Confirmed Trade: [COL/BUF] Casey Mittelstadt for Bowen Byram

[tsujimoto74]

I don’t understand how the Sabres run things.

Badly.

 

[BKarchitect]

You’re joking right? Compare Casey at the same age to Dylan and then tell me what you see…

Who cares what Mittelstadt was at age 21? What he is now is a really terrific all-around center whose game has improved massively over the last couple of seasons...in a very steady, repeatable way.

He's a much better fit for the Avs than Cozens - who is essentially the center version of Byram...talented and capable of big things but also far from a finished product in terms of decision making and cosnsitency.

Few Sabres fans will tell you that Cozens is better than Mittelstadt right now...I think you are on an island here. This doesn't mean Cozens won't become better...but the Avs need a sure thing and need a guy who is going to be a two-way center with high effort level right now...it's also not like Mittelstadt is that much older at age 25.

Mittelstadt is a much better fit for the Avs than Cozens would have been. Cozens is a more valuable asset for the Sabres to keep long-term most likely. It fits.

 

[KrakenSabresMike]

I'm very familiar with Buffalo's prospects, maybe if your team would have bothered to draft a defensmen in the first round (not 1st overall) they wouldn't be compelled to trade their top scorer this year to take a flyer on an injury prone player.

Like instead of Savoie they could have taken Mintyukov (drafted right after) who has 24 points (Byram's career high btw) in his first year in the NHL at 20 years old.

But I know I am just a hockey fan what do I know. I bow to the wisdom of the Sabres I mean what they are doing is clearly "working".

Have a nice day and good luck with Byram, maybe tell him to keep his head up around the Tkachuks.

Glad you were able to fly in your DeLorean to the future and see how the Sabres prospects they haven’t even played for the team and this trade is going to work out : )

They literally have five defenseman under the age of 23 who are all first round draft picks on the team. Plus a really good second round prospect and this draft yet to come filled with defensive prospects.

 

[DeletedUser539]

I know point watching Mitts is on top, but he is clearly their third center long term. All around solid 60 point player who wants 7m as 3C is a tough ask.

Yeah but having 3 top six lines would have been sick still possible though with savoie, kulich, ostlund, Rosen and wahlberg coming up also our first round pick this year. Plus offense is generated from the back end almost always so having a d-core full of decent puck movers is not a bad thing especially with the type of forwards we have and our style of play but having our forwards come back more often would help too which has happened more this season.

 

[KrakenSabresMike]

Who cares what Mittelstadt was at age 21? What he is now is a really terrific all-around center whose game has improved massively over the last couple of seasons...in a very steady, repeatable way.

He's a much better fit for the Avs than Cozens - who is essentially the center version of Byram...talented and capable of big things but also far from a finished product in terms of decision making and cosnsitency.

Few Sabres fans will tell you that Cozens is better than Mittelstadt. This doesn't mean Cozens won't become better...but the Avs need a sure thing and need a guy who is going to be a two-way center with high effort level right now...it's also not like Mittelstadt is that much older at age 25.

Mittelstadt is a much better fit for the Avs than Cozens would have been. Cozens is a more valuable asset for the Sabres to keep long-term most likely. It fits.

I am a sabres fan ( born and raised and went to every single game they played until I left Buffalo a few years ago, ) and I think cozens is better than Casey. He literally scored higher than Casey’s career high last year for the Sabres. Go ahead and put up a poll and we’ll see who votes for who…

 

[Foppberg]

Um, what? I have the same worry for Chytil on my own team. These dudes both have soup brains right now.

I can't fathom someone trading for Chytil. Ever. Even if he plays 82 games next year.

Colorado did very well on this deal.

No I agree. But I'd say the west is the more physical conference.

 

[rynryn]

I'm less than neutral because I wish failure on the Avs but this seems like a W for them. unfortunately.

 

[TheBarnIsElectric]

Nah. This is a Sabres L. Byram is behind Dahlin and Power in Buffalo, and Mittelstadt was essentially our only good two-way forward and one of very few natural centers in our organization. Oh and we’re trading a guy who finally developed into the player we hoped for for a guy whose development has stagnated, so that’s great too. This trade f***ing blows for Buffalo.

The other way to look at this is to imagine we traded Mitts 2 years ago, when most here would have been happy to see him go. Give Bo that same couple of years to develop and you might feel a little different about this trade, and Bo is better now that Mitts was 2 years ago.

 

[canuckslover10]

Does buffalo have the best top 4 in the league now??

Personally I think buffalo comes ahead here if one of dahlin power or Byram can play on the right side cause a top 4 of Dahlin,Power,Byram, and Samuelsson is ridiculous.

 

[wetcoast]

I'm very familiar with Buffalo's prospects, maybe if your team would have bothered to draft a defensmen in the first round (not 1st overall) they wouldn't be compelled to trade their top scorer this year to take a flyer on an injury prone player.

Like instead of Savoie they could have taken Mintyukov (drafted right after) who has 24 points (Byram's career high btw) in his first year in the NHL at 20 years old.

But I know I am just a hockey fan what do I know. I bow to the wisdom of the Sabres I mean what they are doing is clearly "working".

