Boston Bruins fans were already resigned to the fact that Casey Mittelstadt's future with the organization was, at best, cloudy. Nothing has been wrong with the forward's play since he was thrown into the Charlie Coyle trade deadline deal two seasons ago, but long-term, he doesn't seem like the best fit.
The Bruins were fine using him last season in a second-line role, and he was a bright spot alongside Pavel Zacha and Viktor Arvidsson. However, a drop-off in play during the postseason and a growing list of players waiting to take his spot have made him expendable, and that is fine. It was a short-term marriage, anyway.
Mittelstadt doesn't seem very certain he will be sticking around in Boston past this season. His comments after Day 2 of training camp seem more like a player reflecting on his time with the organization and thankful for what it has done for his career, according to Joe Haggerty via X, formerly Twitter.
""I've loved it here. I love the guys, and I love the way we want to play. You never know what happens. It's a business. But I love it here""Casey Mittelstadt
The words "you never know" are usually a telltale sign that the player does, in fact, know. The good news for the Bruins is that it isn't affecting Mittelstadt too much. Their only dilemma now is whether to keep him around until the trade deadline and try to trade him to a contender, or whether it makes more sense to deal him early.
What is Casey Mittelstadt's trade value, and will it improve?
Mittelstadt likely has some value, as he showed last season on the second line that he still has game left. He wasn't the catalyst on that line by any means, but he didn't hurt them either, which is all some contenders need to play in their middle six.
Will Mittelstadt do nothing but hurt his trade value if he plays for too long this season? Who can say he will have the type of season he did in 2025-26? The Bruins may be better off trading him now and making some early room in the lineup for a younger player. There is also another reason why that might be beneficial.
Bruins should lock in their forward group early
One reason the Bruins lost Viktor Arvidsson for nothing this past offseason was that the team was in a contending position when the trade deadline came, and they didn't have the stomach to upset any of the chemistry. If the Bruins are in the mix again this year and Mittelstadt is playing big minutes, they could back themselves into the same corner.
Mittelstadt has some great moments, but I don't believe a player like James Hagens would perform any worse once he got comfortable. Instead of giving the rookie fewer minutes in favor of Mittelstadt, why not trade him now before the lines are set, and give Hagens the runway to play left wing on that second line?
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