According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Devils have checked in on this Avalanche forward.
The New Jersey Devils currently have a 30-19-6 record and comfortably sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division standings. With this, they are being viewed as clear buyers for the 2025 NHL trade deadline.
The Devils' primary goal should be to add to their forward group. They need more secondary offensive production, and they appear to have an intriguing trade candidate on their radar.
In his most recent 32 Thoughts column, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman wrote that the Devils are among the clubs that have "poked around" on Mittelstadt but noted that there has not been "much traction" in the talks. The other two teams Friedman mentioned that are interested in Mittelstadt are the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Mittelstadt, 26, has been the subject of trade rumors as of late. It is understandable, as the 2017 first-round pick has struggled to find his fit this season with the Avalanche. In 55 games, he has nine goals and 32 poings. While this is not bad production, it is lower than expected from the 6-foot-1 forward.
When playing at his best, Mittelstadt is an impactful top-six forward. During the 2022-23 season with the Buffalo Sabres, he had 15 goals and 59 points. He then followed that up by posting 18 goals, 57 points, and a plus-10 rating in 80 games split between Buffalo and Colorado last season.
If the Devils acquired Mittelstadt, he could be a strong addition to their top six, as he can play both down the middle and on the wing. He would also give them another clear option for their power play if acquired because of his playmaking ability.
Mittelstadt would be more than a rental for New Jersey if acquired, as he has a $5.75 million cap hit until the end of the 2026-27 season. It will be interesting to see if their reported interest in Mittelstadt results in anything from here.
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