Confirmed with Link: Casey Mittelstadt traded to COL for D Bo Byram. Straight up.

[Irie]

A funny story that has been lost in the shock and anger of this trade, is that over on the Avs board, several posters were referring to Mitts as "Fatty". They even had a poll on what his nickname on the board should be. It doesn't look like "Fatty" is going to win, but I did find the entire situation rather humorous.

 

[paulmm3]

Or it could be that he is 4500 ish feet higher than he was in Buffalo and altitude sickness is a thing

Maybe, but presumably he had morning skates in Colorado when he was playing them away as a member of the Sabres

 

[TheMistyStranger]

A funny story that has been lost in the shock and anger of this trade, is that over on the Avs board, several posters were referring to Mitts as "Fatty". They even had a poll on what his nickname on the board should be. It doesn't look like "Fatty" is going to win, but I did find the entire situation rather humorous.

Corey Tropp's nickname is probably available. Actually, didn't Casey have the same at one point?

 

[SundherDome]

Maybe, but presumably he had morning skates in Colorado when he was playing them away as a member of the Sabres

Probably, it just seems like people are looking for literally any angle to keep piling on this team and this nothing burger of a quote struck a chord

 

[SundherDome]

Corey Tropp's nickname is probably available. Actually, didn't Casey have the same at one point?

Troppic Thunder or Milk bag?

 

[TheMistyStranger]

Troppic Thunder or Milk bag?

Second one.

 

[Gras]

If Mittelstadt had one RFA year left and they hadn’t talked I’d believe he was never staying. But he had two. They could have kicked the can down the road another year. Getting him under a long term deal wasn’t actually something they had to do this year. It feels like everyone in the hockey media tried to make it sound like they did…but it wasn’t true. They had a lot of options. None of them had to be chosen immediately last July 1, at this deadline or even before next season.

Or he takes his QO and walks

 

[Irie]

Now that the initial shock and emotions of the trade have faded, I have to say that I don't hate it.

I will admit that I was angry mostly due to the seemingly poor fit and how the trade made an unbalanced roster even more unbalanced, but over time and with a healthy dose of pragmatism, I am coming around to the point where I even see the logic behind the move.

I love Mitts, but if Mitts is your first line center, your team likely isn't going anywhere, and whatever Mitts would get contract wise from Adams would likely be way too much to pay a third line center, and is still too much to pay for a back-up top six center under the cap, regardless of how versatile the player is.

Now I know a lot of people will say, "But but but... you move Cozens to wing!", and I do get that philosophy, but Cozens is young. He put up a 70 point 30+ goal pace playing center as a 21-22 year old. If he can learn to play center in a disciplined system and replicate those numbers consistently, you've hit the jackpot. I also do not see Thompson as a top-line center on a contender, so i am gambling on Cozens to improve.

In a perfect world, I would have preferred to see Tage moved for a haul, and Casey re-signed, but Byram is great value, and I do not believe Adams was ever entertaining listening to offers on Thompson, for better or worse.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Now that the initial shock and emotions of the trade have faded, I have to say that I don't hate it.

I will admit that I was angry mostly due to the seemingly poor fit and how the trade made an unbalanced roster even more unbalanced, but over time and with a healthy dose of pragmatism, I am coming around to the point where I even see the logic behind the move.

I love Mitts, but if Mitts is your first line center, your team likely isn't going anywhere, and whatever Mitts would get contract wise from Adams would likely be way too much to pay a third line center, and is still too much to pay for a back-up top six center under the cap, regardless of how versatile the player is.

Now I know a lot of people will say, "But but but... you move Cozens to wing!", and I do get that philosophy, but Cozens is young. He put up a 70 point 30+ goal pace playing center as a 21-22 year old. If he can learn to play center in a disciplined system and replicate those numbers consistently, you've hit the jackpot. I also do not see Thompson as a top-line center on a contender, so i am gambling on Cozens to improve.

In a perfect world, I would have preferred to see Tage moved for a haul, and Casey re-signed, but Byram is great value, and I do not believe Adams was ever entertaining listening to offers on Thompson, for better or worse.

This FW group was never going to succeed with a top line C being the dominant player. It was going to succeed via depth on three scoring lines, with any given line being the best on any given night, with great talent and depth at wing. If we think either Thompson or Cozens will be that guy, we're in for disappointment. The, "if Mitts is your best center" stuff I think is not seeing this. This roster is/was not suited for a top-6 / bottom-6...more a top-9 and checking line.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Now that the initial shock and emotions of the trade have faded, I have to say that I don't hate it.

