Speculation: Mittlestadt on his way out from Colorado?

[DickSmehlik]

He's on pace for just 46 points, despite being on one of the best offensive teams in the league.

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[Satan]

not shocked

 

[ManofSteel55]

So I wonder if both teams want a do-over on the Moddlestadt-Byram trade.

 

[John Mandalorian]

He’s been struggling for awhile. Putting Rantanen at 2C could be happening for a few reasons. They want to save minutes on MacKinnon and Rantanen by splitting them up and spreading minutes over two lines. They might also be looking at this from a contract situation if Rantanen’s agent is going to use Draisaitl as a comp - admittedly, this is somewhat cynical. But ideally, Mittelstadt performing well wouldn’t lead to a need to do this.

A lot of comments by Avs fans have been focused on him seeming slow.

 

[Deam78]

AVS fan, what would you say his value is at this point? Has he played strictly C?
What are the complaints from his current play? Anything he still does well?

 

[Fjordy]

So I wonder if both teams want a do-over on the Moddlestadt-Byram trade.

Nope

 

[shadow1]

Mittelstadt's first 50 games with Colorado were rock solid; 14 goals, 37 points.

Since then (late Nov), he's been absolutely brutal. 1 goal, 8 points, and a measly 18 shots in his last 27gp. You don't even notice he's playing half the time; and when you do, it's because he's making mistakes.

 

[Ceremony]

AVS fan, what would you say his value is at this point? Has he played strictly C?
What are the complaints from his current play? Anything he still does well?

He doesn't do anything, that's the problem. A recent highlight was against the Rangers. He had the puck in the zone at the blue line, a guy who was on his knees and didn't have a stick knocked the puck away from him and out the zone. No intensity, no physicality, no movement, no shots, nothing.

 

[John Mandalorian]

AVS fan, what would you say his value is at this point? Has he played strictly C?
What are the complaints from his current play? Anything he still does well?

It seems like he might be struggling with the Avs playing a faster pace. He seems to be struggling with how much time and space he has. He looks like he’s caught in between the way a baseball player slumps when he’s in between pitches (slow on fastballs and way ahead of change ups/curves).

He has really good vision and is a pass first C, which is good and bad. If he was more of a goal scorer like Kadri, he wouldn’t be as dependent on others for points. When he’s going well, he makes an entire line better. But when he struggles, he’s a dead limb.

 

[tsujimoto74]

So I wonder if both teams want a do-over on the Moddlestadt-Byram trade.

Nope, Byram has been good for Buffalo. The only “problem” is that having both him and Power behind Dahlin is a bit redundant.

 

[Jacob]

not shocked
View attachment 962631

wish.com Charlie Bucket.

 

[kerrabria]

Mittelstadt was never good. Hilarious that people were calling him a burgeoning 1C just a few months ago.

 

[Empoleon8771]

What would Colorado be looking for with him? The Penguins need some younger centers with Crosby and Malkin being super old, so Mittelstadt sliding into the 2C spot would be a really nice plan for after they retire.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

What would Colorado be looking for with him? The Penguins need some younger centers with Crosby and Malkin being super old, so Mittelstadt sliding into the 2C spot would be a really nice plan for after they retire.

Vancouver are apparently looking for a C in return in any JT Miller trade. I don’t know if Mittelstadt has reached a point where he has negative value or not. But perhaps he can be a contract going in return along with Ritchie or something else for JTM?

Or maybe he just gets dumped for little return and that’s the end of it. But if Mittelstadt isn’t part of the future plans Cmac has to find a 2C somewhere.

 

[Uberpecker]

So I wonder if both teams want a do-over on the Moddlestadt-Byram trade.

I'd take him back but not for Byram in what would probably be one of weirdest trades in NHL-history.

 

[DickSmehlik]

. No intensity, no physicality, no movement, no shots, nothing.

Don't tell Kevyn Adams that.

He'll want to trade back for him and then offer him a 7 year extension.

 

[Frank Drebin]

avs pro scouts got tired of winning all the trades looks like

 

[SimpleJack]

I'd take him back but not for Byram in what would probably be one of weirdest trades in NHL-history.

That would be HILARIOUS if that happened omg.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Vancouver are apparently looking for a C in return in any JT Miller trade. I don’t know if Mittelstadt has reached a point where he has negative value or not. But perhaps he can be a contract going in return along with Ritchie or something else for JTM?

Or maybe he just gets dumped for little return and that’s the end of it. But if Mittelstadt isn’t part of the future plans Cmac has to find a 2C somewhere.

Neutral fan, but I've always felt that Mittel, Wood (to balance salary), and Ritchie for Miller makes a lot of sense for both teams. One could argue Miller's toxicity would affect the Avs, but with how outspoken and competitive Mack is, I'm sure the avs as a whole would tolerate miller's personality much better. Mack-Miller gives the avs the second best 1-2C behind McD-Drai, ala win now mode. The package to the Canucks gives them a capable 2C and a stud prospect, allowing Pettersson to be that guy again.

 

[Spilot23]

Last year and earlier this year he looked damn good. The way he was playing along the board, his vision to make THAT pass that went in the net, his ability to slow down the play and his takeaways was fun to watch. I thought that dude will easily be better than Kadri but somehow everything he did well feels like he can't even do that anymore. It's mistakes after mistakes. Also looks even worse with good linemates. That line with him, Parise and Lehkonen was were he played the best.

 

[dirtydanglez]

i think middlestadt+ for miller makes sense for both teams.

 

[57special]

Weird , because i thought he looked vg every time i saw him in CO. not great, but good. Skilled, smart, vg passer, decent speed, no longer easy to push around.

Is he playing hurt?

 

[kerrabria]

That would be HILARIOUS if that happened omg.

I'd take him back but not for Byram in what would probably be one of weirdest trades in NHL-history.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

I'm not sure if he's injured but not enough that he has to sit, or if he's just in a major mental funk. He looked stellar to start the season, but now all the things he was doing well he's doing wrong. When he's at his best he's actually fantastic along the boards, he wins board battles he probably shouldn't, he's good defensively and his vision is incredible. However, during this downtrend he's losing a lot of battles, but worse than that he's not even able to get into the battle as he is getting there too late. I think part of it is that he really doesn't fit the Bednar system, just doesn't have the skating for it.

 

[SEALBound]

Someone can school me if I'm wrong but I always though Mittlestadt was a good quality 3C and a stretch as a 2C. To be able to bring him in was solid because good young centers are hard to find but is his overall performance fairly representative of who he is as a player? I'm not sure it's the fault of Mittlestadt being iffy at 2C when he was already iffy at 2C to begin with.