Wild Re-sign D Jake Middleton for four years

[IllaZilla]

Wild re-sign Middleton 

 

The Minnesota Wild re-signed defenseman Jake Middleton to a four year, $17.4M contract ($4.35M AAV) with a limited NTC (of course).

[Starofthenorth]

The wild are the Oprah of the NHL...And you get a NTC and you get a NMC...

[CreaseAndAssist]

@Starofthenorth, all you have to say is "You like it here" and you get a NMC or NTC.  It's as simple as that.  But IMO this is another bad contract.  I get that he's a fan favorite etc; and the team has enjoyed marketing him and Brock Faber for their fun personalities.  But Middleton, by his own admission had a pretty rough season and the metrics bear it out.  Yet, we give him a raise and of course some level of trade protection.  

 

I realize that the kids are not ready yet, but Middleton is signed to another 4 years AFTER this season (which is the last of his cheaper and far more sensible $2M+ deal).  So how many spots are going to really be up for grabs with this current group of defenseman in the next 3-4 years.  2 spots perhaps, maybe 3?  

 

At some point you have to start opening opportunities for the kids, who play on cheaper deals...to get a spot in the lineup.  The team hasn't finished dealing with Declan Chisholm yet, but hopefully its a 1-year or 2-year deal at the most.  

 

Zeev Buium is going to be in this team's top 4 if not its top 2 in the next two years IMO.  That should in theory move Middleton down to the 3rd pairing where I think he'd be better suited.  But again...I think we gave him a premium price and trade protection which has been the same refrain that has boiled off any cap space (along with deserved raises to Faber, possibly Kapirzov & Ross) anyone thought would be available after Parise/Suter's dead cap hits come off the books.