Mittelstadt - Hobey Baker?

[Derrico]

TBH the draft lottery is bigger to me. It's unlikely but if we win I know the optimism will be back come October. If we don't then I won't be getting my hopes up for anything.

[WildCard]

how important is Casey Mittelstadt joining the Sabres next season for you from an interest standpoint?

 

for STH does it weigh at all on your decision to renew?

 

Will it change your expecations for the Sabres next season?

 

For me it weigh's fairly heavily on my expectations and the amount of emotion that I am going to invest in this team. I'll start the season hoping for an Avalanche / Devils turnaround and will be emotionally invested in them once again. If he goes back its  "hello darkness, my old friend"

I have 0 expectations for next season outside of once again hoping Eichel dominates. I would rather keep Casey in Rochester for a year and finally do this the right way

 

TBH the draft lottery is bigger to me. It's unlikely but if we win I know the optimism will be back come October. If we don't then I won't be getting my hopes up for anything.

Getting Dahlin would mean so much it's not even close

[darksabre]

I don't think Casey is going to come out of college yet. I think he spends the summer adding muscle and starts the season in Minnesota. If he's bigger and tearing it up I could see him coming straight to the Sabres then.

[dudacek]

I don't think Casey is going to come out of college yet. I think he spends the summer adding muscle and starts the season in Minnesota. If he's bigger and tearing it up I could see him coming straight to the Sabres then.

For what it’s worth, Kris Baker says that whether Casey comes out this year or next, he is going straight to the NHL.

He said that’s not because of his elite skill, it’s because of his ridiculous competitiveness

[darksabre]

For what it’s worth, Kris Baker says that whether Casey comes out this year or next, he is going straight to the NHL.

He said that’s not because of his elite skill, it’s because of his ridiculous competitiveness

It's also just what college players do if they leave early. No one leaves a D1 college hockey program early to ride the bus in the A. 

[Eleven]

It's also just what college players do if they leave early. No one leaves a D1 college hockey program early to ride the bus in the A. 

 

Vanek.

[Crusader1969]

I have 0 expectations for next season outside of once again hoping Eichel dominates. I would rather keep Casey in Rochester for a year and finally do this the right way

 

Getting Dahlin would mean so much it's not even close

 

If they do land Dahlin, do you want him in Buffalo next year? or 1 more year in SHL? I could see the argument of keeping Casey in NCAA and the #1 draft pick from 2018, be it RD or any of the top wingers, for 1 more season but will the STH's wait 1 more season of darkness? 

 

Though, 2019 would be a lot of fun with 3 elite prospects (CM, 2018 and 2019 top picks) coming in, plus a 21 year old Nylander along with Asplund, Pu and whomever else is NHL ready. 

Vanek.

 

you are right but there wasn't an NHL season in 04/05.

[Drunkard]

how important is Casey Mittelstadt joining the Sabres next season for you from an interest standpoint?

 

for STH does it weigh at all on your decision to renew?

 

Will it change your expecations for the Sabres next season?

 

For me it weigh's fairly heavily on my expectations and the amount of emotion that I am going to invest in this team. I'll start the season hoping for an Avalanche / Devils turnaround and will be emotionally invested in them once again. If he goes back its  "hello darkness, my old friend"

 

My hopes for any chance of improvement next season are split between Mittelstadt joining the club and whether we manage to draft in the top 4 and snag one of the guys who is ready to contribute immediately. If neither happens, I expect to stink again and I won't be spending a dime on this team again next season. If one or the other happens I think it's a coin flip. If both go our way and Mittelstadt joins us along with Dahlin, Svechnikov, Zadina, or Tkachuk then I'll be optimistic for improvement and may even get Center Ice next season. We may still miss the playoffs but I don't think we'll be effectively eliminated from contention in January. We'll know more in the coming weeks.

[darksabre]

Vanek.

That was because of the lockout though.

[Eleven]

 

 

you are right but there wasn't an NHL season in 04/05.

 

Yep.  So he knew he was going to AHL.

That was because of the lockout though.

 

Yep, so he knew he was going to AHL.

[darksabre]

Yep.  So he knew he was going to AHL.

 

Yep, so he knew he was going to AHL.

Right, and I'm sure a lot more college players we going to the AHL that year in general. 

[pi2000]

Casey is certainly equipped with the tools to play in the NHL right away.    That said, what's best for his development?    Another year of college hockey.  

[Weave]

For what it’s worth, Kris Baker says that whether Casey comes out this year or next, he is going straight to the NHL.

