BUFFALO, N.Y. - Casey Mittelstadt has wanted to be an NHL player for as long as he can remember. The Minnesota native realized his dream Monday, signing a three-year contract to join Buffalo nine months after he was drafted in the first round. Mittelstadt left the University of Minnesota after one season and a lot of thought.

"I wanted to make sure that with this decision, I had both feet in it," he says. "I took a few days, almost a week, to weigh it out. See what I wanted to do. It came up over and over again, and both my feet were in to go pro and play in the NHL."

Becoming a Sabre is the latest accomplishment in a busy 12 months for Mittelstadt. Over the past year, he graduated high school, got drafted in the first round, played a season at Minnesota, and dominated World Juniors.

"It's been a bit of a whirlwind, but at the same time, I feel like I've been through it before," he says. "Last year the stages were a little different, going from juniors, back to high school, juniors, right to the draft, combine, all that stuff. So honestly, it prepared me for it. Obviously, this is on a whole new level."

The NHL is a few levels above the Big Ten, but teammates are making that transition easier. Jack Eichel was also a teenager when he became a pro -- he brought Middelstadt out to lunch for one of his first meals as a Sabre.

"It's definitely something pretty cool for a kid like me," Mittelstadt says. "Being a hockey player, you obviously know who Jack Eichel is. Getting to know him well, having him welcome you in like that, it's something really special for me. It's good to know that he's excited I'm here and that he's interested in getting to know me."

Mittelstadt only has six games left this season to adjust to the NHL and leave a good impression on the organization. This is also Middelstadt's first chance to show that he's a legitimate building block long-term for this franchise, and potentially guide the Sabres out of their rebuild.