Buffalo Sabres midseason MVP candidates

Even though it hasn't been the best start to the season, the Buffalo Sabres have some players that are stepping up in a huge way. Players like Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch and Dylan Cozens are starting to find their game but they got off to slow starts. Despite the slow start from the big name guys, other players are picking up the slack and are having very good seasons.

While there is a long way to go until the end of the season, let's start talking about who is the MVP of the Sabres so far this year. There are a few candidates that you can make a case for being the MVP. Here are the players who should be viewed as the team's most valuable player so far.

1. Casey Mittelstadt

This name might be a surprise to some people but Casey Mittelstadt has been playing pretty good for Bufalo this season. Looking at his stats, Mittelstadt definitely has made a case for himself. In 49 games played, Mittelstadt has 12 goals and 30 assists. His 42 points leads the Sabres in that department. While the fanbase is split on him, you can't deny that he's been very solid for a struggling Buffalo team.

Ever since head coach Don Granato took over a couple of years ago, Casey has improved and has shown why he was selected by the Sabres 8th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft. He might be the minority when it comes to being the best player on the Sabres this year, but he should be considered as the teams MVP at this point of the season. He is due for a new contract soon, so it will be interesting to see if he can keep it rolling with that as motivation.