Confirmed with Link: Mittelstadt re-signed (3 years, $5.75M AAV)

[CobraAcesS]

Mittlestadt will be fine once he gets traded. Reminds me of Granlund where he looked like trash in Pittsburgh, but once he went to a slower system he's good again.

I really just have no clue what they're going to do. Hope Calgary or Boston has real interest or something because they can't just trade him for futures in season.

Those are the only two teams who have a stylistic swap, or a real upgrade.

 

[Avs_19]

So many angry people early in this thread about it not being a longer deal to bring the AAV down. Can you imagine if this scrub was locked up for another 4-5 years instead of just two?

 

[Foppa2118]

Real non sarcastic non trolling non politics take from the one and only @NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS

I have genuine belief that getting in a bunch of practices and reps with the team when MacK and Makar aren't around will be helpful for Mitts going forward.

He's got good vision but he's not the type of guy to adapt well and MacK and Makar push the pace to levels that the average player just can't keep up with.

Mitts will be able to slow things down to his own pace and get more in tune with his linemates.

Inside Mittelstadt is the heart of a lion. And he is going to show what he truly is made of starting next week and all the way into June.

New handle: REALNONSARCASTICNONTROLLTAKES

 

[Foppa2118]

So many angry people early in this thread about it not being a longer deal to bring the AAV down. Can you imagine if this scrub was locked up for another 4-5 years instead of just two?

I never understood why some thought a longer deal would get Mitts AAV down. He's not a 30 year old, past his prime player, where a longer deal would include the end of his career, at a higher AAV than he's worth.

He was in his prime at 25, about to turn 26. A longer deal would have had a higher AAV not lower, because it would buy up UFA years that would be most of his best seasons. He'd turn 32 in the final year of a 7 year deal.

The Avs didn't sign him to a 3 year deal because it had a higher AAV. They did it to keep the AAV lower. He benefitted by going to UFA sooner.

 

[Puckstop40]

This looked so promising at first. Really bummed out the way it’s turned out. The search for a 2C continues.

 

[Pokecheque]

This looked so promising at first. Really bummed out the way it’s turned out. The search for a 2C continues.

Yeah. It really should have worked out well. I never thought he'd be an idea 2C, but still more than good enough to fill the role. In many ways he's a perfect complement to MacKinnon...but obviously it's not working out at all, and I just don't know what to make of this other than just declare it a total failure and move on.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Yeah. It really should have worked out well. I never thought he'd be an idea 2C, but still more than good enough to fill the role. In many ways he's a perfect complement to MacKinnon...but obviously it's not working out at all, and I just don't know what to make of this other than just declare it a total failure and move on.

It was so interesting because last year, especially in the playoffs, he seemed like the perfect compliment to most of the players in our top 6. He added a lot of IQ to the top 6 and an ability to slow the game down at times when most of our guys are going full throttle 24/7. So weird how its all turned out.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

It was so interesting because last year, especially in the playoffs, he seemed like the perfect compliment to most of the players in our top 6. He added a lot of IQ to the top 6 and an ability to slow the game down at times when most of our guys are going full throttle 24/7. So weird how its all turned out.

I honestly think the amount he is skating, at the speed he is being asked to skate at is wearing him out and weakening his strengths. One of the things he did so well when he got here (and at the start of the season) was his ability to win board battles, even against bigger and stronger opponents. Now he's getting shrugged off the puck very easily. What seems like it's really compounding everything is that you can tell his confidence has absolutely cratered. Maybe he gets his mojo back in the last bit of the season, hopefully he does.

I do think the best case scenario is that they trade him for a similar 2C who is more transition/speed dominant, on a cycle heavy team. That way both teams can swap out their misfits for guys that fit into their systems.

 

[Pokecheque]

Might be a combination of things--a lingering injury of some kind, whatever stupid bullshit MacKinnon and he are trying to incorporate from Adam Oates, and his total and complete loss of confidence--but whatever the case it's been a disastrous year. I'm still not convinced the system has him skating too much, a guy with an hockey IQ like that usually just knows where to be positionally. But the problem is that no matter how hard he skates he just can't get any separation from opposing checkers. That's why I think the injury issue is playing a larger part than anyone is letting on. Regardless, I think it's time to move on and find a way, ANY way, to get a worthwhile 2C for this season and hopefully beyond.

 

[CobraAcesS]

I honestly think the amount he is skating, at the speed he is being asked to skate at is wearing him out and weakening his strengths. One of the things he did so well when he got here (and at the start of the season) was his ability to win board battles, even against bigger and stronger opponents. Now he's getting shrugged off the puck very easily. What seems like it's really compounding everything is that you can tell his confidence has absolutely cratered. Maybe he gets his mojo back in the last bit of the season, hopefully he does.

