Buffalo Sabres: Predicting Casey Mittelstadt’s 2022-23 Season

The Buffalo Sabres have a former top ten pick in Casey Mittelstadt looking to prove he’s better than the way he has played so far. 

Casey Mittelstadt looks more like an incredible bust than a top ten pick once thought to become a future star in the NHL. But with Mittelstadt likely to begin the season on the second line, the Buffalo Sabres look as though they will give him at least one more season to prove his worth.

In 2021-22, injuries marred Mittelstadt’s development and he saw time in just 40 games, scoring 19 points, six goals, and 13 assists. On the plus side, he did show more productivity during the latter portion of the season along with the rest of the team.

A healthy Casey Mittelstadt could produce for the Buffalo Sabres

If Mittelstadt stays healthy all season, he could be a moderately productive center. Recently in camp, he played on a line that featured Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch while Jack Quinn and Victor Olofsson flanked the Thompson line.

This could work wonders for Mittelstadt if Skinner and Tuch, the team’s two most productive wingers, continue teaming with him into the regular season. While I don’t believe Mittelstadt will set any new records soon, he could augment his personal best of 0.536 points per game, which he reached in 2020-21.

Of course, this is assuming he sees time with more accomplished wingers like Tuch and Skinner, who will, in turn, elevate Mittelstadt’s game. It is also assuming he stays healthy for at least a strong portion of the season.

So what is a realistic prediction for Mittelstadt? My bold prediction was nothing more than for the star-crossed center to excel from the Don Granato Effect. Realistically, the Effect will rub off on Mittelstadt to some degree, and he can reach 0.6 points per game, which is at least better than what he’s shown.

All of this comes on the condition that he lines up often with Skinner and Tuch, and that he manages to play in 70-plus games. So assuming Mittelstadt can stay healthy and reach the 70-game mark, I’ll give him 42 points this season, 13 goals, and 29 assists.

Now, if he’s playing alongside Jack Quinn and Victor Olofsson, I won’t be so confident, and odds are, he will hit around the 35-point mark in 70 games, good for 11 goals and 24 assists. And that’s 35 points tops, which may be enough to give him one more season.

Or if Matt Savoie comes in, plays his nine games, and looks good, management might just show Mittelstadt the door. This was one of the more challenging predictions to make because really, Mittelstadt remains a mixed bag.

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)