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Casey Mittelstadt - Here to Stay?


GASabresIUFAN

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3 pts in 5 games. Is there any question anymore about Casey being a better player than Thompson?  Seems to me that Casey is earning a permanent place in our lineup and is clearly one of our top 9 forwards and if he keep up this pace, he'll force his way higher in the conversation.

Honestly, I'm feeling more then a little vindicated.  Taylor and RK comments about his game at the end of last season and during camp were right on.  He is much much better playing 200 feet.  He sees the ice very well and isn't trying to do everything himself.  

Still a long way to go, but I'd much rather see him playing every night then Sheahan, KO, Eakin, Thompson, Asplund and Rieder.

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7 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

The bar on this team is set so extremely low, sure he can stay.

Admittedly, but VO and Reinhart are very good and are our best forwards ytd.  Hall and Eichel have been better certainly but Jack is a genuine, albeit grump, star and Hall is playing better of late now that he is with Staal.  Cozens is an emerging talent.  Staal is still also a good player.

If you had to list our top forwards

1. Jack

2. Reinhart

3. VO

4. Hall

5. Staal

6. Lazar?

7. Cozens

8. Mittelstadt 

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29 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

3 pts in 5 games. Is there any question anymore about Casey being a better player than Thompson?  Seems to me that Casey is earning a permanent place [ ]  

Still a long way to go, but I'd much rather see him playing every night then Sheahan, KO, Eakin, Thompson, Asplund and Rieder.

Definitely better than Thompson. Seems to be doing what the coach wants, and is better than Skinner (this year) so he stays for now. How long? Can't say, depends on his play and effort level.

In that list I'd say at this point he's about even with Sheahan and Asplund whose game I also like although he brings a different style and skill set. The other guys have different skills. Eakin has been good on the D side, face offs and PK so I'm not as down on him as some are. KO is KO, just too damn slow and Thompson is ready for Rochester. 

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If Casey continues playing like he has his first five games he should stay in the lineup.

It’s certainly been the best stretch we’ve seen from him. He looks like he has a better understanding of how the game works at this level - where to go and what he can and cannot do.

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2 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Definitely better than Thompson. Seems to be doing what the coach wants, and is better than Skinner (this year) so he stays for now. How long? Can't say, depends on his play and effort level.

In that list I'd say at this point he's about even with Sheahan and Asplund whose game I also like although he brings a different style and skill set. The other guys have different skills. Eakin has been good on the D side, face offs and PK so I'm not as down on him as some are. KO is KO, just too damn slow and Thompson is ready for Rochester. 

You lost me on Asplund.  Sheahan and Rieder have been much better then expected, but none of Sheahan, Rieder or Asplund will be pushing for top 6 minutes now or ever.  

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I think Asplund has been pretty good too, in a 4th-line kinda way.

Really, all of Sheahan, Lazar, Eakin, Rieder and Asplund have been solid in the kill-penalties, win face-offs and don’t ***** things up kinda way coaches like from their fourth liners. But a good team only wants two or three of those guys in the lineup at any given game, rather than four or five.

We have a lot of guys that can play centre, but it’s still our weakest position. The majority was right, in that Eakin hasn’t got the 20- to 30-point upside we had hoped, and the majority was wrong that Staal could fix our 2C issues. The brain is still there, but the body is not.

There is an opportunity for Casey, should he grab it.

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31 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Seriously?  KO has 1 pt in 11 game.  He literally adds nothing to this roster we don't get from Sheahan for 5.2 million less.  If it were up to me he'd be playing with Moulson in Hershey.

I don’t factor salary into my rankings.

I don’t get the Okposo hate.

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3 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Take the salary out of it for a second.  Who has been better; Lazar, Sheahan, Rieder, Asplund or KO?  I’d argue that KO has been the worst of this group.

He’s been better than Asplund and Rieder.

Lazar’s been a surprise.

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1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

You lost me on Asplund.  Sheahan and Rieder have been much better then expected, but none of Sheahan, Rieder or Asplund will be pushing for top 6 minutes now or ever.  

Nor will Mitts. All these players are bottom 6 minutes guys. I'm not suggesting Asplund has been a star, but he's been better than I expected (based on last year). I saw a willingness to be a little physical from him and some decent defensive work. I can see him becoming a solid regular penalty killer and bottom line hard worker. 

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7 hours ago, dudacek said:

I think Asplund has been pretty good too, in a 4th-line kinda way.

Really, all of Sheahan, Lazar, Eakin, Rieder and Asplund have been solid in the kill-penalties, win face-offs and don’t ***** things up kinda way coaches like from their fourth liners. But a good team only wants two or three of those guys in the lineup at any given game, rather than four or five.

We have a lot of guys that can play centre, but it’s still our weakest position. The majority was right, in that Eakin hasn’t got the 20- to 30-point upside we had hoped, and the majority was wrong that Staal could fix our 2C issues. The brain is still there, but the body is not.

