SAN JOSE – In just over six months, defenseman Jake Middleton has gone from being a bubble player in Sharks training camp to one that’s reportedly drawing interest from some playoff-bound teams with the March 21 NHL trade deadline just around the corner.
The Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues have all reached out to the Sharks to inquire about Middleton’s availability, according to Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic. Middleton is a pending restricted free agent making $750,000 this season, although he could an unrestricted free agent by season’s end.
Middleton, 26, in his sixth season in the Sharks’ organization, has bounced between the AHL and the NHL the last three years. But this is the first year where he’s played exclusively with the big club, and now he’s established himself as a bonafide NHL defenseman.
Middleton has eight points in 39 games and has been a perfectly capable replacement for the injured Nikolai Knyzhov as Erik Karlsson’s defense partner for the majority of this season. He’s also spent time this year paired with Brent Burns and is fourth among all Sharks defensemen with an average of 18:53 of ice time per game.
“He could help a lot of teams, especially in the playoffs in seven-game rounds when you need that grit,” Sharks coach Bob Boughner said of Middleton. “He provides that part of the game, but he’s come a long way in his puck movement and defending. I could see why there’s rumors out there.”
With eight fighting majors this season, Middleton, listed at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, also hasn’t hesitated to stand up for teammates.
“He’s an old-school type of player. Plays hard, tough, will fight anyone and do anything for his teammates,” Sharks captain Logan Couture said. “Those are guys that you really want to keep in an organization and that’s obviously why other teams want him.”
Considering all of those attributes, would the Sharks consider trading Middleton?
After all, assuming Middleton remains an RFA, the team can retain his negotiation rights with a qualifying offer this summer — although he can become a Group 6 UFA if he plays in fewer than 20 of the Sharks’ 26 remaining games.
Even with a new deal, Middleton won’t be expensive to re-sign — perfect for a Sharks team that needs to have a handful of players on economical contracts.
But the Sharks two years ago also weren’t necessarily looking to trade forward Barclay Goodrow, who had another year left on his contract. However, the Lightning offered their first-round pick that year, and the Sharks, without a 2020 first-rounder, made the swap. The Sharks also sent a 2020 third-rounder to the Lightning and got back forward Anthony Greco.
The Sharks used that pick, which turned into the 31st overall selection after the Lightning won the Stanley Cup, to select center Ozzy Wiesblatt, considered one of the top prospects in the organization.
Plus, the Sharks hope Knyzhov will be back to full health by the start of next season, if not sooner, and could replace Middleton inside the top four.
Based on previous deals for hard-nosed defensemen with size, a Middleton trade could fetch a second-round pick for San Jose in a deep upcoming draft.
The Sharks acquired second and third-round draft picks two years ago from Washington for the more-experienced Brenden Dillon, and used two second-rounders to bring in rugged defenseman Roman Polak and depth center Nick Spaling from Toronto in 2016.
Right now, the Sharks do not have a 2022 second-round draft pick, as they used it to acquire Adin Hill from Arizona last July.
The Sharks (24-25-7) entered Wednesday in seventh place in the Pacific Division and 11 points out of a playoff spot.
“I’ve been around this league for a long enough time to realize when you don’t (win), changes happen. It’s natural,” Couture said. “It’s a business at the end of the day and management’s trying to look for a way to improve the organization going forward.”
Middleton missed his second straight practice Wednesday with a non-COVID-related illness. Boughner said early Wednesday afternoon that it appeared Middleton would join the Sharks on their flight to Los Angeles, but that he remained questionable to play against the Kings.
If Middleton does play Thursday, Boughner said he’ll likely slot alongside Burns on the Sharks’ top defense pair.
“My own selfish reasons,” Boughner said, “I hope we keep him because he’s a great presence in the locker room, he brings us a real honest game, a gritty game and I think he’s just going to keep getting better.”
RETURNING: Defensemen Erik Karlsson and forward Jonathan Dahlen, both on injured reserve, were full participants in practice again Wednesday and all indications were both would play against the Kings. Karlsson (forearm surgery) hasn’t played since Jan. 20 and Dahlen (neck) has sat out the last four games.
SAWCHENKO TO START: Goalie Zach Sawchenko will make his second career NHL start on Thursday. In his first start, Sawchenko stopped 33 of 36 shots in the Sharks’ 3-2 overtime loss to Anaheim on Sunday.