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Former Eighth Overall Pick Unexpectedly Available for Trade: Kyle Dubas Could Add 59-Point Center
Photo credit: Pittsburgh Hockey Now
Bruins forward Casey Mittelstadt has unexpectedly become available for trade, per an unnamed NHL executive source, which could prompt Kyle Dubas to make a splash.
Boston Bruins forwards Pavel Zacha and goalie Joonas Korpisalo have been recurring features in NHL trade rumors since the 2025 NHL Draft, but neither has been traded.
Rumors now surround another Bruin possibly being available before the 2025-26 season tips off in October, per an unnamed NHL executive who revealed this to Rg's Jimmy Murphy.
"I think a lot of teams have been and are expecting the Bruins to flip him at some point, but where's his value at right now if that's the case? They may just see how it goes this season. Maybe he reshapes his value, and if they're out of it again at the next trade deadline, then they move him then and parlay him into another pick or prospect."
"There was a common feeling that he wasn't their main target when they traded for him; Zellers and the second-round draft pick were."
- Jimmy Murphy re: Unnamed NHL Executive
"There was a common feeling that he wasn't their main target when they traded for him; Zellers and the second-round draft pick were."
- Jimmy Murphy re: Unnamed NHL Executive
This move comes after Boston's major pre-deadline trade on March 7, when they made a move to receive forwards Casey Mittelstadt and William Zellers as well as a 2025 second-round draft pick from Colorado for Charlie Coyle and a 2026 fifth-round draft pick.
Casey Mittelstadt, 26, played his last season with four goals and two assists in 18 games for Boston following an 11-goal, 23-assist performance in 63 games with the Avalanche.
A 6-foot-1, 195-pound Eden Prairie, Minnesota, native, Mittelstadt was taken eighth overall by Buffalo in 2017 and has since accumulated 81 goals and 155 assists in 438 NHL games.
He is signed on for two more seasons at a $5.7 million AAV on a three-year, $17.2 million contract that he inked with Colorado last offseason.
With Boston potentially having interest in creating cap room or reshaping its forward group, Mittelstadt could be a highly intriguing trade target for teams seeking a cerebral, versatile center.
Dubas Could Capitalize on Market Opportunity
A potential team to watch may be the Pittsburgh Penguins, where the president of hockey operations and GM, Kyle Dubas, has been swift to move on playmaking players in the past.
Potential Top-Six Boost for Penguins' Offense
Mittelstadt's contract term, age, and offense upside make him a desirable candidate to play with Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin as Pittsburgh tries to take advantage of its current window before these legends retire.
Boston keeping their ears open could very well mean the next month or so could lead to something more than just rumors.
Previously on HockeyUnplugged
| POLL | ||
AOUT 12 | 34 ANSWERS Former Eighth Overall Pick Unexpectedly Available for Trade: Kyle Dubas Could Add 59-Point Center Should Kyle Dubas attempt to bring Casey Mittelstadt to Pittsburgh? | ||
| Yes | 15 | 44.1 % |
| No | 19 | 55.9 % |
| List of polls | ||