Casey Mittelstadt will enter the lineup for the Buffalo Sabres when they conclude their three-game series with the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum on Sunday.
Mittelstadt was recalled from the taxi squad along with defenseman Brandon Davidson prior to the game. Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said the team will warm up with 13 forwards and eight defensemen and reveal its full lineup prior to puck drop.
Mittelstadt has skated in seven games this season, appearing most recently against Philadelphia last Sunday. Krueger said the 22-year-old has embraced his work on the taxi squad while out of the lineup.
"What I see him doing is staying focused on one single thing, and that's becoming a consistent National Hockey League player. Whether he is playing in games, whether he is in the taxi squad or whether he's practicing with the full squad, I've seen nothing but a pro in action.
"He has truly got a competitive bite within him right now and we're expecting him to eventually find his way into a regular spot. He looks to be crystalizing into more of a winger than a centerman. That can always change as a player evolves. But we do like the looks we're getting from him on the wing."
Buffalo also loaned defenseman Henri Jokiharju to the taxi squad Sunday. Jokiharju, who appeared in every game for the Sabres last season, was scratched Saturday.
"We do see this as the sophomore season for him," Krueger said. "We did expect that he would possibly want to be doing more and get more active and more involved than he was last year and I think his strength lies in his ability to solve under pressure, to maintain possession for the group and to play a simple game from the inside out.
"It's part of the development for a young defenseman to come in and be very conservative and then try to build a more attacking offensive game on top of that. … Let's not overvalue this. This kid is an important part of our future. We love the foundation that he has."
Sunday's game can be seen on NBC with puck drop set for noon.
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Morning Skate | Mittelstadt to enter lineup for finale on Long Island - BlueJackets.com
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