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Casey Mittelstadt trying to 'take that jump' after challenging rookie season with Sabres
Mittlestadt's been working out with Erik "don't call me Bustmuffin" Rasmussin 3-4 times a week since the season ended. Two hours of lifting weights and 90 minutes on-ice are included in each workout. He's been following a strength and conditioning plan laid out for him by the Sabres.
"I think I just learned pretty much everything away from the rink -- you name it, I pretty much had to do it, which is different for met. Obviously, even going to college, I was still close to home. I think that was probably the biggest thing for me and the physical grind, along with the mental grind, of playing three in four and traveling and all that stuff is something I’ve never done. I kind of figured that out and figured out what you need to do with your body to get yourself ready. It takes a little bit of time, but I think once you kind of get that down and get that figured out, your routines are set."
According to Rasmussen ""Casey’s motivation in the gym, in the weight room and on the ice has definitely matured. He’s put more emphasis on himself to be better prepared for this coming season. You can only tell him so many times, ‘Hey, this is going to be much harder than you think.’ He went through that process last year and he didn’t have a bad year or a great year. I think he had a very good year and he made some growth, but there’s more he wants out of himself. That’s the driving factor. Casey has been way more involved in wanting to make those changes."
With three weeks remaining in the Buffalo Sabres' season, Casey Mittelstadt called his trainer, Erik Rasmussen, in March to make plans to start their offseason workouts.
The date Mittelstadt wanted to begin: April 12, only three days after the Sabres' season finale in Detroit.
"I said, ‘There’s no way you’re starting then,'" Rasmussen, Director of Player Development at MAP South Hockey in Mendota Heights, Minn., recalled during a recent phone interview. "Casey said, ‘I will be there and we’re starting.’ ... Casey is driving it. It’s no one else telling him to work like this."
Mittlestadt's been working out with Erik "don't call me Bustmuffin" Rasmussin 3-4 times a week since the season ended. Two hours of lifting weights and 90 minutes on-ice are included in each workout. He's been following a strength and conditioning plan laid out for him by the Sabres.
"I think I just learned pretty much everything away from the rink -- you name it, I pretty much had to do it, which is different for met. Obviously, even going to college, I was still close to home. I think that was probably the biggest thing for me and the physical grind, along with the mental grind, of playing three in four and traveling and all that stuff is something I’ve never done. I kind of figured that out and figured out what you need to do with your body to get yourself ready. It takes a little bit of time, but I think once you kind of get that down and get that figured out, your routines are set."
According to Rasmussen ""Casey’s motivation in the gym, in the weight room and on the ice has definitely matured. He’s put more emphasis on himself to be better prepared for this coming season. You can only tell him so many times, ‘Hey, this is going to be much harder than you think.’ He went through that process last year and he didn’t have a bad year or a great year. I think he had a very good year and he made some growth, but there’s more he wants out of himself. That’s the driving factor. Casey has been way more involved in wanting to make those changes."