Casey Mittlestadt Signs 3 years 2.5 AAV extension with the Sabres

[Thorner]

5 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Development curves are weird.

But in the last month of the season I saw the player I thought he was going to be in junior.

I’d be prettysurprised if Casey isn’t our highest-scoring forward this year.

This contract has the potential to be a real bargain.

Should definitely be a bargain. I almost wish they were confident enough to extend the deal longer (if CM was open to it) so as to extend that value into years the team will presumably have their focus on winning games

3 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Let's hope that they've turned the corner by then or else we're watching Rebuild IV - Die Hardestest as he gets traded rather than letting him walk after threatening to get to UFA in 1 more season.

The last year of the deal seems to be the one people are saying is "year 1" (KA's 4th, overall) for playoffs being the goal. 

So if things go to plan, that "turned corner" team should be visible by then. 

[SHAAAUGHT!!!]

8 minutes ago, Thorny said:

I'd like to see Dahlin get term so we're looking at some REAL value in a few years. I don't want them walking him to RFA like they did Reinhart.

- - - 

Carolina went term with Svechnikov and I think the Sabres would be smart to do the same. If not, why they heck are we molding an entire rebuild around the dude if we aren't confident he's worth locking up for the long run 

 

4 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

They need to go long term 

I think we are all hoping they go long-term with Dahlin (and Joker), but with the contracts we've seen handed out to Dmen around the league this year I have no idea what it's going to cost to lock these two up for 8 years.

[GASabresIUFAN]

15 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Another way to look at this is that the most productive line (in a small sample size under Granato) Thompson, Mitts and Asplund are all under contract for the next two seasons for a total of 4.7 Million AAV per year 

I completely missed Asplund signing at the end of July.  

[Thorner]

1 minute ago, SHAAAUGHT!!! said:

 

I think we are all hoping they go long-term with Dahlin (and Joker), but with the contracts we've seen handed out to Dmen around the league this year I have no idea what it's going to cost to lock these two up for 8 years.

Parayko just went 8 years at 6.5 mil

[Buffalonill]

3 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Parayko just went 8 years at 6.5 mil

 That  Would be an absolute steal if we got that 

[Doohicksie]

15 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

They need to go long term 

Yes, because locking up Jack long term worked out so well.....

 

Not a criticism of your comment, more of a "Because Buffalo" complaint.

[Digger]

A very good signing for the Sabres and Mittelstadt.  Lots of upside with Casey and I really like the 3 years where we should be filling in around him with more talent developing and coming onto the team.  I hope that he keeps striving to improve his game (work hard) which is likely given the comments he made about being coached by Granato last season.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

48 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Great. Make my Mitts jersey outdated, why don't you.

Opps ...

51 minutes ago, Eleven said:

This is about right.

Yup.

17 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

I think it's a pretty good value, actually.

If Casey wants it I suppose.  I think he's settled in just fine at 37.

I agree.  I like his number.

Just trying to get @Eleven a little arrabiata.  I know he is not a fan of the NASCAR(esq) numbers.

[Thorner]

18 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Yes, because locking up Jack long term worked out so well.....

 

Not a criticism of your comment, more of a "Because Buffalo" complaint.

Do you mean Skinner? Jack's contract is fine

[Taro T]

16 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Should definitely be a bargain. I almost wish they were confident enough to extend the deal longer (if CM was open to it) so as to extend that value into years the team will presumably have their focus on winning games

The last year of the deal seems to be the one people are saying is "year 1" (KA's 4th, overall) for playoffs being the goal. 

So if things go to plan, that "turned corner" team should be visible by then. 

Well, plans haven't worked out for any of the GMs since Golisano sold.

Absolutely hoping that Adams will be the one to break from that mold, but until he actually gets results won't be expecting it. 

And with the way plans have gone the past 10 years would rather have seen this deal be 5 years catching 1 year of UFA rather than only 3 leaving just a single RFA year.  The contract does look good from the Sabres perspective, but people kept telling us the 1st  bridge deals for Reinhart was good from the team's perspective but those & COVID set us up to the place where they felt they had to trade him now rather than risk him walking in a year.  If he were still under contract 4 more years, we wouldn't have been forced into this 3rd rebuild/redirection.  We might have still been watching this same off-season unfold, but it would've clearly have been Adams rebuild rather than something he can blame on circumstances beyond his control.

If we're watching the Pegulas hire a new GM again in 3-4 years, there's no reason to not expect Mittelstadt to follow Reinhart's path.  Would like to have a bit more insurance that we're not walking into the beginning of the next wash cycle.  Getting Dahlin inked for 8 would help w/ that, so would 2 extra years have helped.  And really do believe the cap will have some major increases in 3 years.  Having Mitts locked 2 extra years, even at a higher salary) would help with navigating that transition.  (Sabres haven't been good at that since we entered a cap world.)

[Thorner]

3 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Well, plans haven't worked out for any of the GMs since Golisano sold.

Absolutely hoping that Adams will be the one to break from that mold, but until he actually gets results won't be expecting it. 

And with the way plans have gone the past 10 years would rather have seen this deal be 5 years catching 1 year of UFA rather than only 3 leaving just a single RFA year.  The contract does look good from the Sabres perspective, but people kept telling us the 1st  bridge deals for Reinhart was good from the team's perspective but those & COVID set us up to the place where they felt they had to trade him now rather than risk him walking in a year.  If he were still under contract 4 more years, we wouldn't have been forced into this 3rd rebuild/redirection.  We might have still been watching this same off-season unfold, but it would've clearly have been Adams rebuild rather than something he can blame on circumstances beyond his control.

