Weekes: Casey Mittelstadt "drawing a lot of attention"

[SnuggaRUDE]

It's low hanging fruit, but this picture will never not be funny.

It's the Colaiacovo of Chin-Ups

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

This type of thinking is why the Sabres continue to be such a joke. He clearly has more value at the deadline than he will afterwards. All of the scenarios you mentioned are available to the team trading for him at the deadline, plus they get him for a run this year. That team could also flip at the deadline next year if just goes to arbitration and they have a season that goes but. You have zero guarantees he signs long-term anywhere. Cap is going up and agents run the show. The rest of Casey's 2023-24 means nothing to Buffalo. We are done. Maybe Adams will make him an offer before the deadline, but it makes sense to do that and eliminate a risk. But this is Buffalo, where we overpay guys like Okposo and Jost and wait until players like Reino have one RFA year left.
The ability to plan ahead is just abysmal in Buffalo.

Yeah that's a no from me dawg. Teams aren't going to trade you a player who's:

1). Signed
2). As good as Mittelstadt

for a deadline deal. Either it's a hockey trade for another RFA, in which case you're back where you started, or you're getting the standard scuffed prospect and late 1st.

Buffalo needs roster players not draft picks. Flipping RFAs is not a great path for acquiring productive mid-career players.

I do think there's a world where a team could pursue a strategy of continually trading players like this for youth until they had a figurative avalanche of high end prospects graduating concurrently. But it's not the one we live in. Even if Buffalo essentially, though reluctantly, did that with RoR/Eichel/Reinhart/Risto there's no stomach to do it again.

 

[Chainshot]

It's low hanging fruit, but this picture will never not be funny.

That is a photo of him feeling his linemate assignment for the night.

 

[VanJack]

Miittelstadt is an RFA in the midst of one of this best seasons as a pro, even though his team is once again in the doldrums of the Eastern Conference.

Normally you never trade a guy like that....unless you're convinced that as an RFA he's going to be due a huge raise and will be overpriced. That's what Wings concluded when they traded Hronek to the Canucks last last season.

Same thing.....he was a 25-year old impending RFA and the Wings just weren't willing to pay him. So he was dealt for draft picks.

Sometimes a guy has been on your system so long, the team just gets jaded and is worried about what he could get paid as an RFA and the salary cap impact. So if it happened to Hronek, it could happen with Mittelstadt.

 

[MeenOlViks]

That's not happening.

Stop being a Debbie downer

 

[Chainshot]

Stop being a Debbie downer

I suppose I missed my chance to truly be that by openly ridiculing the comment earlier about Makar.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Yeah that's a no from me dawg. Teams aren't going to trade you a player who's:

1). Signed
2). As good as Mittelstadt

for a deadline deal. Either it's a hockey trade for another RFA, in which case you're back where you started, or you're getting the standard scuffed prospect and late 1st.

Buffalo needs roster players not draft picks. Flipping RFAs is not a great path for acquiring productive mid-career players.

I do think there's a world where a team could pursue a strategy of continually trading players like this for youth until they had a figurative avalanche of high end prospects graduating concurrently. But it's not the one we live in. Even if Buffalo essentially, though reluctantly, did that with RoR/Eichel/Reinhart/Risto there's no stomach to do it again.

You act like Buffalo has a choice in the matter of whether he stays beyond his RFA year. They have one year of team control, and if you don't sign him, you can go to arbitration and keep him for one more year.

It's pretty simple.

I'm not advocating for a trade necessarily. What I'm advocating for — and it's hard to believe Buffalo is not on top of this, given he says his agent hasn't been contacted — is talk to deal right now ahead of the deadline. You have until March 8. You can't get a deal now; I don't think your odds go up much in the off-season. Get in front of this. I'm not saying they won't, but I'm just shocked no contract has even been discussed.

 

[Fatass]

Miittelstadt is an RFA in the midst of one of this best seasons as a pro, even though his team is once again in the doldrums of the Eastern Conference.

Normally you never trade a guy like that....unless you're convinced that as an RFA he's going to be due a huge raise and will be overpriced. That's what Wings concluded when they traded Hronek to the Canucks last last season.

Same thing.....he was a 25-year old impending RFA and the Wings just weren't willing to pay him. So he was dealt for draft picks.

Sometimes a guy has been on your system so long, the team just gets jaded and is worried about what he could get paid as an RFA and the salary cap impact. So if it happened to Hronek, it could happen with Mittelstadt.

If Middlestadt is going to be as elite as Hronek thsn whichever team ponies up to get him is going to win big.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Miittelstadt is an RFA in the midst of one of this best seasons as a pro, even though his team is once again in the doldrums of the Eastern Conference.

Normally you never trade a guy like that....unless you're convinced that as an RFA he's going to be due a huge raise and will be overpriced. That's what Wings concluded when they traded Hronek to the Canucks last last season.

Same thing.....he was a 25-year old impending RFA and the Wings just weren't willing to pay him. So he was dealt for draft picks.

Sometimes a guy has been on your system so long, the team just gets jaded and is worried about what he could get paid as an RFA and the salary cap impact. So if it happened to Hronek, it could happen with Mittelstadt.

