Confirmed with Link: Avs acquire Casey Mittelstadt for Bo Byram

[The Pwnerer]

The more I read up on Mittlestadt, the more I get excited. A responsible 200 ft 2c playmaker center whose strengths are board play, puck control and finding open guys. I think it was Mackinnon who said he wanted to slow his game down a tad like Kucherov and find open spaces. We can never have enough of those guys and is a reason why Drouin has been a very pleasant surprise for us. Like others have said put him between Nuke/Lehkonen and everyone's numbers are going to jump.

Add that Mittlestadt should fit perfectly within our cap structure (thinking 6-7 million range) as a bonus. The 2C is finally solved. Thank God!

 

[Ararana]

Bo is very likely to regarded as the best player in the deal years from now, but the Avs don't need Mittelstadt to be the better player for it to be a good trade. If he's a productive 2nd line center in the regular season and playoffs it's a good deal. They need that more now and in the near future, and Bo was unlikely to ever reach his full potential here, especially after they committed to Toews.

All of this is true. The Avs very much traded from a position of strength to solve a position of need. We could debate choosing Toews over Byram all day long but one of them needed to go and the Avs made their choice.

They don't need to win this trade (they probably won't) they just need Casey to be a legitimate 2C.

How do I like a post more than once?

Unbiased reviews of Byram’s 1st game from the Sabres board.
...

I'm so f***ing happy for them and Byram. Their defense is going to be f***ing awesome. Their top 3 D are probably already better than the Avs top 3 D.

This place is insane. People have been shitting on Byram for all year and complaining about not having a 2C.

I don't think anyone has shifted their opinion. Most the users here lamenting Byram are the ones who would have kept him and traded Toews.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

The more I read up on Mittlestadt, the more I get excited. A responsible 200 ft 2c playmaker center who strengths are board play, puck control and finding open guys. I think it was Mackinnon who said he wanted to slow his game down a tad like Kucherov and find open spaces. We can never have enough of those guys and is a reason why Drouin has been a very pleasant surprise for us. Like others have said put him between Nuke/Lehkonen and everyone's numbers are going to jump.

Add that Mittlestadt should fit perfectly within our cap structure (thinking 6-7 million range) as a bonus. The 2C is finally solved. Thank God!

He's the type of guy that I was hoping the Avs would get. I think, theoretically, he should work really well between Nuke and Lehky (or Landy if he comes back). All three of those guys are great at puck retrieval.

 

[The Abusement Park]

I just find it interesting that Girard got straddled with JMFJ and played on his off side 2 years ago and got eviscerated for how bad he played. But with Bo people wanted to make sure everyone knew he was not put in a position to succeed. Which is correct Bo wasn’t put in a position to succeed, but we can’t act like it was unfair treatment when he’s not the only dmen to have gone through that.

 

[a mangy Meowth]

They're not exactly the same player, the skating and shot look different, but I kinda see a lot of Paul Stastny in Mittelstadt

 

[Avs9296]

I'm so f***ing happy for them and Byram. Their defense is going to be f***ing awesome. Their top 3 D are probably already better than the Avs top 3 D.

Hahahaha. Already better than the Avs top 3? Oh yes the mighty Buffalo defence!

Makar>>>Dahlin
Toews>>>>Power
Girard>Bo (this year at least, Bo may be better in the future)

It's not even close CURRENTLY. In the future maybe, but not now.

 

[henchman21]

They're not exactly the same player, the skating and shot look different, but I kinda see a lot of Paul Stastny in Mittelstadt

Personally, I see a little bit more ROR. Both are above average sized guys who don't play a physical game, but somehow are fantastic along the boards and win a lot of battles. Both are great playmakers with extremely high IQ... but lack pure speed. Defensively both have great sticks and utilize positioning and reads to excel on the defensive side. Goals wise, neither has a good shot... they score their goals in the dirty area most of the time. Mitts doesn't have the tipping ability of ROR, but Mitts is far more creative with the puck and will setup a lot more plays.

 

[Alienblood]

Buffalo's GM is easy to school. Not a lot of confidence there.

Looks like he schooled CMac

 

[Alienblood]

I just find it interesting that Girard got straddled with JMFJ and played on his off side 2 years ago and got eviscerated for how bad he played. But with Bo people wanted to make sure everyone knew he was not put in a position to succeed. Which is correct Bo wasn’t put in a position to succeed, but we can’t act like it was unfair treatment when he’s not the only dmen to have gone through that.

Girard hasn't been put in a position to succeed either. He's been coached into regression as well. He was better when he arrived at 19 . Thankfully he is turning.g.it around but they still.neuterednhim.and they are doing.it with Cale too. He rarely rushes the puck up.ice nowand he says it isn't because of his hip cause it doesn't hurt.

