What to do with Mittelstadt

[Thorner]

[Pimlach]

12 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Best two way forward on the team? 

I pick Cozens.  
 

Mitts should be extended and he will be. 

Edited November 2, 2023 by Pimlach

[Thorner]

12 hours ago, Hank said:

Just like with 6K, I've always liked Mitts. I think he's in the future plans. I don't see him getting under 6.5M. I wouldn't want to sign him for longer than five years. 

I think I mostly agree with your opinion on 4T

[French Collection]

2 minutes ago, Hank said:

Would either of the alphabet boys care to expound on why they vomited my take?  Is it that you want Mitts locked up longer than five years? Naive enough to think we can get him for under 6.5? Too ignorant to acknowledge he's been our best forward this year? What is it? Enlighten me. 

I got a similar reaction, probably anti Mitts.

I agree that you probably can’t get him under $6.5M if he keeps this up. He will be an example of staying hungry and working hard to play to your potential before being rewarded. KA has gone the other way with the core, except for Dahlin.

[Hank]

1 minute ago, Pimlach said:

I pick Cozens.  
 

Mitts should be extended and he will be. 

Prior to this year I would agree. Cozens has been not as good this year. 

1 minute ago, Thorny said:

I think I mostly agree with your opinion on 4T

I see what you did there. Nice! 😃

[LETSTUCHINGO]

Sign him asap and sign him for 8 years and anything up to 7 per. I also think the list of our quality two way forwards is growing, Tuch, Greeny, Mitts, Cozey, Krebs, and Biro and Benson are both good and will only get better with more experience. I also think Tage is developing as well, at the very least working on it!

[Thorner]

2 minutes ago, LETSTUCHINGO said:

Sign him asap and sign him for 8 years and anything up to 7 per. I also think the list of our quality two way forwards is growing, Tuch, Greeny, Mitts, Cozey, Krebs, and Biro and Benson are both good and will only get better with more experience. I also think Tage is developing as well, at the very least working on it!

Krebs is 1 way 

One point in 10 games, an assist on an empty netter 

[LETSTUCHINGO]

3 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Krebs is 1 way 

One point in 10 games, an assist on an empty netter 

He's a forward that is an excellent defender, to me, that's a 2 way player. I agree he doesn't light it up offensively by any stretch of the word, but he does all the gritty, dirty things to foster offensive production for the team!

[...]

6 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Krebs is 1 way 

One point in 10 games, an assist on an empty netter 

As I said in the game-day thread, 1K is the new 4T.

[Thorner]

Just now, LETSTUCHINGO said:

He's a forward that is an excellent defender, to me, that's a 2 way player. I agree he doesn't light it up offensively by any stretch of the word, but he does all the gritty, dirty things to foster offensive production for the team!

I take your meaning but good defensive players who thus free up offense isn’t the traditional connotation for two-way. By the same token, Tage is a 2 way forward because the “best D is great offence”

[Weave]

5 minutes ago, ... said:

As I said in the game-day thread, 1K is the new 4T.

This is gonna be a thing, isn’t it?

[Marvin]

9 minutes ago, ... said:

As I said in the game-day thread, 1K is the new 4T.

What the heck is 4T, an alternative to 40?

[Thorner]

2 minutes ago, Marvin said:

What the heck is 4T, an alternative to 40?

No you are thinking of forTE, former bears running back

4T=KC

Edited November 2, 2023 by Thorny
KC = Casey

[matter2003]

38 minutes ago, Hank said:

Would either of the alphabet boys care to expound on why they vomited my take?  Is it that you want Mitts locked up longer than five years? Naive enough to think we can get him for under 6.5? Too ignorant to acknowledge he's been our best forward this year? What is it? Enlighten me. 

Sorry, I'm too busy eating alphabet crackers in my soup.

[GASabresIUFAN]

35 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I pick Cozens.  
 

Mitts should be extended and he will be. 

His back checking isn’t at Casey’s level yet.

[Doohicksie]

2 hours ago, inkman said:

@Doohickie maybe you didn’t understand what I’m trying to say.  Our forwards are either offensive or defensive. Not a lot of two way guys.  

