Player Discussion Casey Mittelstadt (2017, 8th) - Signed, #37 - Part II

[57special]

CM is weird. Even in HS, he would have games where you didn't notice him, then he'd have others where he'd be like a blazing comet of talent. I was shocked to see how mediocre he looked in pre and early season games....like he was out of shape, or not mentally in things, or just not able to cope with the speed and power of the NHL, but that made no sense, because he was fine in his brief period last year.
I thought he was very good with the Gophers most of the time, and his production didn't match his level of play.

When he is dialed in, his talent is unmistakable. Maybe he'll end up being one of those talented enigmas like Kent Nilsson, but I don't think so. Too much of a hockey nerd, and too down to earth, by all reports.

 

[tsujimoto74]

It's kind of mind-blowing how much he's improved from the beginning of training camp to now. There was a legitimate case to be made for Casey to spend some time in Rochester after camp. Now? While he's not the 2nd-line center to Jack YET......if he keeps this up, he will be by the end of the year. Remarkable.

As much as I would've liked for him to rocket out of the gates at the beginning of the season a la Pettersson, I'm definitely happy with his development/progression. He's learning and improving game by game.

 

[sufferer]

5 points in his last 7 games. He's coming around in both production and overall play.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Yea he has looked really nice lately!

 

[Royal Thunder]

The way he cleanly received that puck that bounced off the back of the net was magic, that Sheary goal doesn't happen if Casey doesn't make that play.

 

[dasaybz]

CM is weird. Even in HS, he would have games where you didn't notice him, then he'd have others where he'd be like a blazing comet of talent. I was shocked to see how mediocre he looked in pre and early season games....like he was out of shape, or not mentally in things, or just not able to cope with the speed and power of the NHL, but that made no sense, because he was fine in his brief period last year.
I thought he was very good with the Gophers most of the time, and his production didn't match his level of play.

When he is dialed in, his talent is unmistakable. Maybe he'll end up being one of those talented enigmas like Kent Nilsson, but I don't think so. Too much of a hockey nerd, and too down to earth, by all reports.

He looked really out of shape in the beginning of the year, I even mentioned it in a couple posts. He's been very noticeable though. He's been excellent defensively, and the offense is really starting to come around. He's a very smart hockey player. I feel as if his first few games this year he was almost testing the waters and seeing what he was able to do out there on the ice with his ridiculous hands. Once he puts on some man muscle, he's going to be freaking amazing. Having him as a #2 C behind Jack for the next 10 years is crazy to think about.

 

[sabrebuild]

He looked really out of shape in the beginning of the year, I even mentioned it in a couple posts. He's been very noticeable though. He's been excellent defensively, and the offense is really starting to come around. He's a very smart hockey player. I feel as if his first few games this year he was almost testing the waters and seeing what he was able to do out there on the ice with his ridiculous hands. Once he puts on some man muscle, he's going to be freaking amazing. Having him as a #2 C behind Jack for the next 10 years is crazy to think about.

He strikes me as needing to develop his timing. A super skilled guy like him, often, needs a little time to get a feel for pace of play and opponents style. Particularly jumping from levels like he has.

In many ways a guy like Pettersson or Matthews get a big benefit by playing in a lesser pro league rather than college or junior. It makes the transition less severe.

 

[Revelate]

Last night was his best game as a pro by a country mile.

 

[truthbluth]

Every game he’s played for 3 weeks is his best game as a pro. Great trajectory.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Slick Mitts!

 

[RecycledEichel]

When was the last time we had a player that can stick handle like Casey? Was Tim Connolly as good?

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

When was the last time we had a player that can stick handle like Casey? Was Tim Connolly as good?

Honestly Connolly was probably better not to say Casey isn't nasty with the puck..but Tim's hands were incredible. I will never forgive Schaefer for that hit. We win the cup with a healthy Connolly in the 06 playoffs...he was playing at a Conn Smythe level that post season.

 

[GellMann]

Yeah, there won't be another Sabre with Connolly's hands for quite a while.

