BRIGHTON, MA -- Casey Mittelstadt knows what happened in the last 18 months or so of his career.  Getting traded twice, while his numbers nosedive, far lower than expected for an excellent two-way center with elite playmaking skills.

What Mittelstadt can't do is change any of it. After getting traded to the Bruins, he posted just four goals and two assists in 18 games, all while the Bruins sank low last season as a group.

Entering camp this year, he's settled into Boston more. He knows what the hockey world's expectations for the Boston Bruins and him are this year. He sat down and spoke with The Hockey News exclusively about it all.

"I think it's been a little bit of a crazy, crazy year and a half or so," Mittelstadt told The Hockey News. "But at the same time, I'm playing hockey for a living. So I can't complain. I'm happy to be here, and I'm happy with how things worked out to end up here.

"I mean, what an honor to play for this organization, and I feel like we could prove a lot of people wrong."

That's a common theme amongst the Bruins' room. With Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm back at full health, it's not hard to envision a significantly improved Bruins team. Figure Jeremy Swayman will recapture his elite form after a normal summer and training camp, too. 

Beyond them, having a guy like Mittelstadt settle in will be monumental for this team. This is a player who, just two and three years ago, posted seasons with 15 or more goals and 57 and 59 points in both seasons.

Mittelstadt, currently skating as the team's third-line center and a facilitator on the second power play unit, has a massive opportunity to regain his form.

"I think just finding my confidence again," Mittelstadt told The Hockey News. "Playing confident and being willing to make the plays that I need to make and win the battles that I need to win. I think that's kind of what it comes down to in games.

"So I think I have the tools and the skill to perform now. It's just a matter of executing."

He showcased that skill on Tuesday in Madison Square Garden, posting two assists, both of which showed just how good he can be at making passes. But, if you ask Head Coach Marco Sturm, he did more than just make plays.

"What I really liked was how he was on the bench," Sturm told reporters Thursday morning. "He really helped the young guys out. He was in a good mood, he was positive, even when we were down 4-1. That shows me, he’s trying.”

Being a leader is something that only rounds out Mittelstadt. Since the groups split into more of a focus on the NHL group, he's had Matthew Poitras on his wing, a 21-year-old force of a player that Boston has very high hopes for.

If that combination sticks with Tanner Jeannot on the left, it could be a perfect blend. Jeannot, the gritty, get-dirty puck grinder, parking net front for offense. Poitras, with his wicked shot, can become the go-to scorer of the line as he transitions to wing.

As for Mittelstadt? He'd be a perfect playmaker, facilitating pucks and feeding Jeannot and Poitras for chances. He told all reporters yesterday that the trio "complement each other well."

It's a line that Sturm also has very high hopes for. Specifically asked about Poitras as a wing for Mittelstadt, Sturm broke it down. 

"With Mittelstadt, [he has] the ability to move pucks and find guys," Sturm said. "I thought it would be maybe a good pair to move forward [with]. Somebody on [Mittelstadt’s] side needs to have speed. Casey, he will find you. He’s that good on the puck and that smart. He will find you. But he needs guys to push him along and push him forward.”

That trust between coach and player is another massive thing for Mittelstadt. By the end of his time in Colorado, it became clear the Avalanche lost faith in Mittelstadt after a slow start to his campaign. That's not something that's going to be an issue in Boston.

Sturm told reporters one of the biggest things for him is to be truthful, but also have good relationships with his players, especially as they build confidence. Mittelstadt's felt that from Sturm so far. 

"I think obviously we're learning," Mittelstadt told The Hockey News. "But, he's demanding. Even just little passes we miss in practice, he's on guys, and I'm on guys about the details, and I think that's a common theme among all the great teams. So it's been awesome, and I think it's going to continue to ramp up here as we go. But that's the first thing I noticed."

All the pieces for Mittelstadt to have a massive rebound year are there. Now, he just needs to piece it all together.