Value of: Mittlestadt (summer)

[Panthaz89]

If he was “pretty good” defensively you’d think our coaching staff would recognize that and put him on the PK as we’ve had historically bad penalty kill all season.

As now he sandwiched between Casey Fitzgerald and Pilut in total short handed time.

Our coaching staff is not a good standard for a good PK ideas.

 

[biturbo19]

I don't think Mittelstadt is a guy who carries a ton of value league-wide. Smallish scoring wingers who can maybe play Center but maybe not, just doesn't have a lot of value. Think Bjorkstrand sort of value. I could see him having some appeal to a team like Minnesota or Columbus if they believe he could be a Center for them...but i'm not sure the return is what Buffalo would be looking for.

You're probably talking the ballpark of like...Bean or Boqvist from Columbus, or Addison or Middleton from Minnesota. Not something that is going to "fix" the Sabres blueline. They really just need another Samuelsson type. Whether that's someone like Mayfield or Severson in UFA...or just waiting.

 

[Samsonite23]

I don't think Mittelstadt is a guy who carries a ton of value league-wide. Smallish scoring wingers who can maybe play Center but maybe not, just doesn't have a lot of value. Think Bjorkstrand sort of value. I could see him having some appeal to a team like Minnesota or Columbus if they believe he could be a Center for them...but i'm not sure the return is what Buffalo would be looking for.

You're probably talking the ballpark of like...Bean or Boqvist from Columbus, or Addison or Middleton from Minnesota. Not something that is going to "fix" the Sabres blueline. They really just need another Samuelsson type. Whether that's someone like Mayfield or Severson in UFA...or just waiting.

A smallish scoring winger? He’s 6’1” 195 and has been playing center on our top line…and killing it. And scoring is far from his only asset. He’s a very good passer, good along the boards, good defensively. He also has a clutch gene. Has played great in the most important moments the team has had in the last decade+.

 

[Irie]

I don't think Mittelstadt is a guy who carries a ton of value league-wide. Smallish scoring wingers who can maybe play Center but maybe not, just doesn't have a lot of value. Think Bjorkstrand sort of value. I could see him having some appeal to a team like Minnesota or Columbus if they believe he could be a Center for them...but i'm not sure the return is what Buffalo would be looking for.

You're probably talking the ballpark of like...Bean or Boqvist from Columbus, or Addison or Middleton from Minnesota. Not something that is going to "fix" the Sabres blueline. They really just need another Samuelsson type. Whether that's someone like Mayfield or Severson in UFA...or just waiting.

Bjorkstrand hounds the puck well and competes hard, so I don't think the comparison is awful, but Mittelstadt is a guy that sees the ice and passes really well, Bjorkstrand is a great complimentary winger that scores in bunches, so different skill set.

The big difference is cap cost. Bjornstrand was cheap to acquire because he was signed for multiple years at 5.25 during a league wide cap crunch. if Mitts gets that contract, then he may have similar or possibly even less value.

But at 2.5M (his cap hit next season), he should have more value. Due to league perception though, it would not surprise me if he couldn't return much more in a trade currently.

 

[deVolt]

The return dont matter, he is not geting traded.

 

[biturbo19]

Bjorkstrand hounds the puck well and competes hard, so I don't think the comparison is awful, but Mittelstadt is a guy that sees the ice and passes really well, Bjorkstrand is a great complimentary winger that scores in bunches, so different skill set.

The big difference is cap cost. Bjornstrand was cheap to acquire because he was signed for multiple years at 5.25 during a league wide cap crunch. if Mitts gets that contract, then he may have similar or possibly even less value.

But at 2.5M (his cap hit next season), he should have more value. Due to league perception though, it would not surprise me if he couldn't return much more in a trade currently.

Yeah. Fair enough. Mitts is cheaper for the time being. But you know that sort of contract is probably coming down the pipe if he continues to score at the sort of rate he has. So you're only getting that one year of affordable play. I think that still factors in.

 

[biturbo19]

A smallish scoring winger? He’s 6’1” 195 and has been playing center on our top line…and killing it. And scoring is far from his only asset. He’s a very good passer, good along the boards, good defensively. He also has a clutch gene. Has played great in the most important moments the team has had in the last decade+.

Whatever he's listed at, he's not functionally a "big player". He doesn't look big on the ice, and he doesn't really bring any of that element to the game as an imposing presence. That's what matters more than his listed size in his bio page. He's a very "compact" 6'1" if that is even accurate.

And like i said...if a team views him as a Center and are confident he's going to be able to play there, and potentially even on their top line (like with Minnesota or Columbus playing with Kaprizov or Gaudreau/Laine), that would change the value proposition quite a bit. I'm just not sure he's established firmly enough that he can be that guy long term.

