the wing. Mittelstadt was gone no matter what, the question was what the return was going to be. Now we'll see if they move on from Byram (which I would probably do), Power, or Samuelsson.

$7M per is not crazy for an ascending winger. I just don’t think it was good management from Buffalo.

Can’t complain as an Avs fan though.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

This trade really confused me from Buffalo’s perspective when it happened and I still don’t get it for them.

I would’ve kept Mittelstadt as a top-6 centre and moved Cozens to the wing.

Top notch defensive centres, who can produce points like this are very difficult to come by.

Even if they keep Cozens at C, neither Cozens or Thompson are very smart. They lack the IQ and/or experience and basically make up a very flawed top-2 center position. Mittelstadt would at the very least be a great depth 3C (which they don't have anyone else for, don't get me started on Krebs or prospects that haven't proven anything and will take years to develop), and at most would supplant one of those two guys to wing or down the line-up. They didn't need to trade any of them because they have the cap space, but even if they felt a trade was necessary, Mittelstadt shouldn't have been the guy. It was lazy thinking or simply bias to trade the guy that wasn't signed long-term yet. Now they lack depth and flexibility with the FW group and would have to overpay via trade to replace Mitts, or wait another 2-3 years and hope a prospect develops.

They need a top-4 D-man, but Byram is more of what they already have. They need a defensive vet, preferably RHD, but KA went the opposite. It's always one step up, two steps back for the Sabres, and this is just more of the same.

 

[Pokecheque]

$7M per is not crazy for an ascending winger. I just don’t think it was good management from Buffalo.

Can’t complain as an Avs fan though.

They did throw a LOT of money really early at a few of their young core players, likely wanting to snag that excess contract value before the cap became a real issue. I think it's fine that they did so with TT and Cozens, and even Dahlin. It was Power with whom I thought they jumped the gun way too soon.

Adams deserves a ton of credit for "managing up" and taking a complete flake of an owner who wanted to go full cheapskate and convince him not only to rehire a lot of the front office staff that got purged by Kim Pegula, but also splurge on the on-ice talent as well. We will see how he does going forward. So far he's made some good moves, but also some bad ones too.

I haven't seen enough of Cozens to know if he's got any two-way ability, his underlying metrics in all but one of his seasons in the NHL thus far suggest he doesn't, which compounds the problem presented by guys like Tage, Dahlin, and Power. Losing a legit two-way center like Mittelstadt could prove to be very costly...but like you say, as an Avs fan, cannot complain either.

 

[Chiarelli]

Might have been quieter than Eichel and not dragged out in the media but maybe Mitts wanted out.
Are we that surprised they traded Mitts? They also gave up Reinhardt foolishly and O'Reilly - all with meager returns relative to what they gave up. Byram might end up the best trade of that bunch and still bad.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Might have been quieter than Eichel and not dragged out in the media but maybe Mitts wanted out.
Are we that surprised they traded Mitts? They also gave up Reinhardt foolishly and O'Reilly - all with meager returns relative to what they gave up. Byram might end up the best trade of that bunch and still bad.

Mitts always said he wanted to stay, loved it in Buffalo, etc. He was really good friends with Dahlin also. They pushed each other during practice (or like MacKinnon, was Mitt's motivation to practice harder). Mitt's apt/condo downtown was a regular hang out for the team.

 

[Pokecheque]

Might have been quieter than Eichel and not dragged out in the media but maybe Mitts wanted out.
Are we that surprised they traded Mitts? They also gave up Reinhardt foolishly and O'Reilly - all with meager returns relative to what they gave up. Byram might end up the best trade of that bunch and still bad.

I don't think Reinhart gave them a choice. And if Devon Levi develops into a legit franchise goalie no one will care one bit about who was lost in that deal.

If GMKA made a mistake anywhere it was sticking with Granato waaaaaaaaaaaay too long. The moment the team stumbled out of the gate, especially with the absolutely putrid showings they had on home ice, he should've been scuttled and a Plan B guy put into place. But I don't think they even had a Plan B. There were obvious signs that Granato was not the guy to stick with long-term even the season before when they missed the playoffs by only a point.

 

[LTCPain75]

Mitts is a priority re-sign. Waiting patiently to see how CMac does it

 

[AllAboutAvs]

Mitts is a priority re-sign. Waiting patiently to see how CMac does it

If we go by the Behrens picture when he signed it looks like he will do with pen and papers. It doesn't look like they are using e-signing just yet.

 

[Richard Doll]

If we go by the Behrens picture when he signed it looks like he will do with pen and papers. It doesn't look like they are using e-signing just yet.

Hopefully not a fax machine!

 

[henchman21]

This trade really confused me from Buffalo’s perspective when it happened and I still don’t get it for them.

I would’ve kept Mittelstadt as a top-6 centre and moved Cozens to the wing.

Top notch defensive centres, who can produce points like this are very difficult to come by.

I get them moving Mitts... I don't get why they wanted Byram. If you're going to get a defensemen, make it a right shot. If you only have left shot, it better be a transcendent talent that rises above what you have on the left side. I don't see what Byram brings that Dahlin or Power don't.

 

[Chiarelli]

I get them moving Mitts... I don't get why they wanted Byram. If you're going to get a defensemen, make it a right shot. If you only have left shot, it better be a transcendent talent that rises above what you have on the left side. I don't see what Byram brings that Dahlin or Power don't.

I wonder if Dahlin already wants out. They bring in a guy like Bo because he's buddies on the team with a few dudes and they know they can at least keep that group together.