If we're watching the Pegulas hire a new GM again in 3-4 years, there's no reason to not expect Mittelstadt to follow Reinhart's path.  Would like to have a bit more insurance that we're not walking into the beginning of the next wash cycle.  Getting Dahlin inked for 8 would help w/ that, so would 2 extra years have helped.  And really do believe the cap will have some major increases in 3 years.  Having Mitts locked 2 extra years, even at a higher salary) would help with navigating that transition.  (Sabres haven't been good at that since we entered a cap world.)

This *is* Adams' build, it's not beyond his control, and he needs to be judged on the results, full stop. 

I think with Casey the biggest thing for me is that the contract looks really good, I just wish we were in a position where that value was actually going to benefit us in years that "matter" to them. Maybe the last year

[That Aud Smell]

43 minutes ago, dudacek said:

This contract has the potential to be a real bargain.

Agreed with this and others who said something similar.

It's a little concerning that he will have to face tougher on-ice competition. But, whatever - sink or swim, pal (or, if the water is frozen ... skate).

If I had to wager, I'd bet on him out-performing this contract in a significant way.

[Buffalonill]

30 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Yes, because locking up Jack long term worked out so well.....

 

Not a criticism of your comment, more of a "Because Buffalo" complaint.

I would rather pay him 6.5-7 then 9-10 .

 

I truly believe he will habe the most points on our team this year 

[spndnchz]

It’s not NASCAR 3-7

[Flashsabre]

Great deal. I think he will play far above the deal starting this season.

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, Thorny said:

This *is* Adams' build, it's not beyond his control, and he needs to be judged on the results, full stop. 

I think with Casey the biggest thing for me is that the contract looks really good, I just wish we were in a position where that value was actually going to benefit us in years that "matter" to them. Maybe the last year

Absolutely it IS his plan.  But, can he NOT say this all just happened to him & he's making the best of it?

Am convinced that he never was happy having Eichel as his centerpiece.  And that this teardown is his way of moving forward from that.  But were Reinhart here for 4 more years, it would've made it a heck of a lot harder to head down this road.

And, had Golisano let Regier sign just TWO 3 year deals heading out of the lockout (McKee & Briere) THAT partial teardown (McKee, Grier, Dumont, & eventually all 3 C's that started the '07 playoff run) doesn't happen.  Have seen this movie too many times to not jump ahead to the end.  Hope that's too cynical, but at some point they need to get some LT continuity built in.  Maybe it isn't the right time to start locking in that continuity, but at some point it has to happen & this would've been a good starting point IMHO.

IF Granato works out, that concern may be overblown.  IF they actually have NHL goaltending next year, that concern may be overblown.  IF someone out of the D Adams has here &/or in the pipeline make the top 4 look like an NHL caliber top 4, that concern may be overblown.  IF Adamscbrings in some vets that know how to win to actually help mentor the kids, that concern may be overblown.  But right now, ALL of those are in the "hope it happens" column.  Running out of hope after a full decade while watching the biggest piece of that hope from the past decade get run out of town.

[Thorner]

3 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Absolutely it IS his plan.  But, can he NOT say this all just happened to him & he's making the best of it?

I would argue - no. There are a myriad of factors that go into building a team and every GM steps into a situation at the very least somewhat burdened by the work of the previous GM. It would be illogical to think, again with the many avenues explorable for potential value when building a team, that Adams doesn't have enough options out there to shape this team into a winner. That there aren't plenty of exploitable combinations he could piece together. 

If we want to say, "he's just making the best out of a situation he's not responsible for and his "failings" are a result of past handcuffs", then it's not really possible to hold him accountable for anything and the discussion to me holds no purpose. 

[darksabre]

I hope he keeps 37. Good hardworking number. 

[Eleven]

1 hour ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

Just trying to get @Eleven a little arrabiata.  I know he is not a fan of the NASCAR(esq) numbers.

Not a-tall.

[That Aud Smell]

58 minutes ago, darksabre said:

I hope he keeps 37. Good hardworking number. 

Curtis Brown agrees.

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

Do you mean Skinner? Jack's contract is fine

No, Jack.  Point being is that signing him to a long term contract didn't guarantee he would play here for the length of the contract.

[K-9]

CM sounded more mature than I’ve ever heard him before in his interview with Biron and Peters this morning. It’s like he has a new appreciation for what it takes to be a pro athlete. Are the days of chewing tobacco and marathon Fortnite sessions behind him? Here’s to hoping he earns the contract after this one. 

[LGR4GM]

Will be curious to see Mitts in a full season. He had a spurt like this earlier in his career and then fizzled, I worry about his ability to sustain the level of play he did at the end of last year. Good prove it contract. 

[Buffalonill]

3 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

Great deal. I think he will play far above the deal starting this season.

Hopefully he takes things seriously this time instead of playing video games all summer 

[inkman]

23 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

Hopefully he takes things seriously this time instead of playing video games all summer 

“It was just getting in the weight room,” Mittelstadt said. “It was nice that I had a little extra time to spend some time. Obviously, that’s kind of been a big topic for myself over the last few years, and just get in the weight room and work out and get in shape, work on my conditioning.

“I thought it ended up working out pretty well, I got to spend some extra time and my body feels really good right now.”
 

https://www.buffalohockeybeat.com/casey-mittelstadt-focused-on-making-sabres-after-having-blast-with-amerks/