If we're talking about that "clutch gene", we're still talking about the "most important moments" for a team that hasn't won anything in the last decade+. How much weight that carries for other teams...i think merits some scrutiny. If he's really all that a bag of chips though, he's probably somebody the Sabres should just hang onto. Especially considering i don't think his value around the league is going to reflect that impression.

 

[Panthaz89]

Whatever he's listed at, he's not functionally a "big player". He doesn't look big on the ice, and he doesn't really bring any of that element to the game as an imposing presence. That's what matters more than his listed size in his bio page. He's a very "compact" 6'1" if that is even accurate.

And like i said...if a team views him as a Center and are confident he's going to be able to play there, and potentially even on their top line (like with Minnesota or Columbus playing with Kaprizov or Gaudreau/Laine), that would change the value proposition quite a bit. I'm just not sure he's established firmly enough that he can be that guy long term.

If we're talking about that "clutch gene", we're still talking about the "most important moments" for a team that hasn't won anything in the last decade+. How much weight that carries for other teams...i think merits some scrutiny. If he's really all that a bag of chips though, he's probably somebody the Sabres should just hang onto. Especially considering i don't think his value around the league is going to reflect that impression.

You'd be surprised that Mitts actually plays fairly physical like Krebs smaller guys weight wise that actually play pretty tough on the boards.

 

[TehDoak]

Mittlestadt is not untouchable, but if we are trading him, it would be for a top player. His value is similar to what Tuch’s was at the time of the Eichel trade.

Tuch had 2 successful playoffs, a 52 point season, and was on pace for a 60+ point season when he was injured prior to the Eichel trade.

Mittelstadt has had 1 good season. If you want to be more granular, Mittelstadt has had one very good 30 game stretch since Feb (26 points, which was more than he has gotten in any season previous). Prior to that, he had had 28 points in 48 games, which, while a career high for him, is hardly notable.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

Mitts is that third line guy you wish you had and that second liner that you wish scored more. He’ll be Buffalo’s Brandon Saad in a few years. Buffalo will hold onto him until he’s a ufa because he’s better than any other third line options and then he’ll sign somewhere for more than Buffalo was willing to offer and he will anchor a second line for an 85 point team for 5-7 years.

 

[Satanphonehome]

It will be really interesting to see whether Mitts is the player he's shown over this entire season, or the player has seems to have grown into over the season's 2nd half.

Are the last 40 games a career blip, or the culmination of his development path?

The Sabres under Granato seem to produce more of the latter. I'm thinking of how Tuch, Thompson and Dahlin were facing similar questions a year ago and how that played out.

 

[Samsonite23]

It will be really interesting to see whether Mitts is the player he's shown over this entire season, or the player has seems to have grown into over the season's 2nd half.

Are the last 40 games a career blip, or the culmination of his development path?

The Sabres under Granato seem to produce more of the latter. I'm thinking of how Tuch, Thompson and Dahlin were facing similar questions a year ago and how that played out.

Exactly. Sure, it’s fair to point out that he’s not a sure thing. But IMO it’s pretty pessimistic to talk down his development when he’s a 24 year old kid who couldn’t do a pull up at the combine. He was always going to take a while to develop. It felt like he could barely skate around the ice at full speed in the past. I was critical of his fitness a couple years ago. He’s growing up and becoming a man.

Donny has shown his ability to develop young guys. This is just another example. He figured out what buttons to push. Mitts needed confidence and fitness. He has both now.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Tuch had 2 successful playoffs, a 52 point season, and was on pace for a 60+ point season when he was injured prior to the Eichel trade.

Mittelstadt has had 1 good season. If you want to be more granular, Mittelstadt has had one very good 30 game stretch since Feb (26 points, which was more than he has gotten in any season previous). Prior to that, he had had 28 points in 48 games, which, while a career high for him, is hardly notable.

Never change king. Before this season you argued relentlessly that Mitts would not take a leap in production.

Now that he has….pivot! Pivot! Do the pivot dance and change that take!

 

[BFLO]

Imagine if Mitts had played in the top 6 all season rather than being tasked to carry Olofsson and Jost for most of the season.

He's honestly been fantastic centering Skinner and Tuch. Albeit in a much smaller sample size, he's had better underlying numbers as the 1C than Tage has had this season.

 

[OKR]

Trading him makes very little sense for Sabres imo. He isn’t valuable enough to fetch a upgrade on the positions Sabres need them at, and he is too valuable for Sabres to trade him for something that they don’t have a huge need for.

Basically he is worth lot more to the Sabres than he is to any other team in the league.