 

[Balthazar]

They went for the best player with the highest upside offered instead of positional needs.

 

[henchman21]

I wonder if Dahlin already wants out. They bring in a guy like Bo because he's buddies on the team with a few dudes and they know they can at least keep that group together.

I doubt that Dahlin wants out... he's likely the next captain and just signed his big money deal. It honestly reeks of pure asset management and just getting the best possible piece and dealing with the consequences later. Which is kinda how Buffalo got here in the first place. They didn't draft to build a team, just drafted their BPA without regard of the implications.

IMO Buffalo will have to swap one of the defensemen between now and the deadline. With the situations around it, picking who that might be is difficult. Dahlin is probably the only safe name of the group.

 

[Pokecheque]

I doubt that Dahlin wants out... he's likely the next captain and just signed his big money deal. It honestly reeks of pure asset management and just getting the best possible piece and dealing with the consequences later. Which is kinda how Buffalo got here in the first place. They didn't draft to build a team, just drafted their BPA without regard of the implications.

IMO Buffalo will have to swap one of the defensemen between now and the deadline. With the situations around it, picking who that might be is difficult. Dahlin is probably the only safe name of the group.

Well, that's how you should do it, no? You have to maximize the returns at the draft no matter what. If you wish to address specific team needs that's what trades and free agency is for.

 

[henchman21]

Well, that's how you should do it, no? You have to maximize the returns at the draft no matter what. If you wish to address specific team needs that's what trades and free agency is for.

There are many that believe that, but I disagree with that notion. There are certain pieces that are needed to build a Cup team... you need a 1C, 1D, 2C, top line (if not star) winger, starting goalie that won't shit the bed, shutdown defensemen, etc. IF the BPA is only LD and you just keep drafting them, you won't ever have a team. I'm very much a draft your core and get your toughest pieces, then filter in the rest.

This is a team that drafted Reinhart, Eichel, Mitts, and Cozens with top 10 picks within 6 drafts. Along with getting ROR first and then Thompson from ROR in that span. There are only so many guys you can put at center. In a vacuum you can argue that any of those picks/moves were right at the end of the day, it loses sight of finding a way to build a team. Swap Cozens for Boldy or Knight and you probably have a different outlook.

They did it with LD too... they drafted Dahlin and Samuelsson in the same draft. Then another LD at 31 the next season. Then Power in 21. That's 4 LD in the first 32 picks in 4 years. Unsurprisingly, Johnson is having issues breaking into the league and certainly will have more trouble since they brought in Byram too. I'm not the biggest handedness person, but at least sprinkle in a RD. Get a two way winger with size and grit. Get a high end talent winger. Don't just draft the same positions and players over and over again.

 

[Chiarelli]

Seems like Buffalo has no direction or plan at any of the hockey operations levels.

 

[Balthazar]

Dahlin and Power they had no choice to draft them. You don't trade down when you have the 1st OA pick and they were the concensus #1 picks.

Having too many centers is rarely an issue...on the wing they traded for Tuch and drafted Peterka, Quinn and Benson...all look to be legit top 6 wingers. They also drafted what appears to be their real #1 goalie in UPL.

Sabres have sucked for so long they are stacked everywhere. If they need a RD they can trade for one any time.

With Byram they picked the best young player offered, that's better than trading Mitts for a significantly lesser RD just because you need a RD.

 

[The Moops]

I doubt that Dahlin wants out... he's likely the next captain and just signed his big money deal

Yeah but they just traded for their new captain...

 

[henchman21]

Yeah but they just traded for their new captain...

I understood this reference.

Byram should never be a captain in the NHL. If he is, that team is going to have a massive leadership problem.

 

[The Moops]

I understood this reference.

Byram should never be a captain in the NHL. If he is, that team is going to have a massive leadership problem.

Pitchforks engaging in 3, 2, 1....

 

[henchman21]

Pitchforks engaging in 3, 2, 1....

You can't kill what is already dead inside.

 

[henchman21]

Dahlin and Power they had no choice to draft them. You don't trade down when you have the 1st OA pick and they were the concensus #1 picks.

Having too many centers is rarely an issue...on the wing they traded for Tuch and drafted Peterka, Quinn and Benson...all look to be legit top 6 wingers. They also drafted what appears to be their real #1 goalie in UPL.

Sabres have sucked for so long they are stacked everywhere. If they need a RD they can trade for one any time.

With Byram they picked the best young player offered, that's better than trading Mitts for a significantly lesser RD just because you need a RD.

Dahlin, absolutely you draft him. All the other LD are debatable.

Without a vision for a team, you can't build towards anything. They have kept buying lotto tickets over and over and over. Hoping that they will eventually fit together.

Part of having so many assets is you simply don't have space for them. If you have 4 1C prospects and you wait 4-6 years for them all to mature, at some point in time, these players will have questions. They may not establish at center, which destroys their value. They may have questions on ultimate upside and people only see them as a 2 or even 3C. You start having declining value over time and you actually have to start pulling the trigger.

Power is honestly a great example of this. They could have traded down for a haul... or traded him prior to his new contract for a haul. Now teams are naturally going to wonder if he really is that sure thing #1D. If they moved him today, it would be for far less than what that #1 pick was worth or what he would have been worth prior to the shine wearing off.

Even Byram certainly had some shine wear off. If the Avs trade him right after the 22 Cup, he brings back far more than Mitts. Hell if they even traded him last summer, he would have brought back more. The time let more questions show up, and Byram never grabbed the role expected. If you do that with a bunch of different players at the same positions, eventually the value declines.