I try not to give Mitts too hard a time, and I think I've done a relatively good job, but it's surprising to me that I keep seeing confusion over his "drop off" and comments about how he forgot how to play hockey.
It's not a drop off if most of your career is below that level around 45 points. The good season and a half with the Sabres was the outlier, and part of it was in a contract year. Regression from his 60 point level was always a concern.
He was playing at a Jost level his first few seasons. Then was at a 44 and 39 point pace the next two.
Then had his high water mark with a 59 point season, followed by a 62 point pace season, where his consistency at that pace wasn't tested, because he only played 62 games.
Even his stint with the Avs last year wasn't that great. Ended the regular season after the trade on a 46 point pace. Only two more than his 44 point pace this year.
His playoffs were ok point wise, but a lot of those helpers weren't really high level passes or anything.
He ended last regular season with an 8 game goal less drought, then scored a goal in the first playoff game, then had a 7 game goal less drought that was causing a lot of people to be concerned, before he hit another mini streak with goals in back to back games.
This year he came out the gate with a hot streak of 4 goals in the first 5 games and 16 points in the first 15 games. But then he had 18 points in his final 48 games with the Avs for his 44 point pace overall, that included 2 points in 12 games immediately after the hot streak.
He's been a minus player every year except two, both with the Sabres, and the second one was only a +1 in his six game first season. Last year he was -2 with the Avs and this year he was -12 with the Avs, and is currently -17 with the Bruins for a combined -29. +/- is a flawed stat, but it's telling when it's that bad.
He's been extremely hot and cold his entire career. There was just a brief stint where he was a little hotter, before he went back to how he was before.
I hope he can find a way to simplify his game though and find a place on a team where he's a good fit. At the top of the to do list is stopping the fancy hope plays all the time, moving the puck quicker instead of holding onto it, focusing on his defensive role, and making more high percentage plays.
I hope he can pull it off.
