Casey Mittlestadt has been sent to Amerks

[Broken Ankles]

44 minutes ago, Thorny said:

World. Junior. Championship. 

A top tier institution in hockey who’s overrated significance has long jumped the shark. As did what they thought they could charge for tickets. 

He didn’t play on the 2017 Junior team.  He played on the 2018 team after the Sabres already drafted him in June of 2017.  Tage was on the 2017 team.  

[Thorner]

Just now, Broken Ankles said:

He didn’t play on the 2017 Junior team.  He played on the 2018 team after the Sabres already drafted him in June of 2017.  Tage was on the 2017 team.  

The massive hype for him didn't start in earnest until after that tournament. The hype isn't why Botterill drafted him, true. 

Edited December 29, 2019 by Thorny

[Broken Ankles]

Just now, Thorny said:

The massive hype for him didn't start in earnest until after that tournament. The hype isn't why Botterill drafted him, true. 

Agree that the hype catapulted him to think he could play pro after one mediocre year of collegiate hockey.   I’m not a scout so have no clue how you could use high school or one year of USHL to rank him 8 overall.   

[Weave]

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

The massive hype for him didn't start in earnest until after that tournament. The hype isn't why Botterill drafted him, true. 

I recall massive hype.  Like ZOMG Sabres stole one at this spot hype.  Then again, other than Grigorenko, I think hype has been the skill set our draft picks have most excelled at.

[Curt]

2 minutes ago, Weave said:

I recall massive hype.  Like ZOMG Sabres stole one at this spot hype.  Then again, other than Grigorenko, I think hype has been the skill set our draft picks have most excelled at.

Yeah, it was generally thought that Buffalo was lucky that Mittelstadt fell to them.  That it was a good pick.  He was hyped but not like “ZOMG” that I remember.

The hype really took off after his excellent 2018 WJC and prospectors started ranking him super highly.

[bunomatic]

Burn

[Pimlach]

He has played 5 games.   Playing on a strong team he has 1 assist and -4 in the +/-  

Disappointing indeed.  

Maybe his upside is a 3C in a few years?   

[PerreaultForever]

I think most of us agreed JBot's full evaluation wouldn't come until we saw the results of his drafting in a few years. Mitts is starting to look like his first fail. If others fall into the same category you combine that with bad trade(s) and bad signings and you have the trifecta for GM firing. 

[Thorner]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

He has played 5 games.   Playing on a strong team he has 1 assist and -4 in the +/-  

Disappointing indeed.  

Maybe his upside is a 3C in a few years?   

That's exactly what his upside has always been. I was gonna say I hope Bahtrill knew this, but I doubt it, considering he was penciled in as the 2C as....*checks notes*...a rookie. 

[Weave]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

He has played 5 games.   Playing on a strong team he has 1 assist and -4 in the +/-  

Disappointing indeed.  

Maybe his upside is a 3C in a few years?   

At this rate he's trending 3C in Roc as his upside....

[inkman]

24 minutes ago, Thorny said:

That's exactly what his upside has always been. I was gonna say I hope Bahtrill knew this, but I doubt it, considering he was penciled in as the 2C as....*checks notes*...a rookie. 

I love the phonetic spelling of JBOT's surname.  I still think everyone is pronouncing it wrong but I don't want to go all Mike Schopp on your *****.  Penciling him as 2C really derailed his career and the Sabres last two seasons.  He should have been in Rochester from the start of last season.  Now we are ready to throw him away.  

[Thorner]

9 minutes ago, inkman said:

I love the phonetic spelling of JBOT's surname.  I still think everyone is pronouncing it wrong but I don't want to go all Mike Schopp on your *****.  Penciling him as 2C really derailed his career and the Sabres last two seasons.  He should have been in Rochester from the start of last season.  Now we are ready to throw him away.  

Don't most people say "Bot-ter-ril"? Apparently the proper pronunciation is the way I spelled it there, 2 syllables. 

[inkman]

14 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Don't most people say "Bot-ter-ril"? Apparently the proper pronunciation is the way I spelled it there, 2 syllables. 

As a player I remember 3 syllables but since becoming a yinzer he's gone by the toothless version. 

[Gatorman0519]

Complete bust... and at the worst possible time when genius decides to get rid of an awesome center.  

[Taro T]

3 hours ago, Thorny said:

That's exactly what his upside has always been. I was gonna say I hope Bahtrill knew this, but I doubt it, considering he was penciled in as the 2C as....*checks notes*...a rookie. 

No, his upside was, and still is, 2C.  (Though the way his career started, that seems to be a reach at present.)  He should NEVER have gotten a single game that Eichel was in the lineup as the 2C.  That Housley went there nearly 40 times should bar him from ever being a head coach again unless the Loafs or Phlyers are looking for 1.

Sadly, right now, rather than simply teaching him that driving the puck into a phone booth only works at this level if your last name is McDavid they also need to rebuild his confidence.  Expecting Taylor can do that, but not even thinking about looking at his stats for at least 3 more weeks.

[inkman]

For those of you who don't regularly check the Amerks thread, here is a Mittlestadt update.

6GP 0G 2A -4 

The Amerks record since he joined 2-4.  The Amerks record previously 18-4-2.  

Might be a coincidence, might be him sucking the life out of this team. 

[That Aud Smell]

Having a big swing and miss on Mittelstadt is a significant mark against Botterill. 

