C Casey Mittelstadt - Eden Prairie HS, USHS (2017, 8th, BUF)

[Street Hawk]

This thread became incredibly petty, and it's too bad. I knew several kids in high school that couldn't do pull-ups or bench their weight, and within 2-3 years in the gym in college made a ton of progress.

I care way more about if a kid can dangle than if he can do a damn pull-up. Mittelstadt has hands and he loves hockey. He just has to learn to love the gym now. D1 Athletics is a great place to go to learn to love both.

I'd be very happy if Detroit took him at #9.

His strength performance at the combine never changed the reality that he was going to spend the next 2 seasons with the Minnesota Golden Gophers program has it?

Maybe if he came in all jacked then perhaps he could be a 1 and done in the NCAA. But, he was likely a 2 year development curve from making the NHL given that he spent only half the season in the USHL vs a full season like others have.

It's much easier to work on strength than it is to get better hands.

As for his body fat, what did that measure out to be? NHL would have taken those measurements. Besides, it's easier to transform a base of 200 lbs into a lean strong physique than it is to add 25 lbs onto someone under 170 lbs. Casey didn't look chubby in his polo when photographed with the other top prospects.

Teams thinking of drafting him will grill him on his lack of physical strength. Is he prepared to put in the time to get stronger, which will translate onto the ice. Plus, he needs to learn nutrition.

 

[Frk It]

Then that scout should be fired if he doesnt at least use his poor combine as a tiny piece of the puzzle. Upper body strength, nutrition, commitment and effort would all be worth looking further into based on the fact he couldnt do one pullup. He knew what combine tests were coming and still didnt train. Unacceptable I would think. Kids nowadays start training at 13 or 14 to be elite players - his work ethic raises some red flags for sure.

Let me know what looks better to a prospective team:
- Casey Mittelstadt - 10 pullups
- Casey Mittelstadt - 0 pullups

You could also say, wow the kid was above a PPG at the WJC and in the USHL without being able to do a single pullup.

Imagine what he can do when he hits the gym for a few years.

 

[OldScool]

You could also say, wow the kid was above a PPG at the WJC and in the USHL without being able to do a single pullup.

Imagine what he can do when he hits the gym for a few years.

Absolutely true. Thus why teams will have to do their homework with him and see if there are any underlying work ethic questions. All I am saying is he knew what was being tested - and for some reason didnt prepare enough. He had the test and didnt study.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Absolutely true. Thus why teams will have to do their homework with him and see if there are any underlying work ethic questions. All I am saying is he knew what was being tested - and for some reason didnt prepare enough. He had the test and didnt study.

You are drastically overrating the impact of this one "question" when it comes to the overall "grade."

 

[LordNeverLose]

Then that scout should be fired if he doesnt at least use his poor combine as a tiny piece of the puzzle. Upper body strength, nutrition, commitment and effort would all be worth looking further into based on the fact he couldnt do one pullup. He knew what combine tests were coming and still didnt train. Unacceptable I would think. Kids nowadays start training at 13 or 14 to be elite players - his work ethic raises some red flags for sure.

Let me know what looks better to a prospective team:
- Casey Mittelstadt - 10 pullups
- Casey Mittelstadt - 0 pullups

Since both those Casey Mittelstadt's are presumably equally good at hockey, I'd say they're equal prospects, since this sport is hockey and not pull-ups.

 

[Frk It]

Absolutely true. Thus why teams will have to do their homework with him and see if there are any underlying work ethic questions. All I am saying is he knew what was being tested - and for some reason didnt prepare enough. He had the test and didnt study.

Here was something I saw on it (not sure it answers your question though, tbh)



So yeah, you would have to ask him about his commitment level to getting in the gym. But the fact that he puts in so many hours improving his hockey skills at least shows that there is some work ethic in the kid.

 

[racerjoe]

Then that scout should be fired if he doesnt at least use his poor combine as a tiny piece of the puzzle. Upper body strength, nutrition, commitment and effort would all be worth looking further into based on the fact he couldnt do one pullup. He knew what combine tests were coming and still didnt train. Unacceptable I would think. Kids nowadays start training at 13 or 14 to be elite players - his work ethic raises some red flags for sure.

Let me know what looks better to a prospective team:
- Casey Mittelstadt - 10 pullups
- Casey Mittelstadt - 0 pullups

If only there was a way to get better at that all important part of hockey... the pull-up.

 

[TT1]

this kid has been a ND for me way before his combine results, just look at the earlier pages in this thread..

 

[Menzinger]

If only there was a way to get better at that all important part of hockey... the pull-up.

Rumour has it, Bettman is going to replace the shootout with a pull up contest.....

 

[JTmillerForA1stLOL]

Yeah, but how many lay ups can he do?