I do think the best case scenario is that they trade him for a similar 2C who is more transition/speed dominant, on a cycle heavy team. That way both teams can swap out their misfits for guys that fit into their systems.

Zacha would be the stylistic exchange if Boston wants a guy who is more of a playmaker, and we want better defensive/checking.

Czech connection too with Necas

 

[Pokecheque]

Agggggggh, Zacha sucks, also not a center, at least not a good one.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Agggggggh, Zacha sucks, also not a center, at least not a good one.

What? He's basically been centering Boston's top line as far as I knew?

He took over 1,000 faceoffs last year and had 54%

He was also 27th in Selke voting with 5 votes.

He might not be a top line center, but he should work as a 2C against weaker competition.

48 & 44 EV points the last two years too, important because he isn't seeing the power play here.

 

[John Mandalorian]

Brace yourselves for another 3C so that Bednar can ride the hot hand between him and Colton. In this scenario, Mittelstadt might be traded for a D or a W.

 

[hockeyfish]

Agggggggh, Zacha sucks, also not a center, at least not a good one.

Neither Mitts or Zacha are great skaters or play drivers, but Zacha is a better at faceoffs, a better goal scorer with a better shot, PKs, and plays more physical. And to top it off, costs a million less. I'd have no problem swapping them, but for those reasons, I kind of doubt Boston would.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Neither Mitts or Zacha are great skaters or play drivers, but Zacha is a better at faceoffs, a better goal scorer with a better shot, PKs, and plays more physical. And to top it off, costs a million less. I'd have no problem swapping them, but for those reasons, I kind of doubt Boston would.

I think Boston would like more playmaking ability. They've gotten all the offense they're going to get out of Zacha.

That was the exact point made in the article mentioning Boston as a fit.

To be clear it was speculation, but that was about the only thing that had some merit.

If you want to see Necas drive his own line, doing it with Czech center that likes to shoot and can hold his own defensively seems like a good bet.

 

[AvsMakar08]

Avs need to trade this bloke Mitts back to Buffalo for our future Captain, Bowen Byram.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Agggggggh, Zacha sucks, also not a center, at least not a good one.

Yeah swapping Mitts for Zacha is just swapping chairs on the Titanic. The end result would be no different

 

[CobraAcesS]

Yeah swapping Mitts for Zacha is just swapping chairs on the Titanic. The end result would be no different

Zacha pks, wins faceoffs, and would easily have more trust likely almost immediately.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Zacha pks, wins faceoffs, and would easily have more trust likely almost immediately.

And would get his shit pushed in during the playoffs because he's a bad 2C. He'd be fine in the RS and then he'd get matched up against McDrai, Eichel/Hertl, Johnston/Hintz and be overmatched and we lose in round 2 again. He's an improvement, but not enough to make a notable difference for this team in the playoffs which is what's truly needed.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

I thought somebody here already proved Zacha was a good fit for the Avs skating-wise?

 

[CobraAcesS]

And would get his shit pushed in during the playoffs because he's a bad 2C. He'd be fine in the RS and then he'd get matched up against McDrai, Eichel/Hertl, Johnston/Hintz and be overmatched and we lose in round 2 again. He's an improvement, but not enough to make a notable difference for this team in the playoffs which is what's truly needed.

I get that sentiment because of what Boston has done in the playoffs lately, but playing behind Mack he's always going to get lesser competition than he's seen recently while still having guys like Nuke or potentially Necas replacing Pasta.

 

[The Abusement Park]

I get that sentiment because of what Boston has done in the playoffs lately, but playing behind Mack he's always going to get lesser competition than he's seen recently while still having guys like Nuke or potentially Necas replacing Pasta.

Easier said than done. I mean adding Zacha would be doing the almost same thing we did with Mitts in bringing in a 2C who has two 50pt seasons kinda late in his peak/prime.

Idk I could totally be wrong on Zacha, but I think in the grand scheme of things not a ton would change in how this team finishes its season.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Easier said than done. I mean adding Zacha would be doing the almost same thing we did with Mitts in bringing in a 2C who has two 50pt seasons kinda late in his peak/prime.

Idk I could totally be wrong on Zacha, but I think in the grand scheme of things not a ton would change in how this team finishes its season.

He's also cheap enough, that if you get Colton and Wood tF gone I could see the case for pushing him to 3C in the off season if it doesn't work. He does the things you'd want in that role too. I don't feel the same way regarding Mitts.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

The thing that kills me about Mitts is that as god is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.

 

[CobraAcesS]

The thing that kills me about Mitts is that as god is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.

Short distances lol