BUFFALO Womens Scott Darling Jersey , N.Y. (AP) Upon passing a physical and signing his three-year NHL contract, Casey Mittelstadt’s first order of business as a member of the Buffalo Sabres proved to be a perk on Tuesday.The 19-year-old was invited out for lunch with Sabres star Jack Eichel.”It’s definitely something pretty cool for a kid like me,” Mittelstadt said. ”It’s good to know he’s excited I’m here and he’s interested in getting to know me.”If the 21-year-old Eichel is the undisputed face of the Sabres, Mittelstadt is being counted upon to be a valuable addition in the struggling franchise’s bid to rebuild with youth. He was selected with the No. 8 pick in the draft last year, and signed with Buffalo a little more than a week after the playmaking center completed his freshman season at the University of Minnesota.Mittelstadt is scheduled to join the Sabres for practice on Wednesday and expected to make his NHL debut the following day, when Buffalo hosts the Detroit Red Wings in a game between two teams already eliminated from playoff contention.The Sabres have six games left, and are in jeopardy of finishing last in the overall standings for the third time in five years.Mittelstadt was mostly unfamiliar with the Sabres’ past woes while growing up a Wild fan in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.Over the past year Youth Sebastian Aho Jersey , he’s become more familiar with the focus being placed on the team’s youngsters to restore winning to a team that’s not made the playoffs in seven years.”I think I can feel the struggle a little bit,” Mittelstadt said. ”And obviously, there’s a big emphasis being put on the young guys to turn it around here.”Mittelstadt had 11 goals and 19 assists in 34 games and was selected to the Big Ten all-freshmen team this year.The Golden Gophers’ season ended last week, when they were on the wrong end of numerous scenarios in being eliminated from competing in the NCAA Tournament.Mittelstadt took a few days to weigh his options before electing to turn pro last weekend. He said Minnesota coach Don Lucia’s decision to step down after 19 seasons had little influence on his decision.”I wanted to make sure the decision I came to that I’m both feet in,” he said. ”And it came up over and over again that both my feet were into go pro.”Buffalo has become a familiar setting for Mittelstadt. He attended the NHL pre-draft rookie combine in the city last spring.He made yet a bigger splash in representing the bronze-medal-winning United States team at the World Junior hockey championship, which was held in Buffalo three months ago. Mittelstadt was selected as the 10-nation tournament’s MVP after finishing tied for first in scoring with 11 points (four goals, seven assists).The inkling of one day playing for the Sabres in the same arena briefly crossed Mittelstadt’s mind during the world juniors, though he was more focused on representing the U.S. and returning to Minnesota.”Obviously Authentic Teuvo Teravainen Jersey , things didn’t turn out the way we wanted them to this year,” Mittelstadt said of the Gophers’ season ending.”But when the time came and I had some time to sit down and think and talk with my family, I think this was the right decision.”By adding Mittelstadt, the Sabres demoted forward Justin Bailey to Rochester.— The NHL took the Stanley Cup to Keith Urban’s studio last year, and now the country music star will be taking his talents outside to play a league event.Urban will perform during the first intermission of the Stadium Series outdoor game in Philadelphia between the Penguins and Flyers on Feb. 23, the NHL announced Wednesday, making him the latest high-profile music act to play a league event following Weezer at the Winter Classic and Bebe Rexha at All-Star Weekend.“We’re thrilled that these artists are now considering our events to be of the highest level and incredible exposure for them,” NHL chief content officer Steve Mayer said. “For us as the NHL Womens Victor Rask Jersey , we’re just looking for the biggest artists we can find, and we think that Keith Urban transcends all of that.”Urban has no connection to the Flyers or Penguins, but he and wife Nicole Kidman are Nashville Predators fans, and he sang the national anthem during their 2017 playoff run. Urban and Kidman got to spend some time with the Cup in April when the NHL had it in Nashville during the playoffs, one step toward getting them more involved with hockey.“Keith really has fallen in love with the game, fallen in love with hockey, thinks this is a really cool opportunity and wants to work with us more and more promoting the game,” Mayer said.Years ago Alex DeBrincat Jersey , the NHL was the subject of some jokes for booking Billy Idol and other artists past their prime for big events. When Mayer joined the NHL in 2015, he wanted to up the entertainment value with the artists playing for big hockey audiences.One way to do that was expanding the kinds of acts the league was looking for.“We’ve also opened up our musical entertainment to other genres other than classic rock,” Mayer said. “We do know that our fans love classic rock and we’re not shying away from it, but we also are looking to bring in more casual fans and going to what they love in the music world.”The other goal is to get music fans into hockey, with Mayer saying, “If we get some Keith Urban fans to watch the game in Philadelphia and they would’ve normally not watched the game, we win.”Canadian band Glorious Sons will play pregame festivities outside Lincoln Financial Field and then during the second intermission.