I will admit that I was angry mostly due to the seemingly poor fit and how the trade made an unbalanced roster even more unbalanced, but over time and with a healthy dose of pragmatism, I am coming around to the point where I even see the logic behind the move.

I love Mitts, but if Mitts is your first line center, your team likely isn't going anywhere, and whatever Mitts would get contract wise from Adams would likely be way too much to pay a third line center, and is still too much to pay for a back-up top six center under the cap, regardless of how versatile the player is.

Now I know a lot of people will say, "But but but... you move Cozens to wing!", and I do get that philosophy, but Cozens is young. He put up a 70 point 30+ goal pace playing center as a 21-22 year old. If he can learn to play center in a disciplined system and replicate those numbers consistently, you've hit the jackpot. I also do not see Thompson as a top-line center on a contender, so i am gambling on Cozens to improve.

In a perfect world, I would have preferred to see Tage moved for a haul, and Casey re-signed, but Byram is great value, and I do not believe Adams was ever entertaining listening to offers on Thompson, for better or worse.

I think the value was fair. As i said earlier in the thread, if Byram becomes Dahlin's partner longterm, and that pair becomes dominant, then the trade was well worth it unless Mitts hits another level.

It's seems entirely possible that Adams found a really good player who wasn't getting usage because he was on a stacked team, which we all want to see more of. Byram is such an enticing player, but I was iffy on him due to injury concerns (still am) and he seemed like more of the same (strong skating, puck moving defenseman). It appears he also has some physicality AND wanted to come here to have a chance to take his game to another level. That's enticing me more.

I'm intrigued. Looking at this trade straight up- it's solid, but Adams needs to address the forward core, but that's a discussion for a different thread.

So far, so good w/ Byram!

 

[Irie]

This FW group was never going to succeed with a top line C being the dominant player. It was going to succeed via depth on three scoring lines, with any given line being the best on any given night, with great talent and depth at wing. If we think either Thompson or Cozens will be that guy, we're in for disappointment. The, "if Mitts is your best center" stuff I think is not seeing this. This roster is/was not suited for a top-6 / bottom-6...more a top-9 and checking line.

The three scoring lines + shutdown line plan having success is a myth though.

No one runs three scoring lines, not even in the short-lived "faster NHL" open style of play that has all but gone away again this season.

Tampa and Colorado were the blueprints, but if you look at those teams, they went out and got heavier and more defensive to find success. Avs added Lehkonen, Cogs, and sturm to a group that already had some solid bottom six two-way energy guys. Tampa added Maroon, Coleman, Goodrow.

Those teams also relied heavily on their elite talent to carry them on special teams.

The Sabres were never going to find success rolling three lines while icing 7 or 8 small/skilled forwards.

They are more unbalanced now than they even were before the trade, I agree, but I do not believe that it matters how unbalanced they currently are, Adams was going to have to change/address that regardless of having Mitts in the lineup or not. This team has to be built differently eventually to consistently compete and not get steamrolled by the physical teams.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

The three scoring lines + shutdown line plan having success is a myth though.

No one runs three scoring lines, not even in the short-lived "faster NHL" open style of play that has all but gone away again this season.

Tampa and Colorado were the blueprints, but if you look at those teams, they went out and got heavier and more defensive to find success. Avs added Lehkonen, Cogs, and sturm to a group that already had some solid bottom six two-way energy guys. Tampa added Maroon, Coleman, Goodrow.

Those teams also relied heavily on their elite talent to carry them on special teams.

The Sabres were never going to find success rolling three lines while icing 7 or 8 small/skilled forwards.

They are more unbalanced now than they even were before the trade, I agree, but I do not believe that it matters how unbalanced they currently are, Adams was going to have to change/address that regardless of having Mitts in the lineup or not. This team has to be built differently eventually to consistently compete and not get steamrolled by the physical teams.

If you're right, they traded the wrong guy, and replacing Mitts with Krebs doesn't do anything toward having a tougher or more physical playoff team. Krebs would have to get traded also. It would require a significant overhaul, and we're further away than ever, having wasted a couple seasons drafting skilled wingers.

 

[Beerz]

We are definitely unbalanced.. we have too many of the same type of forwards no matter what their size is.

