Luke Mittelstadt is a mainstay at Minnesota.
When a team is picking in the seventh round of a draft. They are going to take a big swing on a player because the odds are bad to begin with. Taking a college player where you can stash him and not have to worry about offering an ELC before you know it helps the overall picture.
Luke Mittelstadt is Casey’s younger brother and a defenseman. So, he’s a different player than his brother and that is good for him. This way he won’t be compared to him.
Mittelstadt started as an offensive defenseman. In 2021-22, with the Madison Capitols, he had 19 goals and 36 assists in 60 games. His skating was excellent, and he has a terrific shot. But those kinds of numbers weren’t going to last.
Internationally, he was on the 2022-23 World Junior team that won a bronze medal. He had three points in seven games. Just to be on that team means that you are a very good player for your age group.
With his hometown, University of Minnesota, he’s been hovering around 20 points a season. And he’s on pace for that in his junior season.
At 5’11”, 180 pounds, he will be able to handle the rigors of professional hockey. He’s not overly physical, but he is a good shot blocker and his defense is solid. According to InStat, he now gets 62% defensive zone starts and he’s winning 60% of his puck battles.
Mittelstadt plays in all situations. He’s a really good passer on the power play and solid on the penalty kill. So far, I can see him being an NHL call up at the very least but if he can make one more jump, you never know.
He might go back for his senior year; Milltelstadt will be 22 in January. That would be a good plan, and then have him sign after that.