Casey Mittlestadt has been sent to Amerks

[R_Dudley]

2 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

If we see Mittelstadt in the NHL again this season, it probably doesn't bode well for where the Sabres are at. Nothing in his game leads me to believe 2 months in the AHL will make him ready to contribute at the NHL level. See ya next year, Mitts. 

Yeah his game didn't stand up to NHL grind. Too easily pushed around or off the puck. 

Give him a year of growth and strength conditioning.

[Weave]

24 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

Maybe he can one day benefit us like Nylander. 

Ugh.  The pain of truthiness.

[nfreeman]

1 minute ago, Scottysabres said:

I believe this will help his game a great deal. Build up his confidence to boot. Maybe he can find chemistry with Tage or one of the up and coming wingers.

I agree with all of this, but I think he needs quite a bit more than confidence and chemistry with linemates (not that you said otherwise).  He does not have sufficient NHL tools at this point to be an effective NHL forward IMHO.  In particular, he does not have a good enough sense of time and space between him and his defender to stay clear of the defender, or any strength on the puck whatsoever to keep control of the puck once the defender engages him.  He needs to significantly improve both of those items or he can't be a scoring forward in the NHL.

 

5 minutes ago, Tondas said:

I've been impressed with the J-Kru leadership tandem.  It really seems to be a meritocracy regardless of contract, veteran status, whether you wear a letter, etc.  The best 20 play.  Refreshing.

Yes, although it took much longer with Mitts than with the others, which kinda supports the speculation that they had made promises to Mitts on this.

 

Just now, woods-racer said:

So you have no problems not seeing him again till the end of February?

Possibly for the rest of the season if the Sabres are not in the playoff hunt ?

Because that's were I'm at.

I agree with @TrueBlueGED, you and others -- he needs to stay in the AHL until he makes it very GD clear that he's too good for that level and can be a real NHL forward.

 

7 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

I wonder this too.   

It's as if RK is serving as both president of hockey ops and Head Coach.   

If so, I'll allow it.

Well, I have to believe that JB sees it too at this point.

Maybe JB did make promises to Mitts and had to play the "then new coach can't be bound by prior commitments" card, or maybe RK used his Jedi mind positivity witchcraft on Mitts and got him to agree to it, or maybe MItts' parents or agent agreed that he needed it and convinced him, or maybe a bunch of things. 

[TrueBlueGED]

1 minute ago, nfreeman said:

I agree with all of this, but I think he needs quite a bit more than confidence and chemistry with linemates (not that you said otherwise).  He does not have sufficient NHL tools at this point to be an effective NHL forward IMHO.  In particular, he does not have a good enough sense of time and space between him and his defender to stay clear of the defender, or any strength on the puck whatsoever to keep control of the puck once the defender engages him.  He needs to significantly improve both of those items or he can't be a scoring forward in the NHL.

 

Yes, although it took much longer with Mitts than with the others, which kinda supports the speculation that they had made promises to Mitts on this.

 

I agree with @TrueBlueGED, you and others -- he needs to stay in the AHL until he makes it very GD clear that he's too good for that level and can be a real NHL forward.

 

Well, I have to believe that JB sees it too at this point.

Maybe JB did make promises to Mitts and had to play the "then new coach can't be bound by prior commitments" card, or maybe RK used his Jedi mind positivity witchcraft on Mitts and got him to agree to it, or maybe MItts' parents or agent agreed that he needed it and convinced him, or maybe a bunch of things. 

I dunno, the simplest explanation to me has always been that Botterill believes in Mittelstadt. He was Botts' first pick as GM and was given an NHL contract after one decent but unspectacular college season. He was penciled in to play 2/3C as a rookie. I don't need a shadowy promises conspiracy to explain it. 

[Carmel Corn]

I don't dislike Casey, but I am not convinced he can be a bonafide top 6 forward in the NHL  If he can't impress in Rochester, then I say he is a similar bust to Nylander and that all we can hope for is a reasonable trade.

[matter2003]

Been a long time coming. He has really struggled.

[Stoner]

54 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

IT'S ABOUT TIME.

This could also mean they're getting ready to pull the trigger on a trade.

