"I kind of figured that out and figured out what you need to do with your body to get yourself ready. It takes a little bit of time, but I think once you kind of get that down and get that figured out, your routines are set."

After posting a minus-11 rating over his final 13 games, Mittelstadt was challenged by team brass during his exit interview. The Sabres wanted Mittelstadt to improve his upper body strength and conditioning. His high-end skill flashed throughout the season, but he needed to become stronger in order to consistently win one-on-one battles in the NHL.

That's where Rasmussen came in. Rasmussen was drafted seventh overall by the Sabres in 1996 and played nine NHL seasons, including five in Buffalo. The two convened at MAP South only a few days after the regular season ended and have worked together four or five times a week since.

Mittelstadt, along with other players, lifts weights in the facility's gym from roughly 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., eats breakfast or lunch, and participates in an on-ice workout for around 90 minutes. Rasmussen hasn't concocted an unorthodox plan to help Mittelstadt improve. Instead, the two have followed the one laid out by the Sabres. Mittelstadt's progress has been the result of physical and mental maturity, Rasmussen said.