I think the issue is you have to decide one way or the other before the trade deadline. I don't see a reasonable reason why you wait until off-season when options are not the same. Casey already said he wants to sign. Make your move. Cozens is $7 M so long-term he's going to want as much. Short-term you own the RFA year so that gives some leverage to Buffalo. Just make a decision.

 

[Nevins]

Outside fan perspective, but I think they’re better off trading Cozens for key roster guys than Mittlestadt.

they obviously don’t need more picks and prospects. They need PK’ers, defensive forwards, a RHD, and some other role type of guys. Mittlestadt has developed into a two way centerman and is only going to get better. They need guys like him.

Cozens is not a good center and his defensive play is suspect to say the least. He’s still got a lot of growing left to do and perhaps Buffalo would be wise to get some more ready now, NHL veteran guys. Rather than wait and hope Cozens develops his 200ft game, just keep the guy who has been through it all and is now finally starting to reach to his full potential in Mittlestadt.

This is brutal for Cozens

 

[Izzy Goodenough]

On cue.

Garland + Boeser for Cozens + Mittelstadt

Probably both sides say add.

 

[Nevins]

Lekkerimaki
Kuzmenko
2025 2nd
2024 3rd

For

Casey Mittelstadt

Look good for Buffalo

 

[Nevins]

I know Buffalo fans are not interested in trading MITTELSTADT, especially since he is very young and performing well. Cozens has more difficulty: 23 pts in 44 games at $7M for another 6 years. Would you be interested in trading him knowing that his value is at its lowest due to his stats and his salary? And against what?

 

[Old Navy Goat]

I know Buffalo fans are not interested in trading MITTELSTADT, especially since he is very young and performing well. Cozens has more difficulty: 23 pts in 44 games at $7M for another 6 years. Would you be interested in trading him knowing that his value is at its lowest due to his stats and his salary? And against what?

His value isn't at his lowest due to the extenuating circumstances that injuries has hampered his play. The broken face and fishbowl after his fight ruined his stats for weeks

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

On cue.

Garland + Boeser for Cozens + Mittelstadt

Probably both sides say add.

Buffalo certainly wouldn't be adding.

 

[Uberpecker]

On cue.

Garland + Boeser for Cozens + Mittelstadt

Probably both sides say add.

This makes no sense for Buffalo. Also, value is off.

 

[Chainshot]

On cue.

Garland + Boeser for Cozens + Mittelstadt

Probably both sides say add.

So Buffalo could play everyone on the wing with almost no centers? Cool, cool.

 

[Gabe Kupari]

Buffalo hasn’t made the playoffs in 15 years now. Hard to believe they might want to shake the team up. The rebuild has failed.

 

[TageGod]

Buffalo hasn’t made the playoffs in 15 years now. Hard to believe they might want to shake the team up. The rebuild has failed.

Most of the prospects brought in when Adams took over aren't legal age. But yes, shakeup is needed.

 

[tsujimoto74]

This makes no sense for Buffalo. Also, value is off.

What, you don’t want more Victor Olofsson types on this team?? And at the low low cost of just 2 young centers, one of whom has been our best forward this season? Pshhhhh

 

[Djp]

On cue.

Garland + Boeser for Cozens + Mittelstadt

Probably both sides say add.

Vancouver would need to add significantly.

I know Buffalo fans are not interested in trading MITTELSTADT, especially since he is very young and performing well. Cozens has more difficulty: 23 pts in 44 games at $7M for another 6 years. Would you be interested in trading him knowing that his value is at its lowest due to his stats and his salary? And against what?

Cozens is playing hurt. Not trading Cozens at your perceived value.

Buffalo hasn’t made the playoffs in 15 years now. Hard to believe they might want to shake the team up. The rebuild has failed.

not yet 15 years. 2910/11 was thr last time making thr playoffs.

they traded their high picks in 2013-25 drafts in Ristolainen, Reinhart, and Eichel

they are a vary young team.

From their current 23 man roster…by draft year

2023 Benson
2022
2021 Power
2020 Levi, Peterka, Quinn
2019 Cozens, Krebs, Johnson
2018 Dahlin, Samuelsson
2017 Mittlestadt, Jokiharju, Lukkonen

thats there starter snd 5 of 6 of their D

next years team could have more players from 2021 and 2022 drafts

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

I know Buffalo fans are not interested in trading MITTELSTADT, especially since he is very young and performing well. Cozens has more difficulty: 23 pts in 44 games at $7M for another 6 years. Would you be interested in trading him knowing that his value is at its lowest due to his stats and his salary? And against what?

Two different contract situations. Cozens is having an off year, but there is still good value in his $7 M cap hit. Two years like this, Buffalo could have a problem. The only issue with Casey's value is 1.25 years of team control. Personally, I'd try to go 5 x $7 M with him, but I'm not sure he would agree.

 

[10Ducky10]

Most of the prospects brought in when Adams took over aren't legal age. But yes, shakeup is needed.

They need a starting goalie.

 

[TageGod]

They need a starting goalie.

Not really, UPL has been excellent (mostly). They need to figure out how to play offense and defense in the same shift.

 

[10Ducky10]

Not really, UPL has been excellent (mostly). They need to figure out how to play offense and defense in the same shift.

He's 11-10-2 and has a .908 sv%.
He'd be okay as a backup but they need a starting goalie.