Have a nice day and good luck with Byram, maybe tell him to keep his head up around the Tkachuks.

This is just a really bad take on so many levels.

First Savoie over Mintukov at the draft isn't an issue a lot of teams would have done the same, especially with the number of young NHL Dmen they already had at the time.

Your "analysis" on Bryam having only ever reached 24 points is just not how to evaluate skillsets of a healthy guy with no one really blocking him and a guy who has had injury problems but was the better prospect at the draft and if healthy can still be a very good NHL Dman.

Does buffalo have the best top 4 in the league now??

Boston off the top of my head can compete and some will laugh but other top 4 groups like the Oilers isn't that bad, Rangers and Carolina as well.

Depends on how one breaks down top 4.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Does buffalo have the best top 4 in the league now??

Personally I think buffalo comes ahead here if one of dahlin power or Byram can play on the right side cause a top 4 of Dahlin,Power,Byram, and Samuelsson is ridiculous.

No. Power and Byram have a shitload of development to do before you could consider either as living up to the potential people regard them as having. And Byram took steps in the wrong direction this year.

Dahlin can play the right side effectively, but having 5 of your top 6 defensemen be left-handed is still shitty roster construction.

 

[dirtydanglez]

Does buffalo have the best top 4 in the league now??

Personally I think buffalo comes ahead here if one of dahlin power or Byram can play on the right side cause a top 4 of Dahlin,Power,Byram, and Samuelsson is ridiculous.

no not at all but they have the most potential for the future.

 

[Avs2022]

More like do the Avalanche know something about Kevyn Adams that others don't?

Yes, he's one of the few GM's that still hasn't blocked Sakic on his phone. Apparently.

 

[Chainshot]

Does buffalo have the best top 4 in the league now??

Personally I think buffalo comes ahead here if one of dahlin power or Byram can play on the right side cause a top 4 of Dahlin,Power,Byram, and Samuelsson is ridiculous.

Best? Eh, fit is often as important as talent. If they aren't able to function and perform which includes actually prevention of goals, then no. And since they haven't, I don't think that's a fair assessment. There are other top 4s out there who are better at what they do.

 

[BKarchitect]

Does buffalo have the best top 4 in the league now??

Personally I think buffalo comes ahead here if one of dahlin power or Byram can play on the right side cause a top 4 of Dahlin,Power,Byram, and Samuelsson is ridiculous.

It’s theoretically impressive. It’s very impressive from an athletic standpoint. In a video game “look all these guys have 92+ potential!” kind of way, there might not be a group of four that is going to wow you more starting a franchise.

There is a long, long road ahead of some of these guys cleaning up and maturing their games in order for us to start putting it into the same class as other bluelines in true Cup contenders, right now.

 

[johnnybbadd]

Isn't Byram essentially one concussion away from retirement? I'm actually surprised anyone traded for him even if he's very talented.

Very interesting trade. Not sure how Byram will hold up moving into the much more physical East.

You could have said that about Crosby and Bergeron at some point in their careers too. How did that work out?

 

[Avs2022]

Avs ran 3 D on their PP2.

Which was a horrible PP over the time. That 2nd unit. My goodness.

 

[Czechboy]

With Adams' relative lack of ability to get anything done of significance, I also question what he's going to do now considering his big summer was in making sure he extended both of those LHD.

Does this at least free up a spot for Kulich?

 

[Xirik]

From being being the best player of the 2019 draft and so untouchable that Av's would laugh at you for suggesting a trade to this.

 

[Coffey]

no not at all but they have the most potential for the future.

I misread future for FAILURE hahaha f***

 

[truthbluth]

Does this at least free up a spot for Kulich?

Wrong Czech. Lukus Rousek is the first callup.

 

[Go Wings]

This is just a really bad take on so many levels.

First Savoie over Mintukov at the draft isn't an issue a lot of teams would have done the same, especially with the number of young NHL Dmen they already had at the time.

Your "analysis" on Bryam having only ever reached 24 points is just not how to evaluate skillsets of a healthy guy with no one really blocking him and a guy who has had injury problems but was the better prospect at the draft and if healthy can still be a very good NHL Dman.


Boston off the top of my head can compete and some will laugh but other top 4 groups like the Oilers isn't that bad, Rangers and Carolina as well.

Depends on how one breaks down top 4.

Your GM drafted 3 forwards in the 1st round 2 under 6 feet. No other GM in the league would do something that dumb.

He's missed 126 games in his last 3 seasons. Ah so now he is in Buffalo well no one is blocking him there oh wait. So he's going to play his offside for his career and develop into a top 4 Dmen eh? Yah we'll see.

 

[Czechboy]

Wrong Czech. Lukus Rousek is the first callup.

I knew that. But rousek is probably a tweener. Kulich seems to have a potentially great career ahead of him.

 

[Avs2022]

What can we expect immediately from Mittlestadt?

A massive upgrade over Johannsson..

 

[Hunter Gathers]

No I agree. But I'd say the west is the more physical conference.

I would have agreed a few years back. That all seems to have flipped - at least a few years ago.