Avalanche Film Room: Passing Will Dazzle With Mittelstadt; Rest Of Game More Subtle (+)

I believe the Colorado Avalanche have found their answer at second-line center in Casey Mittelstadt, but after watching a lot of his tape, I have a feeling he might be a bit of an acquired taste for Avalanche fans.

The highlight reel passes are there. If you’re on the ice and even slightly open, Mittelstadt will see you and try to hit you with a pass. As for the rest of his game, it might not be anything that jumps out at you immediately. I really liked what I saw, because he comes across as a very cerebral player, but he’s not an in-your-face guy like Nazem Kadri, so it may take Avalanche fans a bit of time to get used to him. There are a lot of subtleties to his game that don’t stand out immediately, and that’s okay.

But don’t let me tell you. Let me show you.