Bruins
Mittelstadt is an eight-year NHL veteran who spent most of his career in Buffalo and played college hockey against Trent Frederic.
Casey Mittelstadt is one of the Bruins' top acquisitions of the trade deadline. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
For the Bruins, this trade deadline will be remembered by the departures a lot more than the arrivals.
However, Boston did add quite a few players, including a seasoned NHL veteran in Casey Mittelstadt. Mittelstadt will help fill the hole at center left behind by Charlie Coyle, who was dealt to the Avalanche as part of the Mittelstadt trade on Friday.
Here are five things to know about the new Bruins center.
He played college hockey at Minnesota.
Growing up in Minnesota, Mittelstadt got the opportunity to play college hockey at his state school.
Mittelstadt spent one season at Minnesota from 2017-18, and while it wasn’t one of the Gophers NCAA Tournament teams, it did give the forward a chance to prepare for the NHL.
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Mittelstadt recorded 30 points in his lone season at Minnesota before joining the Buffalo Sabres after the season ended.
He briefly crossed paths with Trent Frederic in college.
Mittelstadt and Trent Frederic won’t get a chance to be teammates in Boston — Frederic was traded to Edmonton just days before Colorado sent Mittelstadt to the Bruins.
However, the two did cross paths before they became NHL stars. Mittelstadt’s Gophers played Frederic’s Wisconsin Badgers in the 2017-18 season, Frederic’s sophomore year. Mittelstadt recorded a goal and two assists across the four games, and Frederic scored as well.
It looks like Frederic and Mittelstadt will continue playing on opposite benches for future encounters.
He spent most of his professional career in Buffalo.
Mittelstadt built his NHL career with the Buffalo Sabres, where he spent his first six seasons and change. His career-high in points (59) came with the Sabres in the 2022-23 season, and he followed that up with a 57 point season the following year with Buffalo and Colorado combined.
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Mittelstadt developed into a solidified role on the Sabres power play, an area Don Sweeney hopes he can help the Bruins improve in.
Though his 2024-25 season with the Avalanche didn’t amass the same on-ice production Mittelstadt had in Buffalo, he can still be a reliable hand with the Bruins, especially if he returns to form.
He played alongside another one of Boston’s trade acquisitions.
Mittelstadt isn’t the only former Sabre to join the Bruins at the deadline, either.
Defenseman Henri Jokiharju joined Buffalo just one year after Mittelstadt, and the two played five seasons together with the Sabres. Now, they’re reuniting as veterans who will be permanent fixtures for Boston for the remainder of this season, and likely beyond that.
At least when Mittelstadt and Jokiharju join the locker room they’ll have a familiar face to lean back on.
He’s a former “Mr. Hockey” and a decorated high school athlete.
Mittelstadt was destined for the NHL long before he achieved that dream in Buffalo.
The Minnesotan was a bona fide high school star, collecting plenty of accolades early in his hockey career.
Being tabbed “Mr. Hockey” in Minnesota in 2017 was among his most notable achievements, but Mittelstadt also was named Associated Press player of the year, USA Today All-USA athlete of the year, and was a multi-time All-State player.
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To earn that many awards in a state known as one of the hockey hotbeds of the country is an impressive feat. Now his hockey legacy will continue in the home of one of the Original Six NHL teams.
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