Casey Mittelstadt has left the Gophers men’s hockey program after his freshman season to join the Buffalo Sabres. The Eden Prairie native and the Sabres’ top prospect could make his NHL debut on Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings.

“We’ve signed forward Casey Mittelstadt to a 3-year entry-level contract,’ the Sabres tweeted Monday. “Welcome to Buffalo, @CMittelstadt!”

Mittelstadt had 11 goals and 19 assists in 34 games for the Gophers, who failed to reach the NCAA tournament last week. The Big Ten all-freshman team selection had 30 points — Minnesota’s second-most behind Rem Pitlick’s 31.

Mittelstadt, the 2017 Mr. Hockey winner, was selected eighth overall in the first round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. He was the Gophers’ 20th first-round selection and was the program’s highest pick since 2006.

Mittelstadt, 19, follows Gophers defenseman Ryan Lindgren out the door. Lindgren, a sophomore defenseman from Minneapolis and Shattuck-St. Mary’s, agreed to an entry-level contact with the New York Rangers on Thursday. He had two goals and seven assists in 35 games for the Gophers last season.

“Can’t thank the players, coaches, and staff enough at the University of MN for this past year,” Mittelstadt wrote in an Instagram post. “Was a dream come true to wear the M. That being (said), couldn’t be more excited to join the @buffalosabres and start a new chapter.”

Mittelstadt will join St. Cloud State defenseman Will Borgen, who elected on Sunday to skip his senior season at St. Cloud State and sign a three-year contract with the Sabres.

Mittelstadt will use up the first year of his contract this season. However, he would not be eligible to be exposed for selection in an expansion draft in 2020, should the NHL approve Seattle’s bid to join the league for the 2020-21 season.

Mittelstadt already has made a splash in Buffalo after creating several highlight-reel plays for the bronze-medal-winning United States team at the World Junior hockey championship, which was held in Buffalo three months ago.

Sabres general manager Jason Botterill was impressed by Mittelstadt’s performance at the world championships.

“With it being here in Buffalo, there was that added pressure,” Botterill told The Associated Press in January. “And I think you saw a player who instead of succumbing to the pressure, actually thriving in that type of environment.”

Mittelstadt’s most memorable goal came in a 3-2 preliminary-round loss to Slovakia.

With the U.S. trailing 2-1, Mittelstadt stripped the puck from Marian Studenic at the Slovakia blue line and circled back into the zone. Mittelstadt kicked the puck between his legs to avoid a check by defender Michal Ivan and didn’t break stride in cutting across the top of the crease and avoiding goalie Roman Durny. He swept a shot into the open left side with 3:11 remaining.

Mittelstadt joins a Sabres team that already has extended its franchise-worst playoff drought to seven years and is in jeopardy of finishing last in the overall standings for the third time in five seasons. Buffalo (23-40-12, 58 points) has six games left after playing at Toronto on Monday night.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.