He Minnesota Wild They are signing the defender Jake Middleton to a four-year contract extension worth $17.4 million ($4.35 million AAV), according to league sources.
Middleton, 28, has one year remaining on his current three-year contract worth an average annual value of $2.45 million. Monday was the first day Middleton was eligible for an extended contract, so this locks him in for the next five years. The new contract will have a limited no-trade clause.
Middleton has emerged as one of Minnesota’s top four defenders over the past three years after being acquired by the Sharks in March 2022 during his first full term National Hockey League (NHL) Last season was more difficult for Middleton. Much of that was due to the fact that he was without his usual partner, Jared Spurgeonwho was limited to 16 games due to injuries.
But Middleton spent a large portion of his shifts (802 five-on-five minutes) with the Calder Trophy runner-up. Brock FaberMiddleton played through some injuries last season, including a knee that had to be cleaned up after the season.
Now that Middleton has re-signed, the Wild will also look to re-sign Faber during the offseason. Wild president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin held initial conversations with Faber’s agents, Brian and Scott Bartlett, while they were in Las Vegas over the weekend for the NHL Draft.
Why re-sign Middleton?
The Wild have liked the fit of Middleton, both for his style of play and his presence/personality.
When Middleton has been at his best, such as under Spurgeon in his early years in Minnesota, he has shown he could play in a first- or second-pairing role. He is also a mainstay on their penalty-killing team, a group that struggled last season. He was on the ice for 21 goals against, which ranked fourth on the team behind Faber. Jonas Brodin and Joel Eriksson I.
The Wild could have waited another year before Middleton became an unrestricted free agent. So the timing, like the contract extensions of the team’s veteran forwards last fall, can be questioned. But if Minnesota believes Middleton is at least a No. 3 or 4 defenseman, he’ll help solidify its left side alongside Brodin. Faber and Spurgeon have the right side locked in.
The Wild’s defensive prospects in the AHL are going through growing pains and don’t appear close to making an impact in the NHL, and perhaps one or two will end up being depth defensemen.
Is it good value for money?
The price reflects a No. 3 or 4 defenseman, which — with the Wild — is Middleton. Hockey in evolution His contract had been projected to extend for four years at $3.795 million, so the deal is a bit above market value. But the Wild believe he could command more on the open market next summer, considering some of the contracts in recent years for defensemen like Middleton.
If he’s a top-four player, he’ll be worth it. For him to work out and become a good value, in theory, if Middleton is healthy and reunited with Spurgeon, he could regain that consistent, steady performance.
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(Photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)