People keep saying you can't win with a Jeff Skinner...well yes and no. You can win with a Jeff Skinner... but you can't win with 3 of your top 6 being Jeff Skinner types.. which is highly skilled, goal scorers who are bad defensively and are terrible at forechecking. Skinner, Thompson, Peterka, are all the same types of players with different strengths but the same weakness.

It will help when Quinn gets back in the fold but we need to do some serious reconstruction at some point in order to be successful in playoffs

Our "3rd line" is the one that needs serious work now that Mitts is gone.

 

[Irie]

If you're right, they traded the wrong guy, and replacing Mitts with Krebs doesn't do anything toward having a tougher or more physical playoff team. Krebs would have to get traded also. It would require a significant overhaul, and we're further away than ever, having wasted a couple seasons drafting skilled wingers.

I feel like this entire thread has been a bit of an over-reaction, and I admit to being part of that after the initial trade.

Despite some of the hyperbole on this board, Mitts is far from elite defensively. He is not elite offensively. He is not very physical. What he is is a skilled player that is very versatile.

Losing him hurts, but he was never a core cog the team could not get along without.

I do not like losing Mitts and the depth he brought, but after honestly evaluating everything, what they lost and what they gained, does not really make them a substantially worse team. They are still a flawed team that is just different.

The thing about hockey teams is that change is inevitable. Many playoff teams can see 75% of their roster turnover in less than 4 years and still stay at the same level of competitiveness. Holes will often be filled by unsuspecting sources. We are all counting on the top ten picks to become core, but maybe it's a latter round guy that steps up soon, or an after thought acquisition in a trade that becomes core.

Losing one player that isn't a superstar will never make or break any team.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

We are definitely unbalanced.. we have too many of the same type of forwards no matter what their size is.

People keep saying you can't win with a Jeff Skinner...well yes and no. You can win with a Jeff Skinner... but you can't win with 3 of your top 6 being Jeff Skinner types.. which is highly skilled, goal scorers who are bad defensively and are terrible at forechecking. Skinner, Thompson, Peterka, are all the same types of players with different strengths but the same weakness.

It will help when Quinn gets back in the fold but we need to do some serious reconstruction at some point in order to be successful in playoffs

Our "3rd line" is the one that needs serious work now that Mitts is gone.

Hell we have a fourth guy of that variety (Olofsson), it's no coincidence that when he was relegated to the press box last year the team started to perform better.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

We are definitely unbalanced.. we have too many of the same type of forwards no matter what their size is.

People keep saying you can't win with a Jeff Skinner...well yes and no. You can win with a Jeff Skinner... but you can't win with 3 of your top 6 being Jeff Skinner types.. which is highly skilled, goal scorers who are bad defensively and are terrible at forechecking. Skinner, Thompson, Peterka, are all the same types of players with different strengths but the same weakness.

It will help when Quinn gets back in the fold but we need to do some serious reconstruction at some point in order to be successful in playoffs

Our "3rd line" is the one that needs serious work now that Mitts is gone.

Quinn is going to be a massive part of the solution

 

[valet]

We are definitely unbalanced.. we have too many of the same type of forwards no matter what their size is.

People keep saying you can't win with a Jeff Skinner...well yes and no. You can win with a Jeff Skinner... but you can't win with 3 of your top 6 being Jeff Skinner types.. which is highly skilled, goal scorers who are bad defensively and are terrible at forechecking. Skinner, Thompson, Peterka, are all the same types of players with different strengths but the same weakness.

It will help when Quinn gets back in the fold but we need to do some serious reconstruction at some point in order to be successful in playoffs

Our "3rd line" is the one that needs serious work now that Mitts is gone.

i disagree. this is still a very young group overall. half of our roster is u22. it would be surprising if they were beating similarly skilled players in their mid-late 20s. the talent is there, they just need time.

that said, barring a crazy run down the stretch that gets us into the playoffs somehow, i think donnie should go. and not even because he’s a bad coach. i think he’s been acceptable enough. but these young guys, i think a lot of them don’t understand how things work in the real world, and think that things are just gonna magically work out. the players say they love donnie. maybe it’s time to have their hearts broken so that they can learn to take their destiny into their own hands

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

All I know is that BB is a recent former #4 pick who has done nothing to lower his value, he had a good playoff run at a young age and two seasons over .5 ppg and is 22 years old…Before last season Mitts was a sub .5 ppg player. And no, I never want 21+ mil tied up in Cozens, Tage and Mitts.

