🏒 "Bruins Eyeing Trade for $17.25M Center: Is Mittelstadt on the Move?"

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The Boston Bruins are ready to move on from this $17.25 million forward, according to an anonymous NHL executive.

The Boston Bruins could be looking to trade center Casey Mittelstadt as soon as they can this upcoming season.

A report published in RG Media on August 10 discussed comments by an anonymous source assuring that the Bruins never really intended to keep Mittelstadt when the team acquired him from the Colorado Avalanche.

As the anonymous NHL executive told James Murphy of RG:

“I don’t know how many rumors he’s been in, but I’ve been hearing [Casey] Mittelstadt could be on the move again since before the Bruins season even ended.”

The Bruins held onto Mittelstadt, presumably because a deal didn’t materialize. The former first-round pick from 2017 is entering the second year of a three-year, $17.25 million contract signed in Colorado last offseason.

Mittelstadt’s relatively underwhelming numbers in Colorado prompted the Avalanche to move on from him. With the Bruins, the 26-year-old scored just four goals in 18 games. He remains on the team’s roster, but the Bruins could be looking to move Mittelstadt as soon as they get a chance.

The anonymous source added:

“I think a lot of teams have been and are expecting the Bruins to flip him at some point, but where’s his value at right now if that’s the case? They may just see how it goes this season. Maybe he reshapes his value, and if they’re out of it again at the next trade deadline, then they move him then and parlay him into another pick or prospect.”

By the looks of it, Mittelstadt is hardly in the Bruins’ plans moving forward. As such, the club may give Mittelstadt one last kick at the can before shipping him off to another club.

Bruins Could Move Mittelstadt at any Time

The Bruins could move Casey Mittelstadt at any time if they so choose. He doesn’t have any sort of trade protection. So, the club could trade him whenever a good offer is on the table.

That situation could make it easier to move the beleaguered forward. Teams dealing with injuries earlier in the season could kick the tires on Mittelstadt. While it’s hard to envisage what the asking price for Mittlestadt could be, a desperate team may be willing to overpay.

Additionally, Mittelstadt could be a good fit in a contending team’s bottom six. Nevertheless, his cap hit could get in the way. He stands to make $5.75 million for the next two seasons. So, it’s hard to imagine the Bruins retaining any salary, unless the offer was overwhelming.

Boston May Hold onto Mittelstadt After All

The Bruins may decide to hold onto Casey Mittelstadt if he has a solid start to the season. The Bruins need depth down the middle. If Pavel Zacha or Elias Lindholm continue to underperform, a permanent spot for Mittelstadt could emerge.

Of course, that situation depends on Zacha and Lindholm underwhelming. If both centers rebound as the club expects, a strong start could only increase Mittelstadt’s price tag. Such a scenario could be the ideal outcome for both Mittelstadt and the Bruins.