[inkman]

8 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

I dunno, the simplest explanation to me has always been that Botterill believes in Mittelstadt. He was Botts' first pick as GM and was given an NHL contract after one decent but unspectacular college season. He was penciled in to play 2/3C as a rookie. I don't need a shadowy promises conspiracy to explain it. 

Quite frankly, your second to last sentence really speaks to the issue.  He shouldn't have been penciled as anything. 

[Wyldnwoody44]

[Gatorman0519]

Another reflection of a bad decision by the GM.  This franchise is in no place to bust in a top 10 pick at center, whilst within a year later of sending one of the top 2 way Centers in the league for next to nothing.  This team is on the brink of mediocrity simply because the GM has ruined the spine of this team (center).  JBot has a lot to do for anyone to trust he can build a winner.

[LGR4GM]

Finally

[bunomatic]

They ‘ve finally come to their senses and put him in a position to succeed.

[LGR4GM]

17 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

I dunno, the simplest explanation to me has always been that Botterill believes in Mittelstadt. He was Botts' first pick as GM and was given an NHL contract after one decent but unspectacular college season. He was penciled in to play 2/3C as a rookie. I don't need a shadowy promises conspiracy to explain it. 

I think this is correct. 

[Ross Rhea]

Regardless of how well he plays in the A, I hope they leave him there for the rest of the year.

[miles]

makes me glad. i bet he will come back in a couple of months or next season and be what we all thought he would be.

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

I hope he lights up the A and earns his way back up. We are going to need him in the near future.

[woods-racer]

1 hour ago, TrueBlueGED said:

I dunno, the simplest explanation to me has always been that Botterill believes in Mittelstadt. He was Botts' first pick as GM and was given an NHL contract after one decent but unspectacular college season. He was penciled in to play 2/3C as a rookie. I don't need a shadowy promises conspiracy to explain it. 

IIRC he didn't have to come to the Sabres.

He could have stayed in college and at the end of his 4 years taken the Vesey route. There has been more people  than just us that have rumored he only came here under the promise of ice time in the NHL and not be in the AHL. 

If he thought he was just going to wind up in the AHL he would probably would  have stayed in college. So, to surmise that Kruger had discussions that his future looked bleak and he needed some help is not shadowy conspiracy.

[...]

[woods-racer]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

Casey hasnt played the last two games so look at those game day threads.

There's an open spot on the big club.

It's easy to move someone up now.

[...]

Just now, woods-racer said:

There's an open spot on the big club.

It's easy to move someone up now.

7 D.  7 D has worked.

[Torpedo Forecheck]

Mitts play away from the puck is very weak. He reads the play slowly and arrives a dime short and a second late. The numbers of times I've seen him possess the puck briefly as its knocked away from him is amazingly high. More anticipation needed and he'll gain that extra space he needs.

[Mustache of God]

I'm amazed it took this long but am glad it finally happened. Let's see him prove something in the A and actually develop. I'm confident Ralph gave him a good sending down "pep talk" with a clear plan of what he needs to work on.

Go bills.

[Brawndo]

26 minutes ago, woods-racer said:

There's an open spot on the big club.

It's easy to move someone up now.

Andrew Ogileve would be the most likely candidate 

25 minutes ago, ... said:

7 D.  7 D has worked.

That it has 

Unless Vlad is almost ready 

[LGR4GM]

36 minutes ago, woods-racer said:

IIRC he didn't have to come to the Sabres.

He could have stayed in college and at the end of his 4 years taken the Vesey route. There has been more people  than just us that have rumored he only came here under the promise of ice time in the NHL and not be in the AHL. 

If he thought he was just going to wind up in the AHL he would probably would  have stayed in college. So, to surmise that Kruger had discussions that his future looked bleak and he needed some help is not shadowy conspiracy.

Casey wasn't going to stay in college for 4 years. That was almost never going to be a thing. It never makes financial sense for first round guys to do it. 

[tom webster]

2 hours ago, nfreeman said:

Good.

I wonder if RK had to convince JB on this, and if so, how long and how much arguing it took, and if, as some have speculated, JB promised Mitts he wouldn't have to go to Rochester and they therefore had to convince Mitts.

In any case, as I've said previously, I don't want to see him here again until he lights up the AHL for at least 25-30 games.  He's not close to being ready.

And lighting up the AHIL will only prove  he can be Jody Gage.