 

[Thorton02]

Mitts is that third line guy you wish you had and that second liner that you wish scored more. He’ll be Buffalo’s Brandon Saad in a few years. Buffalo will hold onto him until he’s a ufa because he’s better than any other third line options and then he’ll sign somewhere for more than Buffalo was willing to offer and he will anchor a second line for an 85 point team for 5-7 years.

This. Mitts will have a killer post season in a few years, hit the UFA market and sign a stupid deal with Minnesota as their 1a/2b center leading them to a few first round exists and relative mediocrity. Until that happens, we'll enjoy him here in Buffao.

 

[TehDoak]

Trading him makes very little sense for Sabres imo. He isn’t valuable enough to fetch a upgrade on the positions Sabres need them at, and he is too valuable for Sabres to trade him for something that they don’t have a huge need for.

Basically he is worth lot more to the Sabres than he is to any other team in the league.

I mean, i tend to agree that he won't be traded, but moving him makes a ton of sense if they can fill a need elsewhere in the lineup.

Buffalo has drafted 17 forwards in the last 2 drafts, including 4 in the 1st round.

They have their top 6 forwards essentially locked in with Skinner-Thompson-Tuch/JJP-Cozens-Quinn

They are 29th in PK and dead last in FO%.

It's reasonable to say they need to redo their entire bottom 6 and add a top 4 D-man who can help with the PK.

They just added Greenway would will likely default to the 3LW slot.

Krebs likely will be moving to the 3C spot.

They could of course move Mittelstadt up the lineup and move Peterka down or play with other combos.

He's a good middle six forward....I don't think he's a core piece.

I have no problem keeping him to his he hits his Arb eligible RFA year next year, I do have a problem with keeping him beyond that unless he finds a niche in our top 9 that can't be filled with the literal ocean wave of draftees coming the next 3 years.

 

[stokes84]

Tuch had 2 successful playoffs, a 52 point season, and was on pace for a 60+ point season when he was injured prior to the Eichel trade.

Mittelstadt has had 1 good season. If you want to be more granular, Mittelstadt has had one very good 30 game stretch since Feb (26 points, which was more than he has gotten in any season previous). Prior to that, he had had 28 points in 48 games, which, while a career high for him, is hardly notable.

Is your point that Tuch had a better supporting cast? Because that seems like your point.

 

[dkollidas]

I mean… he got going a bit when he got split off from Olofsson. Now he’s with Tuch & Skinner and he’s really motoring…

Any chance this is the organization showcasing Casey for a deal in the off-season?
“Look at our 55pt center man who can play top-line minutes and produce, why wouldn’t you trade a top-3 defenseman for that???”

Not saying it would happen, just wondering about it.

 

[Dubi Doo]

He's not going anywhere. The Sabres are on tbe brink of having some insane center depth for the first time since the co captains left, and Granato has been very patient with Mitts. Adams isnt going to trade him as he's starting to breakout.

Thompson
Cozens
Mittelstadt
Krebs

Yeah, we'll keep that center spine until they price themselves out to FA. Thank you very much!

 

[Djp]

He's not going anywhere. The Sabres are on tbe brink of having some insane center depth for the first time since the co captains left, and Granato has been very patient with Mitts. Adams isnt going to trade him as he's starting to breakout.

Thompson
Cozens
Mittelstadt
Krebs

Yeah, we'll keep that center spine until they price themselves out to FA. Thank you very much!

i expect buffalo to have something thing like this next year

Thompson
Mittlestadt/ Cozens ( other is winger)
Krebs
Savoie
Jost/ bottom 6C as 13th F

Is Mittlestadt untouchable…no….if he is traded it’s in a hockey trade for a solid RD who has 3+ yrs of team control And is under 27 At the start of next year. If they do a contract extension on him this year it would be for 4 yrs.

 

[dortt]

Mittlestadt has looked good as a number 1 center replacing Thompson due to injury.

Unless he fetches a number 1 center return, no thank you to a trade of Mittlestadt

 

[lanceuppercut75]

A 1 for 1 hockey trade is one of the hardest kinds of trade to make in the NHL right now.

It's easier in the off-season though, before UFA or in the first 1 or 2 days of UFA. The cap is 10% higher in the offseason and UFAs are leaving.

 

[3074326]

Never change king. Before this season you argued relentlessly that Mitts would not take a leap in production.

Now that he has….pivot! Pivot! Do the pivot dance and change that take!

What's the problem with changing an opinion of a player after he shows drastic improvement on the ice?

I don't know the context, seems like there is history here. But I don't fault someone for changing their opinion of Mittelstadt after this season.

 

[Ace]

He’s away from Olofsson.

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