The Colorado Avalanche announced on Tuesday that they signed former Buffalo Sabres center Casey Mittelstadt to a three-year contract with a reported average annual salary of $5.75 million. The Avalanche acquired Mittelstadt in exchange for defenseman Bowen Byram two days before the 2024 NHL trade deadline.
At the time of the trade, Mittelstadt was Buffalo's leading scorer with 47 points in 62 games. He then went on to score 10 points in 18 games with the Avalanche, taking over as the team's second-line center. In the playoffs, he recorded nine points in 11 games, providing some key scoring opportunities.
Colorado signed Mittelstadt with an eye to the future, giving up a 22-year-old defenseman and high draft pick to fill a hole in the lineup. Colorado made him the Avalanche's third-highest paid forward against the cap, behind superstars Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. If you include injured captain Gabriel Landeskog and Valeri Nichushkin, who is in the NHLPA Player Assistance Program, he's the Avalanche's fifth-highest paid forward overall.
Must read: Why the Sabres would win in the Mittelstadt trade
The three-year deal makes Mittelstadt a free agent at 28, the perfect age to sign another big contract, and he could get another big raise if he can solidify Colorado's top six.
General Manager Chris McFarland said of Mittelstadt, “We’re thrilled to be able to offer such a great brand to our customers.
“Casey was a great fit in our lineup and was a great contributor to our team late in the season and in the playoffs. His play has improved every season and he took another big leap last year. We believe he can reach an even higher level and it was important for us to sign him to a multi-year contract. Casey is an exciting playmaking center with great vision and handles and, although he's only 25 years old, he will be a big part of our team for years to come.”
It was the second move in two days involving a well-known former Sabres player, with goaltender Linus Ullmark being traded from the Boston Bruins to the Ottawa Senators minutes before Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday.
From the Avalanche perspective, here's the article from Colorado Hockey Now.