He said that’s not because of his elite skill, it’s because of his ridiculous competitiveness

Baker also made the point that Casey is dominant in his age class (ex. the junior tournament) but not so mich against adults in college play. IIRC he’s 3rd in scoring on his team. My take from that is that although he is a top prospect, he’s not ready for the best adults in the world.

[WildCard]

Casey is certainly equipped with the tools to play in the NHL right away.    That said, what's best for his development?    Another year of college hockey.  

Baker also made the point that Casey is dominant in his age class (ex. the junior tournament) but not so mich against adults in college play. IIRC he’s 3rd in scoring on his team. My take from that is that although he is a top prospect, he’s not ready for the best adults in the world.

Seems he's still a little too small. Needs to bulk up

[MattPie]

Right, and I'm sure a lot more college players we going to the AHL that year in general. 

 

Vanek played two years in Minnesota; I have no doubt that he was ready to move into the pros (and get some cash). That one year, it meant the AHL.

[dudacek]

It's also just what college players do if they leave early. No one leaves a D1 college hockey program early to ride the bus in the A.

 

  

Vanek.

McCabe, Fasching, CJ Smith - happens all the time.

[darksabre]

  

McCabe, Fasching, CJ Smith - happens all the time.

Those guys all went straight to the Sabres before getting sent down to the A. 

[dudacek]

Those guys all went straight to the Sabres before getting sent down to the A.

 

Yeah, but the all went down, and knew there was a very reasonable chance that was going to happen.

 

Looks like we’re talking about two difference things, you’re talking a guaranteed taste of the NHL being part of the signing.

I’m talking about sticking.

[Taro T]

how important is Casey Mittelstadt joining the Sabres next season for you from an interest standpoint?

 

for STH does it weigh at all on your decision to renew?

 

Will it change your expecations for the Sabres next season?

 

For me it weigh's fairly heavily on my expectations and the amount of emotion that I am going to invest in this team. I'll start the season hoping for an Avalanche / Devils turnaround and will be emotionally invested in them once again. If he goes back its  "hello darkness, my old friend"

If Mittelstadt is a Sabre from day 1 next year, my expectation is that will LOWER my enthusiasm for the season. He's going to be a career top 6 player but haven't seen anything yet indicating that he'll be ready to be useful at the NHL level yet.

 

It won't affect my decision whether to renew.

 

It will lower my expectations for the Sabres season.

[sabills]

My expectations for next year are shot, anyways, unless we win the lotto. Give the kid another year, get bigger, get stronger, get better.

[North Buffalo]

You guys are depressing me... truth is sad...

[dudacek]

If Mittelstadt is a Sabre from day 1 next year, my expectation is that will LOWER my enthusiasm for the season.

It will lower my expectations for the Sabres season.

Seriously?

 

You think Casey is so far away that there is no chance he will be better than one of Josefson Wilson Nolan Girgensons Larson RodriguesPouliot Baptiste next year? Or at least more interesting to watch?

 

Or is it your expectation that the bottom eight is going to be vastly improved through other sources?

[North Buffalo]

Losing for Hughes..,

[Taro T]

Seriously?

You think Casey is so far away that there is no chance he will be better than one of Josefson Wilson Nolan Girgensons Larson RodriguesPouliot Baptiste next year? Or at least more interesting to watch?

Or is it your expectation that the bottom eight is going to be vastly improved through other sources?

My expectation is that he'll look an awful lot like Reinhart did the 1st 40 games of this season. (It won't be that bad, but it won't look particularly good.)

 

At times he dominated in the WJC. He hasn't dominated in the NCAA though he's had some highlight reel plays. Let him dominate at the NCAA level next year & then come up at the end of the season. (Yes, that burns a year of his entry level deal, but it still keeps him on an ELC through age 22.)

 

If he's up early next year, they'll either force him into the top 6 before he's ready or waste him on the 4th line. Really not interested in either scenario.

 

Would he be better than the plugs the Sabres have in the bottom 6? Offensively, yes, but not by the margin the Legend of Casey implies. In his own end, not likely. Would really rather see him developed properly. And, I'd expect he'd be happier as a BMOC rather than an Amerks' rook hearing stories about how lucky his is Cal O'Reilly is no longer associated w/ that team.

[DarthEbriate]

I like the ‘Stadt and want him to contribute to the Sabres as soon as he can be a top 6 player. But this team is much further behind than I had hoped it would be at this time. There is no reason to rush him or any of our current or future prospects until the mess is cleared. Be cool. Stay in school.