I took that as a knock against Casey.

[inkman]

2 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

Fix dat toof.

Him and ooopie 

[Mr. Allen]

Oh I would love it if we never call UPL 6K but always refer to Mitts as 4T. 

Edited November 2, 2023 by Mr. Allen

[Mr. Allen]

Ok.  Let’s say 4T insists on something like 8.5 million per and Adams has no choice but to move him.  What might be his value on the trade market? 

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, Mr. Allen said:

Ok.  Let’s say 4T insists on something like 8.5 million per and Adams has no choice but to move him.  What might be his value on the trade market? 

1st, good not great prospect, and something. Don't have to worry about it this season. 

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, Mr. Allen said:

Ok.  Let’s say 4T insists on something like 8.5 million per and Adams has no choice but to move him.  What might be his value on the trade market? 

Can't see him demanding that.  He's an RFA w/ arbitration rights but doesn't become a UFA for another 2 years after this one.  

Really expect them to agree to a LT deal in the neighborhood of, but very slightly lower than, those signed by Cozens and Thompson.  If they can't get a LT deal, he likely plays here next year and then could see him getting traded with 1 year left on that next deal.

[GASabresIUFAN]

I project a 6 year deal at 7 per season if he finishes with 65+ points.  He wants to stay and he is an important locker room guy.  KA extended his BFFs Dahlin and Cozens.  I would try to minimize the usage of NMC/NTCs if I were KA.

The 6 year deal brings Casey to 30 and another good payday if his game is intact. 

I do wonder if locking up Casey makes it near impossible to retain Joki as well.  

[Mr. Allen]

20 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Can't see him demanding that.  He's an RFA w/ arbitration rights but doesn't become a UFA for another 2 years after this one.  

Really expect them to agree to a LT deal in the neighborhood of, but very slightly lower than, those signed by Cozens and Thompson.  If they can't get a LT deal, he likely plays here next year and then could see him getting traded with 1 year left on that next deal.

I was just saying hypothetically to get people’s thoughts on what his trade value might be.  

[mjd1001]

1 hour ago, Hank said:

Prior to this year I would agree. Cozens has been not as good this year. 

I actually disagree with Cozens from last year.

  He has the potential to be good 2 way, and he certainly is aggressive, but last year I re-watched WAY too many goals where his over-aggressiveness had him out of position and he was one of the main reasons a chance was allowed.  If/When he learns when to chase the puck with 100% effort vs when he is better to hold his position/spot on the ice, then he will be a very good to great 2 way forward.  But do not confuse aggressiveness and chasing the puck for being good defensively. 

His positioning on many, many goals allowed last year was awful.  I posted comments after watching a lot of replays, the story goes something like this...puck goes into the corner. Sabres D-man is going to the corner and will get to the puck first.  Cozens decides to chase the puck there anyway being the 2nd man in, leaving his spot on the ice, but not impacting the play because by the time he gets there, the puck has already been moved.  The loose puck gets pushed to the high slot where Cozens was but vacated that location to chase the puck, Center or D-man gets the puck un-opposed and walks right in for a scoring chance, goal allowed.  If he would have stayed where he was positionally, the loose puck that came to the area, he might have even taken possession and gone the other way with it.

Again, its good he is agressive and seems to push 100% out there, but he made a lot of positional mistakes that led to a lot of goals against last year.

[matter2003]

In the last 25 games played(going back to last year), Mittelstadt has led the Sabres in scoring with 28 points. Surprised?  You shouldn't be if you have been watching the games.  He has been consistently excellent and last year single handedly kept us in the playoff race when the big guns went dry for a bit.

He has also been a +6 in that time, 2nd on the team only to Power who is a +7. He has been noticeable in the defensive zone too at times winning puck battles and getting the puck out.  He is taking his game to another level, IMO.

Adams better extend him soon or his price is going to be a lot higher at the end of the year when he potentially has 80-90 points.  He is the fan favorite whipping boy no more...

 

 

Hasn't only been good for the Sabres either...he is actually tied for 16th in the NHL in most points over the last 25 games with players like Auston Matthews and Nikita Kucherov.

 

 

Edited November 3, 2023 by matter2003