Jack Eichel scored twice in Buffalo’s upset win over the Maple Leafs.
By Chris Ryndak / Sabres.com
BUFFALO,, N.Y. — It looks like Casey Mittelstadt is going to make is NHL debut Thursday night.
The Sabres agreed to terms on a three-year, entry-level contract with their top pick in the 2017 NHL Draft yesterday and he’s expected to be in town today to officially sign the deal.
Buffalo is set to return to practice tomorrow. Buffalo and Detroit are set to go at it on Thursday at 7 p.m. from KeyBank Center. Tickets are on sale now.
The Sabres were in action Monday night, defeating Toronto 3-2 thanks to a pair of goals from Jack Eichel.
Here’s what you need to know.
The newest Sabre
Mittelstadt, who was selected by the Sabres in the first round (eighth overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft, recently completed his freshman season at the University of Minnesota. He earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team after recording 30 points (11+19) in 34 games for the Golden Gophers.
The Minnesota native also helped lead the United States to a bronze medal at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo this season, earning tournament MVP honors after tying for the tournament lead with 11 points (4+7) in seven games.
“It’s been exciting watching him throughout the entire year,” Sabres general manager Jason Botterill said last night in Toronto. “… We’re excited to see how he handles himself here. The biggest thing is setting him up for success next October.”
Botterill cited Mittelstadt’s performance at the World Junior Championship in Buffalo, when he scored 11 points (4+7) in seven games and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, as evidence that the young forward is ready to make the jump to professional hockey.
“I’m always excited about Casey’s hockey sense and his skill level, things that we’ve talked about with our group here in Buffalo, improving our team speed and improving our team skill level,” Botterill said. “We really like watching him throughout the entire year, just his competitiveness in crucial situations.
“… There could’ve been a lot of pressure on him [at World Juniors], but he really excelled in that situation.”
Mittelstadt played in a summer league with some pros and he certainly caught their attention.
Kyle Okposo got his first look at Casey Mittelstadt during the summer, when the two skated together in their hometown of St. Paul, Minn. They were opponents in Da Beauty League, a summer league featuring a mix of established NHL players as well as up-and-comers.
Da Beauty League, however, is played at four-on-four. What really impressed Okposo were the five-on-five skates that both he and Mittelstadt took part in every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at various rinks in Minnesota.
“That’s the highest pace that I’ve played in the summer and he was really impressive there,” Okposo said. “I had guys on the bench saying how special of a player he was and how special his mind was for the game.”
Casey Nelson was teammates with Mittelstadt in Da Beauty League. Based on those games, he thinks the forward will be just fine.
“Any time he steps on the ice, no matter who’s out there, you can tell he’s going to be something special,” he said.
Housley got to see Mittelstadt at Buffalo’s development camp in July and came away impressed.
“He’s got a unique (thing) in his creativity where he creates separation,” Sabres coach Phil Housley said. “He does things at a high-speed level, whether it’s shooting, he gets his shot off quick, his first three or four strides out of the gate are really good. That’s how he creates his separation and he’s got great vision to make plays.
“It’ll be interesting when he gets here to see him and talk to him and see how he’s going to be part of our team.”
About Monday night
From the Lexus Postgame Report…
On a day that began with the Buffalo Sabres adding a player they hope will be a major piece of their future, a young star already on their roster provided more cause for optimism. The fact that it came against the team’s biggest rival was icing on the cake.
Jack Eichel scored a pair of goals to bookend the scoring for the Sabres in 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre on Monday night. It was a fitting conclusion to a day that began with Casey Mittelstadt signing a three-year, entry-level contract.
All in all, it was a step in the right direction for the Sabres, who not only snapped Toronto’s 13-game winning streak at home but also their own four-game losing streak.
“It’s a big win,” Eichel said. “They’re the hottest team in the league at home right now. It’s an emotional game, a rivalry for us. We took a pretty good licking on Saturday night in New York, so it’s a really good response from the group.
“I think it goes to show that when we do things the right way and we compete for each other, make hard plays, I think you can have success.”
Phil Housley challenged the team’s leadership group to step up earlier this week. Eichel appeared to be up to the task right from the opening puck drop. He put the Sabres on the board just 3:23 into the contest, using his speed to take the puck from Auston Matthews in the corner and initiate a give-and-go with Zemgus Girgensons.
The goal was Eichel’s first since returning from a high-ankle sprain on March 17.
“I thought Jack’s game all night was terrific,” Housley said. “I mean, from start to finish he really brought it tonight and it’s great to see him step up like he did.”