Scott Bell spent the past five seasons as an amateur scout for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and during a visit to see Casey Mittelstadt in 2014, he knew right away what he was seeing.



“He stands out, he immediately stands out,” Bell said. “Some guys blend in — he doesn’t blend in, you can see him.”



Bell figures he has 30-some reports on Mittelstadt — who shined bright enough to be picked eighth overall by Buffalo in the 2017 NHL Draft — from watching him play over the years, but it took just that first viewing to confirm there was something special developing in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.



“When I assess players, it’s more how they react in limited time and space, what their ability is to escape and create and find ways to make plays,” Bell said. “Casey could always find a way to make a play.”



And Bell knows something about identifying players for future success. His scouting...