Casey Mittlestadt, A Likely Lottery Pick In The Upcoming NHL Draft, Failed To Do A Single Pull-Up At The Combine

Casey Mittelstadt did one bench press and zero pull-ups. #NHLCombine

— Mark Scheig (@THWMark) June 3, 2017

I like to think that I don't expect too much from predominantly white, averagely built teenagers who have gotten where they are in the draft process on not much more than their inherent skill, but ZERO pull-ups? I'm sure the NHL officials are pretty strict on form, but a guy who is months away from competing against professional athletes for a roster spot couldn't stabilize himself for long enough to pretend he has taken a presidential fitness test before? As someone that was mere inches from having the exact same stature and apparently a similar workout prowess at his age, I can confidently say that not having the ability to lift your own body weight a single, solitary time is fucking embarrassing. Shit, I probably could have banged out at least two after tacking on my freshman 15 (fine, 20), and I was still years away from optimistically impulse buying an in-house pull up bar that I would spend the first months after purchase blissfully swinging from after 8-15 beers.

Come on, Casey. I know that you aren't being drafted for your core strength, but to so blatantly ignore the fact that it was about to be measured in front of all your prospective peers, competitors, and employers? The complete lack of self awareness necessary not to sneak in some last second gym sessions like you were trying to make up for 6 months of gluttony in the week prior to a island getaway is mildly concerning. Not particularly from a physical standpoint, but more so from an intelligence standpoint. 

P.S. I suppose the good news is that, statistically speaking, his chest is exponentially stronger than his back.