Seravalli: Casey Mittelstadt - Boston, Calgary, Minnesota interested

[seafoam]

He's a true center.

His FO #'s were hovering around 47% before this year. Not great but plenty of good centers are around that mark or worse. Certainly not a strength but fine.

He's slumping right now and also can't get out of his coach's doghouse but people are writing him off way too quickly. He's a good player, plays a good two-way game and was excellent in both Buffalo last year, in Colorado in the playoffs last year and for the first month this year (he was around a PPG at the 20-game mark, playing big minutes, there was even a main board thread about how well he was playing) with the Avs before he just found himself spiraling. Sometimes you just get into a funk.

He needs a reset - somebody is going to get a very good center, a guy who can definitely be a #2C, for way less than they should here.

I’d be interested if I were NYI.

Trade Nelson and Pageau (most likely at the draft) and replace them with Mitts and Frederic.

Use the trade assets to add a top six winger.

Lee-Horvat-Barzal
Tsyplakov-Mittelstadt-X
X-Frederic-Holmstrom

 

[benfranklin]

Nah I think if the Avs want the better player they’ve gotta deal with the contract in its entirety. It’s easy enough to buy out in the last couple years

Still don’t see the flames doing it unless they fall out of the playoff race

Probably right. Age is what Mitts has going for him, but hes dropped off the planet since the beginning of the season so I dont expect much. Kadri is the definition of a playoff gamer.

 

[BKarchitect]

Probably right. Age is what Mitts has going for him, but hes dropped off the planet since the beginning of the season so I dont expect much. Kadri is the definition of a playoff gamer.

Yeah, we are probably gonna get killed in value here. It'll look double bad when CM is a legit 65 point #2C somewhere else. Dealing Bo Byram for CM and then dealing CM at the absolute nadir of his value.

But at this point, that seems almost bound to happen. On almost any other team, you'd probably say - CM just turned 26, you've got him locked up a couple more years, he's been very good at times in your own jersey...just ride this out. But the Avs have got to move off his cap hit for the short-term in order to be able to do something else and not waste this season.

Not ideal.

 

[benfranklin]

Yeah, we are probably gonna get killed in value here. It'll look double bad when CM is a legit 65 point #2C somewhere else. Dealing Bo Byram for CM and then dealing CM at the absolute nadir of his value.

But at this point, that seems almost bound to happen. On almost any other team, you'd probably say - CM just turned 26, you've got him locked up a couple more years, he's been very good at times in your own jersey...just ride this out. But the Avs have got to move off his cap hit for the short-term in order to be able to do something else and not waste this season.

Not ideal.

Right. Id also kill to have Bo back. Loved his game.

 

[lettuceAA]

Not sure why Flames would unless it's for cheap. They already have Kadri, Backlund, Frost, Sharky, Zary and even Pospisil for left handed centers.

 

[Sota Popinski]

Guerin don't you dare

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

People are saying he doesn't fit with the Avs because he doesn't have the speed and skating to fit a Bednar team and you want a MSL team to trade for him?

...I don't think Marty is remaining our Bench Boss; he's done what he can with the kids, now it's time for a more structured coach with some snarl to get them to the next level, imo...and with that change in a more structured approach, I think Mitts might fit in with our 2nd line between Dach (who should be on the RW) and either Slaf or Demidov...

 

[Sparky93]

Not sure why Flames would unless it's for cheap. They already have Kadri, Backlund, Frost, Sharky, Zary and even Pospisil for left handed centers.

I would assume Kadri would be going the other way.

 

[EquivalentStay]

Kadri is the definition of a playoff gamer.

you sure about this?

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

you sure about this?

...well, he's extremely popular with the Department of Player Safety during the Playoffs...

 

[EquivalentStay]

...well, he's extremely popular with the Department of Player Safety during the Playoffs...

He's got a generational playoff elbow to the head for sure.

 

[Breakers]

He's got a generational playoff elbow to the head for sure.

Only generational elbow I’ve ever seen in the playoffs was Bure

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Only generational elbow I’ve ever seen in the playoffs was Bure

...you may be too young to remember, but Mark Messier has THE PEOPLE'S ELBOW...

 

[Spurgeon]

Don’t understand why insiders keep including the Wild in trade rumors. We have literally no cap space and would have to trade a combination of like 3 different players to make this even remotely possible from a cap perspective.

 

[Figgy44]

Don’t understand why insiders keep including the Wild in trade rumors. We have literally no cap space and would have to trade a combination of like 3 different players to make this even remotely possible from a cap perspective.

Wild probably are working the phone lines, that's why. But I do agree that of the teams involved, Wild probably have a bigger uphill battle and are likely at the mercy of someone to help broker the deal vs other teams seemingly more able to consummate a deal straight up.

Flames are kinda like that too. Just asking around all the middle 6 C and somehow pry Frost from Philly who had very little fanfare around him vs other C on the market.

 

[Coach Reggie Dunlop]

He has absolutely sucked this season. Like downright horrible. I’d love for Boston to trade for him, he’d further sink their descent. Seriously this guy is not a very good player and not worth his contract. Absolute fools gold.

 

[57special]

Career 45% FO, 41%, this year. He'd fit in perfectly with MN.

I'd take him on MN, but the cap is tight, and Guerin handing out NMC's like candy has limited the options of what can go back the other way. I'm sure that CO would like someone like Mittelstadt but better, but who is going to do that?

Mitts seems to be a mediocre 2C at best. More like a 2C/3C. HIs points production puts him at 64th among C this year. 206th in FO%. 69th in TOI. I actually like his skill, but he seems to be a guy who can get thrown off his game easily.

I don't know if CO is looking for short term help, or something longer term. I'm sure they would like to have both, but is Mittelstadt going to get you much?

 

[The Hockey Tonk Man]

No way, but you can have T Freddy!

and Coyle! Or Carlo.

 

[lowol]

Still so confused about this guy. Sure he's not a natural fit for Bednar's style but that did not stop him after last year's trade and at the beginning of the season. He doesn't seem injured either so it's gotta be pure confidence... but if that's the case, who would want to put down assets for a mentally fragile 2C-at-best on a decently large and long contract?

 

[shadow1]

I don't understand why Colorado is even considering this and if they truly are I don't understand why Brad Treliving isn't on the phone right now.

We need a center and he's 26.

He could be the2C For a decade starting next year.

Mittelstadt's downturn has been stunning:

	GP	G	A	P	SOG	CF%	xGF%
First	15	6	10	16	36	51.5%	45.8%
Last	41	3	13	16	37	48.8%	43.3%

The guy nearly had as many shots in his first 15 games as he's had in the last 41. He's struggled defensively all season.

Bednar has tried him with all of Colorado's wingers (Colton, Drouin, Lehkonen, Nichushkin, Rantanen) and nothing has clicked. He had a nice little 8 game stretch recently, but he's started sucking again the last couple games.

Overall it's just not good enough.

 

[bruins4thecup65]

Would Boston consider dumping Lindholm?

Yes