The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the team has signed forward Casey Mittelstadt to a three-year contract through the 2026-27 season.
Mittelstadt, 25, was acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on March 6, 2024 and suited up in 18 regular-season games for the Avalanche, posting 10 points (4g/6a) with the club. He finished among Avalanache-leaders in goals (T-6th), assists (7th) and points (8th) since his debut on March 8. In 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games, Mittelstadt registered nine points (3g/6a), good for the sixth-highest total on Colorado. All nine of the his playoff points came at even-strength, tying him with Mikko Rantanen for the team-lead in that category. The centerman recorded a three-game point streak between Games 3-5 of the First Round, beginning with a three-assist night in Game 3. The 2024 postseason run marked his first appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Mittelstadt was drafted by Buffalo in the first round (eighth overall) in the 2017 NHL Draft.
The 6-foot-1, 195-pound forward registered a combined 57 points (18g/39a) in 80 games between Colorado and Buffalo in 2023-24, a scoring line that finished two points shy of his career-high from 2022-23. At the time of the trade, Mittelstadt was leading the Sabres in points (47) and assists (33) in 62 games. The 18 total goals Mittelstadt tallied marked a single-season career-high; He scored his first goal in his second game with Colorado on March 12 at Calgary. During his first month with the Avalanche, Mittelstadt registered a season-high-tying five-game point streak (2g/3a) from March 12-22. He lit the lamp in consecutive games from March 28- 30.
“Casey was a great fit for our lineup and a big contributor to our team down the stretch and in the playoffs,” said Avalanche General Manager Chris MacFarland. “His game has improved every season and he took yet another big jump this past year. We believe he has an even higher level to reach and it was important to get him signed for several years. Casey is an exciting, playmaking center with good vision and hands and at just 25 years old is going to be a big part of our team moving forward.”
Mittelstadt enters 2024-25 with 357 regular-season NHL games with the Avalanche and Sabres from 2017-24, registering 196 points (66g/130a). In 2022-23, Mittelstadt set a career-high in both assists (44) and points (59) while playing in all 82 games for the first time in his career. He was the only Buffalo skater to appear in all of his team’s games. The 59 points marked a 40-point improvement from his 2021-22 output (6g/13a) as well as a 34-point improvement from his previous career-high of 25 points (12g/13a) from 2018-19.
During his stay in the Sabres’ organization, Mittelstadt also played 36 games for Buffalo’s AHL affiliate the Rochester Americans in 2019-20 where he collected 25 points (9g/16a).
A native of Edina, Minnesota, Mittelstadt played one season for the NCAA’s Minnesota Golden Gophers in 2017-18 before signing his entry-level contract where he registered 30 points (11g/19a) in 34 games to rank second on the team in scoring as a freshman. The performance earned him recognition on the All-Big Ten Rookie Team. Mittelstadt also competed for the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers in 2016-17 before joining the Golden Gophers.
On the international stage, Mittelstadt played for Team USA at the 2018 World Junior Championship where he led the team in scoring with 11 points (4g/7a) and captured a bronze medal. He was named Tournament MVP.
