The Buffalo Sabres are well on the outside of the playoff picture and their top scorer this season, Casey Mittelstadt, is set to become a restricted free agent this summer. That combination of circumstances has caused trade rumors to pop up and catch fire.
Mittelstadt broke out in a big way last season with career highs in goals (15) and points (59) and he's on pace to best those numbers again this season. He was drafted in the first round by the Sabres in 2017 and the way he's improved himself and his game are all reasons to want to keep him a Sabre long-term.