The Casey Mittelstadt era in Colorado lasted one year and one day.

The Avalanche on Friday dealt Mittelstadt, prospect Will Zellers and their 2025 second-round pick to the Boston Bruins for veteran forward Charlie Coyle and a 2026 fifth-round-pick. The 33-year-old Coyle has had a bit of a down year in Boston after putting up a career-high 60 points last season. In 62 games this season, he has 15 goals and 22 points.

For the 26-year-old Mittelstadt, things started great in Denver. He arrived in Colorado right before the trade deadline last season and had a fantastic playoff run. His start to this season was promising but things soured quickly, as he has only five goals since October. Two of those came in the last week, but it became clear he wasn't the best fit in Colorado's up-tempo system.

Coyle is signed for one more season at $5.25 million, while Mittelstadt has two years left on a deal that pays him $5.75 million per season. The two play very different games. With the addition of Brock Nelson, Mittelstadt was a man without a role on the Avalanche.

Coyle this season has been credited with 93 hits, so he brings a different dimension to Colorado's lineup. Coyle is a better fit for a role in the bottom six than Mittelstadt and has the ability to play either center or wing.

The trade is another example of Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland going all-in. They're a little older but more well rounded up front, even if the price was steep.