Are the Buffalo Sabres Willing to Trade Casey Mittelstadt?
Buffalo Sabres points leader Casey Mittelstadt becomes an RFA after this season. What would it take for a team to give the Sabres an offer they cannot refuse for the forward?
With the Buffalo Sabres poised to miss the playoffs for a 12th straight season, it's expected they'll be sellers by the March 8 trade deadline.
The Hockey News Buffalo's Michael DeRosa has kept tabs on the Sabres' potential trade candidates. He pointed out that Sabres captain Kyle Okposo, forwards Alex Tuch, Zemgus Girgensons and Victor Olofsson, as well as defenseman Erik Johnson, have emerged in the rumor mill in recent weeks.
Casey Mittelstadt has also surfaced as a potential trade candidate. The versatile 25-year-old forward enjoyed a 59-point breakout performance last season and currently leads the Sabres with 42 points in 51 games. He carries a $2.5-million cap hit this season and is slated to become an RFA with arbitration rights on July 1.
Middelstadt first appeared in the rumor mill on Jan. 19 when ESPN's Kevin Weekes suggested he could hit the trade market. Weekes noted the Sabres have their other young players under long-term contracts but not Mitteldstadt. Four days later, Mittelstadt told The Buffalo News' Lance Lysowski that the trade rumors were news to him, adding he intended to re-sign with the Sabres.
During a Feb. 9 episode of the After The Whistle podcast, Andrew Peters claimed a “very reliable source” told him Sabres GM Kevyn Adams was “shopping Mittelstadt hard” because they already had several players under long-term deals. Peters didn't know what the asking price was, but his source believes they're shopping for a goaltender.
The following day, Lysowski tweeted the Sabres were listening when teams made inquiries. However, he stated they weren't shopping Mittelstadt.
Meanwhile, during Friday's 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman shared Weekes' view that Mittelstadt wouldn't be happy if he didn't get a lucrative long-term extension like his teammates. He felt the Sabres would have to move him if they weren't willing to pay him.
On The Hockey News' Colorado Avalanche site, Sam Belton said a change of scenery could be what Mittelstadt needs after not scoring a goal since Jan. 15, but they don't have a top goalie to trade. Instead, Belton mentioned the Avalanche could consider moving this year's first- and fourth-round picks on top of a prospect or more.
Given Mittelstadt's RFA status, the Sabres aren't under pressure to move him by March 8. However, the ongoing uncertainty over his contract situation should ensure he keeps getting mentioned as a trade candidate.