When the Boston Bruins traded former center Charlie Coyle to the Colorado Avalanche at the trade deadline in 2025, part of the return was veteran forward Casey Mittlestadt. He played well for the Bruins as they finished out a dismal season following the trade with a last-place finish in the Eastern Conference.
There was a question as to whether or not Boston was going to keep Mittlestadt or trade him last summer. Part of the reason for moving on from him would be the $5.75 million AAV he's owed on his contract, which ends following the 2026-27 season. That's a lot of money locked up in someone who doesn't always produce at that AAV level.
However, general manager Don Sweeney held onto him, and that move actually paid off. He was part of the Bruins' second line that was one of the top second lines in the NHL this past season. What does the future hold for Mittlestadt in Boston? We'll find out soon enough, but let's take a look back and grade his 2025-26 season for the Black and Gold.
Casey Mittlestadt's 2025-26 regular season
When first-year head coach Marco Sturm put together a second line of Mittlestadt, Pavel Zacha, and Viktor Arvidsson, little did anyone know what was about to come. They ended up being one of the top second lines in the NHL, and they scored some big goals throughout the season. Mittlestadt's numbers are not going to jump off the screen at you, but he did enough to stick around through the deadline.
He was someone Sweeney would have moved at the deadline, but he stuck with him, and Mittlestadt finished by tying his career-high for goals with 15, which he scored in 2022-23 with the Buffalo Sabres. He had 27 assists while averaging 15:10 a night. How much more improved was he this season? He finished this past season with a plus/minus of plus -12 after incredibly having a plus/minus of minus-17 in 18 games following the trade to Boston last year. That's hard to do at any level, a minus-17 in 18 games.
Casey Mittlestadt's 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
In the Bruins first-round series against Mittlestadt's former team, the Sabres, the eighth overall pick in the 2017 Entry Draft by Buffalo had two assists with a minus-4. In his first playoff experience with the Avalanche in the 2023-24 season, he had three goals and six assists in 11 games.
What does the future hold for Mittlestadt in Boston? Truth be told, he probably should be the subject of trade rumors, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Sweeney hold onto him. There are questions surrounding what the future of Arvidsson is with the Bruins, as he is scheduled to hit free agency on July 1 should he not agree to a deal with the Black and Gold. Changes are coming this summer; it's just a matter of how many and who.
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