Casey Mittelstadt is one step closer to returning to the Buffalo Sabres' lineup.
Mittelstadt, 23, joined the Sabres for their morning skate Thursday, as the club prepared to host the Dallas Stars in KeyBank Center. He underwent surgery on an undisclosed upper-body injury last month and hasn't appeared in a game since Dec. 7. Mittelstadt will practice Friday with the Sabres and there is optimism he will return within "the next couple" games, said coach Don Granato.
"He’s been aggressive," Granato said of Mittelstadt. "He had surgery and he had a situation where you could rehab and play through it, and obviously, the hope of that didn’t pan out the way it was. He had the surgery and he’s a different level of confidence. He knows he’s fixed, he’s repaired, he’s ready to go. So it’s a whole other level of confidence with respect to, it’s a complete known, I know I’m ready to go, I know it’s fixed, repaired, whatever. And that’s much different than where he was six weeks ago, and he’s going to be better because of it."
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Mittelstadt has been limited to only four games this season because of separate injuries. He suffered the first during the season-opening win against Montreal in October and returned to the lineup Dec. 2, only to go down in his third game back. Mittelstadt explained to reporters following the morning skate that this recent injury was similar in nature to the first. When Mittelstadt went down with the first ailment, the plan was a conservative approach to rehabilitation as opposed to surgery. There was risk in a setback upon returning, but Mittelstadt didn't want to undergo any sort of procedure. This latest ailment occurred in the "same area but kind of a different spot," he explained.
"I think we thought it was nonsurgical at first and obviously, as a player, I don’t want to get surgery," said Mittelstadt. "I was good with that, and obviously, we worked to get back. Things didn’t go my way. It’s over with now. I’m just going to turn the page and go play hockey."
Drafted eighth overall in 2017, Mittelstadt established himself as the Sabres' top center during Don Granato's first training camp as coach this past fall. He was a bright spot late last season, totaling nine goals and 17 points in 28 games after Ralph Krueger was fired in March.
Mittelstadt admitted there was immense frustration in the days that followed this latest injury. He was forced to watch from afar as his teammates endured some difficult nights, including games in which their lineup was undermanned because of Covid-related absences.
Mittelstadt will need practices to regain his timing, but all along, his source of motivation was returning to help the Sabres inch closer to their potential.
"It’s just a matter of putting it all together and playing a full 60 minutes," said Mittelstadt. "Obviously, that’s part of the learning experience, but I think, at some point, we have to turn the corner here and start finishing those games and having some swagger when it comes down to it. I think I can help with that."
Injury report
Winger Kyle Okposo didn't suffer a concussion on his fall into the boards Tuesday in Ottawa, Granato said while expressing relief, but the 33-year-old is listed as week to week on the Sabres' latest injury report.
The collision occurred when Okposo was checked by Senators defenseman Erik Brannstrom at 10:03 into the third period. Okposo has a history with concussions, most notably the one that landed him in Buffalo General Medical Center’s neuro intensive care unit in 2017.
Defenseman Colin Miller (upper body) underwent surgery that will keep him out for approximately six weeks -- a timeline that should not impact the Sabres' ability to trade the pending unrestricted free agent by the March 21 deadline -- and goalie Malcolm Subban is out for the season after surgery on an upper-body injury, Granato announced.
In addition to Okposo, Drake Caggiula (upper body), Vinnie Hinostroza (lower body), Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (lower) and Dustin Tokarski (side effects from Covid-19) are considered week to week. Hinostroza will miss at least three weeks, Granato said.
Jacob Bryson (lower) and Zemgus Girgensons (lower) are day to day, while Craig Anderson (upper) is still month to month.
Another returnee
Assistant coach Jason Christie is back with the Sabres after entering Covid-19 protocol following the game Monday in KeyBank Center. Christie, who joined Granato’s staff last summer, produced consecutive negative tests to exit protocol sooner than five days.
Quiet night
There will continue to be no crowds in arenas across Ontario, Premier Doug Ford said during a news conference Thursday. This confirms that the Sabres and Senators will play in front of no fans Tuesday in Ottawa’s Canadian Tire Centre. Ford announced that Ontario venues can move to 50% capacity on Feb. 21 and full capacity March 14. It's unclear if this will impact the Sabres' outdoor game against Toronto in Hamilton, which is scheduled for March 13.
