Hours after the Colorado Avalanche traded for Casey Mittelstadt, NHL Network analyst Brian Boyle broke down one of the most intriguing player swaps between young players in recent league history, and made some pretty profound points. Did.
Boyle said Nathan MacKinnon will be the starting center at any Avalanche practice, followed by Mittelstadt. He went on to talk about how much it benefited Mittelstadt's career.
It turns out Mittelstadt was thinking the same thing shortly after receiving the news that he would be leaving the Buffalo Sabres, who selected him eighth overall in the 2017 NHL Draft, but he didn't win the Stanley Cup while with the Western New. – Couldn't advance to the playoffs. yoke.
“We play against him all the time in practice, and of course when I play against him I'm going to do my best because I don't want him to make fun of me,” Mittelstadt said. “I think this part is huge for me and definitely something I'm really excited about. I think it will really help my game.
“One of the things I’m looking forward to is working with him and the other top players and seeing where they are and how they handle themselves.”
Through three games in the Avalanche's opening series against Winnipeg, Mittelstadt's ability to thrive in this environment has been one of the biggest revelations for a Colorado team that holds a 2-1 lead over the Jets. Game 4 will be played Sunday afternoon at Ball Arena.
Mittelstadt received praise from his coaches and teammates after Game 1, his first taste of the playoff stage. His batting lineup performed well in the second game as well, with all three players scoring goals.
And Mittelstadt had his best game in an Avs uniform in Game 3, scoring all three of his team's 5-on-5 goals in a 6-2 rout.
“He was unreal,” McKinnon said. “I love his level of competition. Yeah, it's great to see him elevate his game on the biggest stage, under the brightest lights, and he looked great tonight. Not many guys can do that in a three-period playoff game, and it shows his confidence and poise.”
That “source” was an inch-perfect pass to Artturi Lehkonen during a 2-on-2 break, giving the Avs a 4-2 lead. Mittelstadt kept the puck until Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck scored on it, then flicked the ball past the defense and onto Lehkonen's stick.
“(He) has increased his intensity,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “You noticed the great pass (to Lehkonen). It’s a skill play, a high skill play. He makes some other high skill plays that lead to scoring chances, but I think the one that impressed me the most was It's his wall movement. He was heavy and strong against the puck on the D-zone wall and the O-zone wall, and everyone was trying to get on his back and reach around. I'm used to guys playing with me.
“…He's a guy that when he gets to the sticks he can study the ice and check off options 1, 2, 3, etc. and just make the right decisions from there.” It's the intensity, the intensity, that plays at this time of year. It's exciting and I think his game has reached a whole new level. ”
Mittelstadt had an uneven start to his career with the Sabres. He is one of the best players in Minnesota high school history and was a star for his hometown Gophers in his one season of NCAA hockey.
It didn't happen right away for him in Buffalo, but the past two seasons have been close to what people expected him to be when he was a top-10 pick. It's not just him. Many young, talented players have struggled to reach their full potential with the Sabers, who have now missed the playoffs for 13 consecutive seasons.
On the day the Avs traded him, Colorado general manager Chris McFarland said the team believed there was more to come in the 25-year-old's game. McFarland also said that if the Abs weren't so high up in Mittelstadt, he wouldn't have let go of a player like Bo Byram, the 2019 No. 4 draft pick who is an integral part of the club's 2022 Stanley Cup championship. He also made clear what would have happened. as a guy who could be a long-term solution to their No. 2 center shuffle.
“I agree,” Mittelstadt said. “Obviously it's going to take some adjustments, but when you have that belief from the coaches and the staff, that's a big thing for a player and as a player you want to believe in yourself and want to be as good as you can.”
“For me, hockey is the most important thing in my life, along with my family, so for me, I want to work hard to get to know it and not regret it when it's over.”
He has one goal and four points in the first three postseason games. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Avs produced 67.63% of his expected goals when he was on the ice in his 5-on-5. He is second on the team.
Like the other three players the Avalanche added just before the deadline, Mittelstadt got off to a fast start in Colorado. And like many of his new teammates, his final game before the playoffs started was a mixed bag.
However, it was clear that Mittelstadt was capable of possessing the puck in all three zones of the ice. He will protect it. He makes deft passes in tight spaces. And he wins the battle.
His hands and hockey sense were a big part of his reputation even before he arrived in Denver. His willingness to compete against players who are older, bigger and sometimes stronger than him, and his ability to break free from battles with the puck, were developments that were greatly appreciated by his new coach.
Did Bednar see this level of work on the wall when the Avs were making pre-trades for the Mittelstadt game?
“No,” Bednar replied. “I think it's…he's got great hands, right? He always has his nose on the puck, he always has the puck in position to shoot or pass. (He's) great. Has vision and intelligence.
“You have to have a certain level of physicality and determination in your game to be able to come up with the puck and make plays, and that's what we're seeing heightened from him right now. ”
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