Casey's are good, but there's a lot of weak-wristed stick waving that barely moves the puck at all. And it looks good in the shootout but we lament it when it loses him pucks every time he turns to make a play.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Honestly Connolly was probably better not to say Casey isn't nasty with the puck..but Tim's hands were incredible. I will never forgive Schaefer for that hit. We win the cup with a healthy Connolly in the 06 playoffs...he was playing at a Conn Smythe level that post season.

Good post. People forget how talented he was

 

[RecycledEichel]

Hilarious. That face in in that moment is priceless

Edit: make sure to zoom in on his face

 

[buffalowing88]

Good post. People forget how talented he was

I spent way too much time in college from like 06-10 writing posts on forums about how good Connolly was. Of course, he was never healthy, but he was a top 15 center in terms of talent for a stretch and possibly the most impactful player in the 06 playoffs until he took the cheap shot. Even in 08 and 09, he was a legitimate step above Roy who we considered the closest thing to a 1C we had after the co-captains left.


Anyways, CM is pretty close and if he can eventually get to a point where he takes advantages of mismatches in lines as a result, it's going to be awesome to watch!

 

[buffalowing88]

Honestly Connolly was probably better not to say Casey isn't nasty with the puck..but Tim's hands were incredible. I will never forgive Schaefer for that hit. We win the cup with a healthy Connolly in the 06 playoffs...he was playing at a Conn Smythe level that post season.

He was incredible for about 8-9 games there. Like, unreal. He was the perfect player for that period immediately after the 2005 lockout.

 

[pigpen65]

Honestly Connolly was probably better not to say Casey isn't nasty with the puck..but Tim's hands were incredible. I will never forgive Schaefer for that hit. We win the cup with a healthy Connolly in the 06 playoffs...he was playing at a Conn Smythe level that post season.

Connolly was playing in the wrong era. He could have had a hell of a career playing in today's NHL.

 

[Dahlin 2 Eichel]

Hilarious. That face in in that moment is priceless

This is absolutely awesome

 

[Gabrielor]

That's some insane confidence in yourself. I love it. Thank you Casey.

 

[Cirris]

Every game he’s played for 3 weeks is his best game as a pro. Great trajectory.

I really think it's going to be a slow process of CM learning a newer style of play that correlates to the NHL. Things he would get away with in HS/college don't work in the NHL. For one thing, he's starting to learn those dink no-look passes near the blue line are a no-go. It's better to do those down low, near the paint.

He definitely looks like he can be coached up and improve his off-the-puck play.

It'll take some time. I think we need to not look for him to carry a load as a 19yr old rookie.

 

[1972]

I’m alittle surprised in a league that young skilled guys are dominating that Casey can’t do anything offensively. He’s hardly had a single shift in the league this year where you though “wow he’s gonna be a player”. He’s on pace for something like 23 points this year, I don’t think anyone would have that that’s where he’d be over 30 games in.

 

[truthbluth]

I’m alittle surprised in a league that young skilled guys are dominating that Casey can’t do anything offensively. He’s hardly had a single shift in the league this year where you though “wow he’s gonna be a player”. He’s on pace for something like 23 points this year, I don’t think anyone would have that that’s where he’d be over 30 games in.

There are 6 players from his draft class outscoring his 9 pts this season, and just two drafted after Casey, Chytil with 10 and jokiharju with 11, 7 of which came in his first 5 games. This is what D+2 players typically look like. He shows flashes of what he can be. The big issue is he was thrust into the center role. Had he been allowed to play this season on the wing to get used to the speed of the game and to build confidence, I think he'd be scoring a lot more. For better or for worse, the plan appears to be to develop his 200 ft game, and I think he's been largely successful at that.

 

[1972]

While true to many he was an undisputed top 3 prospect in hockey before the draft. They are no successfully developing his two way game, on pace for 23 points is not a two way game. If that’s the plan then it should be in Rochester.

 

[Chainshot]

I’m alittle surprised in a league that young skilled guys are dominating that Casey can’t do anything offensively. He’s hardly had a single shift in the league this year where you though “wow he’s gonna be a player”. He’s on pace for something like 23 points this year, I don’t think anyone would have that that’s where he’d be over 30 games in.

He looks like he did at the start of the Gophers' season last year. Just he's not keying the first PP unit like he did in Minny.