There is an opportunity for Casey, should he grab it.

Asplunds been bringing some juice imo.  Skates hard, trying to put little jolts of pressure on the other team.  him lazar and sheahan would be an interesting line combo to me for that reason.  

7 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Take the salary out of it for a second.  Who has been better; Lazar, Sheahan, Rieder, Asplund or KO?  I’d argue that KO has been the worst of this group.

His skating isn't great, but that line gets the tougher draws it seems like.  They're not great but they're an ok clock killing line against other teams top 2 units.  

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10 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Admittedly, but VO and Reinhart are very good and are our best forwards ytd.  Hall and Eichel have been better certainly but Jack is a genuine, albeit grump, star and Hall is playing better of late now that he is with Staal.  Cozens is an emerging talent.  Staal is still also a good player.

If you had to list our top forwards

1. Jack

2. Reinhart

3. VO

4. Hall

5. Staal

6. Lazar?

7. Cozens

8. Mittelstadt 

If I'm starting a team from scratch, Skinner is definitely ahead of some of these guys. 

- - - 

Liked what I've seen from Casey so far this year. Hopefully benefiting from lower, more realistic expectations. Have maintained he has what it takes to end up a 3rd line scoring forward and I still see that. 

Encouraging. 

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The sample size is too small to say he is here to stay, but no question that Casey is playing good hockey of late.  He's skating hard, hustling and making some plays.  He was rewarded with a goal.  I hope he can maintain it, as it would be a bright spot on a team that doesn't have too many.  

I know this isn't related to the thread - but when is the last time a Sabre converted on a breakaway (other than in a shootout)?  And what is wrong with Hall's finish?  He makes some nice offensive plays, creates chances, but just can't put the puck in the net.  This is a very tough team to figure out.

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  • 1 month later...

Casey has 2 goals (and 3 points) in his last 3 games (plus 2).  Granato is now skating him 17-18 minutes a game most nights.  He is getting some PP time and occasional PK time. 

Is there any doubt any longer that he has matured into a fulltime NHL player and forced his way back into the team's long-term plans?

I really like his play at center.  He looks much more comfortable and like the kids I saw at the World Jrs and in college.  He is driving offense, but what I like most is his developing two way play and his willingness to both forecheck and backcheck.  He said last night that Granato is asking all the forwards, especially after a give away, to make 3 hard strides and get back into the play.  Mitts is doing that plus more.   

 

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This past week or two is the first time we have seen Casey translating the style of game he showed as a junior to NHL rinks: the pace, and the hands. He has the ability to bury pucks like he did with his wrister last night, he just wasn't able to get open to use it.

He has looked like an NHL player, but he hasn't sustained anything yet.

It will be interesting to see how good of an NHL player he can be. Luke Adam? Derek Plante?

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1 hour ago, dudacek said:

This past week or two is the first time we have seen Casey translating the style of game he showed as a junior to NHL rinks: the pace, and the hands. He has the ability to bury pucks like he did with his wrister last night, he just wasn't able to get open to use it.

He has looked like an NHL player, but he hasn't sustained anything yet.

It will be interesting to see how good of an NHL player he can be. Luke Adam? Derek Plante?

Fully agree. He played a very detailed,  team game. 

Can he sustain it?

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On 2/26/2021 at 12:00 AM, GASabresIUFAN said:

Admittedly, but VO and Reinhart are very good and are our best forwards ytd.  Hall and Eichel have been better certainly but Jack is a genuine, albeit grump, star and Hall is playing better of late now that he is with Staal.  Cozens is an emerging talent.  Staal is still also a good player.

If you had to list our top forwards

1. Jack

2. Reinhart

3. VO

4. Hall

5. Staal

6. Lazar?

7. Cozens

8. Mittelstadt 

1. Jack

1. Mittelstadt 

2. Reinhart

3. Okposo

4. Tage

5. VO

6. Hall

5. Staal

6. Lazar?

7. Cozens

For the last coupla games anyway, I think Mitts has been our best forward.  Of course he doesn't have the same level of competition he had back in February.

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On 2/26/2021 at 12:39 AM, dudacek said:

There is an opportunity for Casey, should he grab it.

He not so much as grabbed it as had it thrust upon him, but when there are no other options he's been surprisingly competent.  I think he's one of those guys who excelled at every level until he got to the pro ranks and had to develop his game to catch up (instead of always being ahead of his peers in development).  The misfortunes of the team haven't helped his development or his confidence.  I hope that with Granato and Ellis guiding him he finally gets over the hump and can sustain his current run and continue it under the next HC.

On 2/26/2021 at 12:49 AM, SwampD said:

Lazar’s been a surprise.

This kills me.  He's been a surprise the whole time he's been on the team.  He's not a top-six player but he does, and can do, just about everything, at least for stretches, and is a pretty good bottom sixer.

Edited by Doohickie
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