 

[Steve Kournianos]

Phil Kessel is another current star who bombed at the combine, way worse than most top prospects in recent years. He was grilled about being out of shape, selfish, cocky and a bad teammate. I think he was expected to go No. 1 or No. 2 but his stock fell because among other reasons, his draft year stats werent all that great compared to his draft-1.

Kevin Hayes is another one. People thought he was a party animal and underage drinker. While he isnt a big star, he's had a solid start to his NHL career, and on a competitive team.

Mittelstadt is a mature, grounded kid. A student of the game and a strong leader. He has all the intangibles. You have to really nit-pick to find hockey-related weaknesses.

I dont care what Nolan Patrick says. This is thin draft year. It's not a media concoction. Any team outside of the Top 4 or 5 willing to drop Mittelstadt because of below-average upper body strength is playing with fire.

Pull-ups should not be a deal breaker. Chychrun crushed the combine and STILL plummeted. Why? Hockey sense? Did you see him play this year???

I dont want to speak for scouts and GMs but I think most, if not all, already had their minds made up before the combine anyway.

 

[bigdog16]

Rumour has it, Bettman is going to replace the shootout with a pull up contest.....

Imagine, every team would have a pull-up specialist

 

[bigdog16]

Regardless, I think we may see a precedent set here. I cant remember the last lock top 10 pick of CM's size that has performed so poorly in bench and pullups at the combine. Im sure NHL teams have the same questions we do. Im sure his interviews would have been much different had he tested before all the interviews

 

[CanaFan]

Absolutely true. Thus why teams will have to do their homework with him and see if there are any underlying work ethic questions. All I am saying is he knew what was being tested - and for some reason didnt prepare enough. He had the test and didnt study.

It's not really a test. There are no grades or pass/fails given. It's a measure, nothing more. Would you study for an IQ test?

 

[Frk It]

Regardless, I think we may see a precedent set here. I cant remember the last lock top 10 pick of CM's size that has performed so poorly in bench and pullups at the combine. Im sure NHL teams have the same questions we do. Im sure his interviews would have been much different had he tested before all the interviews

Can't remember?

Sam Bennett did 0 pull-ups just three years years ago and he was a top 3-5 ranked prospect.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Regardless, I think we may see a precedent set here. I cant remember the last lock top 10 pick of CM's size that has performed so poorly in bench and pullups at the combine. Im sure NHL teams have the same questions we do. Im sure his interviews would have been much different had he tested before all the interviews

You are really over thinking this.

 

[Sarcastic]

I think his inability to do a pull up has massive ramifications on his skating and puck handling abilities. Worth a flier on the 2nd round.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

You are really over thinking this.

No kidding.

 

[bigdog16]

Can't remember?

Sam Bennett did 0 pull-ups just three years years ago and he was a top 3-5 ranked prospect.

Of his size. Hes got 25 lbs on Bennett

 

[Frk It]

Of his size. Hes got 25 lbs on Bennett

Weight doesn't really help with pull ups, kind of has the opposite effect. Doesn't really help with bench either, considering they do a % of weight.

So not really sure it's relevant. And did Bennett participate in the bench? Couldn't find his results there.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Weight doesn't really help with pull ups, kind of has the opposite effect. Doesn't really help with bench either, considering they do a % of weight.

Do not really sure it's relevant. And did Bennett participate in the bench? Couldn't find his results there.

Didn't Bennett have a shoulder issue? ,, could have been the following year..

I don;t think it matters a whole bunch.. IE the combine results but .. it is information. It may not hurt his draft position but ... guys like Norris late 1st early 2nd that did really well could rise a little as a result of theirs... its information .. it tells you something about that prospect that has put in the time and is dedicated to improving themselves in multiple ways.

 

[Tripod]

Can't remember?

Sam Bennett did 0 pull-ups just three years years ago and he was a top 3-5 ranked prospect.

And that same Bennett has seen 8 guys drafted in the 1st rd have better seasons than he has had.

 

[Frk It]

And that same Bennett has seen 8 guys drafted in the 1st rd have better seasons than he has had.

And Wayne Gretzky couldn't bench his body weight at 18... I think dude had a decent career.

 

[Fogelhund]

This reminds me of Zach Bogosian vs Drew Doughty debate in 2008. Bogosian was a man child and crushed the combine, clearly a safe pick to be a top 4 D and has been that although more offense was expected vs what he had produced. Doughty's combine probably like Casey's and while no now knew how each would transition to NHL Doughty had more upside. He then got in shape and we all know his NHL pedigree. Pietrangolo was the other D in the group of 3 D after Stamkos and just needed for his body to mature. In hindsight the more physically NHL ready of the 3 - Bogo - turned out to be the least impactful over what is now 9 years for each.

Doughty's was not like Casey's... it was characterized as being a "decent workout"

 

[Daximus]

And Wayne Gretzky couldn't bench his body weight at 18... I think dude had a decent career.

So Mittelstadt is as good as Gretzky. Wow.