His hattrick.ths other.nifht is an example. Couple.seeing eye snaps from the point and a fanned.backhander.from. the slot off balance. They coached what made him special.out of him

He is no.longer that player that played high octane like he did against the Oilers in the conference finals. Now he is.pretty much a puck.moving dman who.snaps.shots from.the point and still can't take.anyone.out. in front.of the net.

 

[a mangy Meowth]

Girard hasn't been put in a position to succeed either. He's been coached into regression as well. He was better when he arrived at 19 . Thankfully he is turning.g.it around but they still.neuterednhim.and they are doing.it with Cale too. He rarely rushes the puck up.ice nowand he says it isn't because of his hip cause it doesn't hurt.

His hattrick.ths other.nifht is an example. Couple.seeing eye snaps from the point and a fanned.backhander.from. the slot off balance. They coached what made him special.out of him

He is no.longer that player that played high octane like he did against the Oilers in the conference finals. Now he is.pretty much a puck.moving dman who.snaps.shots from.the point and still can't take.anyone.out. in front.of the net.

Gotcha. So now Makar has had the "special talent coached out of him", and no longer plays a high octane game, instead just snapping shots from the blue line.

 

[a mangy Meowth]

I'm not sure I ever expected someone to try to spin scoring a hat trick as a bad thing and sign of a player's decline before, but here we are.

Love will make you say and do some crazy things!

 

[Avsavsavsavsavs]

Looks like he schooled CMac

Man your takes have been terrible and negative the entire TDL.

 

[JH21]

Like I said, Bo will be missed and should flourish in Buffalo but Casey fills a huge need and should florush here too.

And it wasn't just a Bo for Mitts trade. We have to include the Walker trade because without that trade we don't trade Bo.

Sean Walker is going to fit like a glove here. He will be Toews V2.0. He kills penalties which will allow Makar to focus on other areas as well.

If we resign him it's even better. I think he will get 5 x 5 in the offseason.

So the trade basically was:

Casey Mittlestadt
Sean Walker
2026 5th
*got rid of Johansen's 4 mil for next year

For

Bowen Byram
Ryan Johansen
2025 1st

We massively upgraded our team with these moves. I think Sean Walker will be a better fit for us than Byram and Mitts is a huge addition replacing Johansen. Getting Johansen and his salary off the team was massive too.

 

[Alienblood]

Man your takes have been terrible and negative the entire TDL.

my apologies

 

[a mangy Meowth]

my apologies

Can't wait for your big announcement

 

[Pokecheque]

Man your takes have been terrible and negative the entire TDL.

They've been bad a hell of a lot longer than that.

 

[a mangy Meowth]

my apologies

New username checks out. Everyone, meet the newest member of the Buffalo Sabres fanbase!!

 

[yeaher]

Girard hasn't been put in a position to succeed either. He's been coached into regression as well. He was better when he arrived at 19 . Thankfully he is turning.g.it around but they still.neuterednhim.and they are doing.it with Cale too. He rarely rushes the puck up.ice nowand he says it isn't because of his hip cause it doesn't hurt.

His hattrick.ths other.nifht is an example. Couple.seeing eye snaps from the point and a fanned.backhander.from. the slot off balance. They coached what made him special.out of him

He is no.longer that player that played high octane like he did against the Oilers in the conference finals. Now he is.pretty much a puck.moving dman who.snaps.shots from.the point and still can't take.anyone.out. in front.of the net.

Our team is nowhere near as good to see high octane Makar constantly requires dominance.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Fatty not used to working like this. Most sweat he's ever had in a morning skate.

Guess what kid, this was a light gameday skate. Wait until we lose and it's an off day. Bednar will work you into the ground.

@henchman21 come get your mans

 

[henchman21]

Fatty not used to working like this. Most sweat he's ever had in a morning skate.

Guess what kid, this was a light gameday skate. Wait until we lose and it's an off day. Bednar will work you into the ground.

@henchman21 come get your mans

Just wait...

 

[TheForsbergShow]

Waiting for him to be laying on the ice like Kaut.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Waiting for him to be laying on the ice like Kaut.

That was so embarrassing. Two years in a row of holding his ribs, laying down, throwing up from training camp skates.

 

[Balthazar]

Fatty not used to working like this. Most sweat he's ever had in a morning skate.

Guess what kid, this was a light gameday skate. Wait until we lose and it's an off day. Bednar will work you into the ground.

@henchman21 come get your mans

Sweat? Wait 'till you find out about Mackinnon's mandatory post game training

 

[henchman21]

That was so embarrassing. Two years in a row of holding his ribs, laying down, throwing up from training camp skates.

But he worked so hard and made sure everybody knew about it!!

 

[NorthernAvsFan]

Fatty not used to working like this. Most sweat he's ever had in a morning skate.

Guess what kid, this was a light gameday skate. Wait until we lose and it's an off day. Bednar will work you into the ground.

@henchman21 come get your mans

Sabres morning skate: