Casey Mittelstadt has seven goals in 20 games. That puts him on roughly a 30-goal pace over 84 games. When GM Don Sweeney traded Charlie Coyle for Will Zellers, a second-round pick, and a top-six winger who has suddenly become second in goals behind the Bruins’ David Pastrnak, it looked like a pretty good deal. But beneath the surface, this hot start might lead the Bruins to make a key decision.
Should the Bruins Sell High?
Middelstadt had a solid run with the Buffalo Sabres. As a member of the Bruins, his early 2026-27 run has become better than good.
He noted, “Being in the same spot for a couple years now, I feel very comfortable here. I think it maybe takes me a little bit more time than normal people. So yeah, I think that’s been huge for me too.”
Now that he’s gotten more comfortable, should the Bruins double down and hope he’s a key part of their future or move on while he looks appealing to the rest of the league?
Mittelstadt is scoring at a 25 percent clip. He has seven goals on 28 shots. But his shooting average is only around 13 percent, and over an 84-game stretch, this elite percentage is likely to regress.
He has good skill, and he’s fitting in. But he might not be the kind of player the Bruins should sign to a big contract, even though he’s off to a very hot start this season.
The reality is that both Mittelstadt and Pavel Zacha, who makes $4.75 million, are in contract seasons. Mittelstadt makes $5.75 million, and both will become UFAs. What do they do? If Mittelstadt finishes near 30 goals, he won’t settle for a small raise. He’ll ask for $7 million or more on the market.
The core question now is whether they should pay free-agent prices for a 28-year-old winger whose numbers might be inflated this season because of his high shooting percentage.
The Bruins Have Players Ready for the Next Step
The deal is that giving Middelstadt a bigger contract might slow the development of some of Boston’s younger players. James Hagens is out for a few weeks on IR with a back injury, but he’s already shown he can be a top-six player, perhaps on the second line. There are also a number of other players in the next wave, including Matt Poitras, Dean Letourneau, who’s playing with Boston College and doing really well, and Will Zellers, the prospect the Bruins got in the trade involving Coyle.
Perhaps there are two good choices here. If Mittelstadt proves to be solid all season long and has a career season, keep him. But you don’t want to put him in the way of other youngsters who are coming up through the ranks.
He could be a trade bargain. Or he could just be the kind of player you keep around and see what he does.
If Boston has a legitimate playoff team, why would you move somebody who’s so productive? Mittelstadt could be very valuable for the Bruins during the playoff run, perhaps more valuable than the draft picks they might get if they tried to trade him at the deadline.
It’s early, but the Bruins are in Stanley Cup contention. Mittelstadt could be the kind of deadline player they’d want if they’re going to make a push. If he can carry the scoring load, enjoy the goals and let him stay. But then figure out what to do with him later.
Should the Bruins Keep 30-Goal Pace Forward Or Sell High?