[NHL] Colorado Extends Contract with Mittelstadt
(Denver = Wongeol Jeong) – The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that they have signed forward Casey Mittelstadt to a three-year contract extending through the 2026-27 season.
Mittelstadt, 25, was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres on March 6, 2024, and quickly made an impact. In 18 regular-season games with the Avalanche, he tallied 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists). Mittelstadt ranked among the team’s leaders in several categories, tying for sixth in goals, seventh in assists, and eighth in points since his debut on March 8. In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Mittelstadt recorded nine points (3 goals, 6 assists) over 11 games, securing the sixth-highest total on the team. Notably, all nine of his playoff points came at even strength, tying him with Mikko Rantanen for the team lead in that category. Mittelstadt enjoyed a three-game point streak in the first round, highlighted by a three-assist performance in Game 3. This postseason run marked his first Stanley Cup Playoffs appearance.
The 6-foot-1, 195-pound forward accumulated 57 points (18 goals, 39 assists) in 80 games between Colorado and Buffalo during the 2023-24 season, just two points shy of his career-high from 2022-23. Prior to the trade, Mittelstadt led the Sabres in points (47) and assists (33) over 62 games. His 18 goals marked a single-season career high, and he scored his first goal for Colorado in his second game on March 12 against Calgary. During his first month with the Avalanche, Mittelstadt enjoyed a season-high-tying five-game point streak (2 goals, 3 assists) from March 12-22 and scored 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 the 2024-25 season with 357 regular-season NHL games under his belt, having amassed 196 points (66 goals, 130 assists) during his stints with the Avalanche and Sabres from 2017-24. In the 2022-23 season, he set career highs in assists (44) and points (59) while playing in all 82 games for the first time in his career, the only Buffalo skater to do so. His 59 points marked a significant 40-point improvement from his 2021-22 output and a 34-point jump from his previous career-high of 25 points in 2018-19.
During his time with the Sabres organization, Mittelstadt also played 36 games for Buffalo’s AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, in 2019-20, where he collected 25 points (9 goals, 16 assists).
A native of Edina, Minnesota, Mittelstadt played one season for the NCAA’s Minnesota Golden Gophers in 2017-18, registering 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in 34 games as a freshman, earning a spot on the All-Big Ten Rookie Team. Before joining the Golden Gophers, he competed for the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers in 2016-17.
Internationally, Mittelstadt represented Team USA at the 2018 World Junior Championship, leading the team in scoring with 11 points (4 goals, 7 assists) and capturing a bronze medal. His outstanding performance earned him the Tournament MVP title.