 

[beerme1]

I'm not reading 36 pages of hate. I'm here to say I like the deal. We don't want to pay Casey. Fine. What do you need and what can you get for him? I think a top four D number four oa draft pick at 22 years old works just fine thanks. I support this trade. Good job KA and I rarely say that. A good hockey trade for both teams. The value will show next year. Thanks and good luck to Casey!

 

[schpaff]

Good trade.

 

[Willgamesh]

Bo is so good i don't even remember who we traded for him :p

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

I feel like this entire thread has been a bit of an over-reaction, and I admit to being part of that after the initial trade.

Despite some of the hyperbole on this board, Mitts is far from elite defensively. He is not elite offensively. He is not very physical. What he is is a skilled player that is very versatile.

Losing him hurts, but he was never a core cog the team could not get along without.

I do not like losing Mitts and the depth he brought, but after honestly evaluating everything, what they lost and what they gained, does not really make them a substantially worse team. They are still a flawed team that is just different.

The thing about hockey teams is that change is inevitable. Many playoff teams can see 75% of their roster turnover in less than 4 years and still stay at the same level of competitiveness. Holes will often be filled by unsuspecting sources. We are all counting on the top ten picks to become core, but maybe it's a latter round guy that steps up soon, or an after thought acquisition in a trade that becomes core.

Losing one player that isn't a superstar will never make or break any team.

Don't confuse my posts as hyperbole that Mittelstadt is an elite offensive player. Compared to the TO machines that Thompson, Cozens, and Krebs have been all season and parts of last, Mittelstadt has been a positive possession player and one of the top 2-3 board battlers on the team. Compared to the other three, there is a significant gap in a category of play that the FW group as a whole sorely lacks. That is not hyperbole. He played with a level of compete and intelligence that bridged the gap of talent that Thompson and Cozens have, and put him well past Krebs.

So when people start talking about what wins in the playoffs, I know Mittelstadt at least brings a certain type of play that makes up for not being elite, or not being big and physical. We can't judge any of this roster very well in those terms until/unless they get there and show something, but we can at least see some aspect of Mittelstadt's play that should translate well in May/June. I haven't seen much of that out of the other guys yet...hence the frustration.

 

[GrierIsGod123]

Don't confuse my posts as hyperbole that Mittelstadt is an elite offensive player. Compared to the TO machines that Thompson, Cozens, and Krebs have been all season and parts of last, Mittelstadt has been a positive possession player and one of the top 2-3 board battlers on the team. Compared to the other three, there is a significant gap in a category of play that the FW group as a whole sorely lacks. That is not hyperbole. He played with a level of compete and intelligence that bridged the gap of talent that Thompson and Cozens have, and put him well past Krebs.

So when people start talking about what wins in the playoffs, I know Mittelstadt at least brings a certain type of play that makes up for not being elite, or not being big and physical. We can't judge any of this roster very well in those terms until/unless they get there and show something, but we can at least see some aspect of Mittelstadt's play that should translate well in May/June. I haven't seen much of that out of the other guys yet...hence the frustration.

Perfectly said! The center core we now have will never be good enough. We're now in search of at least one top 6 center and likely need two Top 9 options for a proper roster build. I just don't see how you can win with Thompson and Cozens as the top two being relied upon to score. Add Krebs into that mix and it's even worse. Krebs is not top 9 quality.

I still think Cozens would've been a perfect third line guy. He's developing well as a top PK'er, is getting better at draws and will hopefully get better at ES defensively. The problem for him is that last year was an outlier for his finishing and now he's paid as a top notch 2C, if not a lower end 1C at $7M. Every other year he's a very low % shooter and has trouble finishing, especially in clutch moments (just like Tage). I just don't see a top 6 center in him.

You can just see it against tight checking teams these guys have no chance. Mitts seemed to be the only one that could play against the playoff style teams and actually produce in tight games.

 

[Sabresbyswords104]

Silly , people Act like sabres lost a bergeron player. Mitts didnt live up to his draft place for a long time and then started to find his place these last 2 season. He was skilled and has he moments But sabres have so many forwards and they need to have 1 more top 4 Guy . Dahlin power byram and Samuelsson . They need to change the 3-4 line with better depth players .

 

[Sabre the Win]

Ive been told my multiple fans of other teams recently that we have the best top 4 in all of hockey going forward. That may not be true but many people are actually jealous of Buffalo's back end.

People outside of Buffalo like the trade for us.