It's also high on the list of reasons why the Sabres are (still) a mediocre-to-bad team.

[inkman]

5 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Having a big swing and miss on Mittelstadt is a significant mark against Botterill. 

It's also high on the list of reasons why the Sabres are (still) a mediocre-to-bad team.

Add Nylander, Girgensons, Grigorenko, Risto (maybe?), Kassian, Armia, Pysyk as misses or not properly developed. 

[pi2000]

11 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Having a big swing and miss on Mittelstadt is a significant mark against Botterill. 

It's also high on the list of reasons why the Sabres are (still) a mediocre-to-bad team.

In JBOT's defense, he was hired as GM only 4 weeks before the draft that year.

He didn't have his scouts in place for properly vetting the prospects, etc.. 

That said, he was the assistant GM in PIT so he should've had some type of grade on Mittlestadt... but we don't know where PIT was in that process before he left to Buffalo, so I'm willing to give him a pass on that one.   

Besides, all this talk of him being a bust, welll...  only 1 player drafted after Casey that year has more NHL goals... Filip Chytil, who has 4 more than Casey... so it's not like there were stud forward prospects to choose from.     He was the best of the lot at that time, the top D prospects were already gone (Heiskanen, Makar), and they needed forward help.

[Brawndo]

6 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

In JBOT's defense, he was hired as GM only 4 weeks before the draft that year.

He didn't have his scouts in place for properly vetting the prospects, etc.. 

That said, he was the assistant GM in PIT so he should've had some type of grade on Mittlestadt... but we don't know where PIT was in that process before he left to Buffalo, so I'm willing to give him a pass on that one.   

Besides, all this talk of him being a bust, welll...  only 1 player drafted after Casey that year has more NHL goals... Filip Chytil, who has 4 more than Casey... so it's not like there were stud forward prospects to choose from.     He was the best of the lot at that time, the top D prospects were already gone (Heiskanen, Makar), and they needed forward help.

I would add that Bob McKenzie 2017 Final Draft Rankings, complied for 10 active scouts/GMs, has him Sixth Overall. With Petersson at Seventh. Most of the Draftniks had him Top 8 as well with Corey Pronman having him 12th. NHL Central Scouting had him third amongst NA Skaters. I have no problem with the pick, the development pathway they chose for him is a completely different story however. 

 Martin Necas drafted 12th, appears to be on his way to becoming the next very good player from that draft. 

[inkman]

1 hour ago, pi2000 said:

In JBOT's defense, he was hired as GM only 4 weeks before the draft that year.

He didn't have his scouts in place for properly vetting the prospects, etc.. 

That said, he was the assistant GM in PIT so he should've had some type of grade on Mittlestadt... but we don't know where PIT was in that process before he left to Buffalo, so I'm willing to give him a pass on that one.   

Besides, all this talk of him being a bust, welll...  only 1 player drafted after Casey that year has more NHL goals... Filip Chytil, who has 4 more than Casey... so it's not like there were stud forward prospects to choose from.     He was the best of the lot at that time, the top D prospects were already gone (Heiskanen, Makar), and they needed forward help.

 

51 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

I would add that Bob McKenzie 2017 Final Draft Rankings, complied for 10 active scouts/GMs, has him Sixth Overall. With Petersson at Seventh. Most of the Draftniks had him Top 8 as well with Corey Pronman having him 12th. NHL Central Scouting had him third amongst NA Skaters. I have no problem with the pick, the development pathway they chose for him is a completely different story however. 

 Martin Necas drafted 12th, appears to be on his way to becoming the next very good player from that draft. 

So just like the Reinhart pick, they chose a woeful time to continue sucking. 

[Brawndo]

Just now, inkman said:

 

So just like the Reinhart pick, they chose a woeful time to continue sucking. 

Pretty much.

Also I am not advocating for it at all, but this is a good year to suck.

[That Aud Smell]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

Add Nylander, Girgensons, Grigorenko, Risto (maybe?), Kassian, Armia, Pysyk as misses or not properly developed. 

All fair. Although none of those guys were chosen on JBOT's watch. And at least he turned the lesser Nylander into a young, nifty d-man who should be good going forward.

1 hour ago, pi2000 said:

In JBOT's defense, he was hired as GM only 4 weeks before the draft that year.

He didn't have his scouts in place for properly vetting the prospects, etc..

Good post. Fair points, all.

It really has been the player's development that has just stunk out loud.

[LGR4GM]

Speaking of Kieffer Bellows... Bellows had only 19 points in 73 AHL games as a 20 year old. He has easily doubled that production this year ( I am extrapolating). Just something to consider when it comes to Mitts. He should have been sent down last year and he should not have made the team this year but a solid season in the AHL this may not look like much. He could bust but let's give him a year. 

[Crusader1969]

29 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Speaking of Kieffer Bellows... Bellows had only 19 points in 73 AHL games as a 20 year old. He has easily doubled that production this year ( I am extrapolating). Just something to consider when it comes to Mitts. He should have been sent down last year and he should not have made the team this year but a solid season in the AHL this may not look like much. He could bust but let's give him a year. 

wayyyy to early to consider him a bust. He may never reach the 2C status that we all figured he would be but I still think he will figure it out to be a good NHL player at some point.

I would consider bringing him back up to play LW with Eichel, just to give him a confidence boost and see what he can do.

Maybe would have happened if he was torching the AHL? instead of flaming out so far.