Wild Activate Jacob Middleton, assign three to AHL

On By Littum

The Minnesota Wild snuck in another transaction before today’s roster deadline and activated the defenseman Jacob Middleton out of long-term damage reserve just a few minutes before their freezing by Michael Russo of The Athletic. Middleton returns to the lineup in tonight’s matchup against St. Louis. In a similar move, Wild has too turned their duty call from yesterday – allocation of forwards Travis Boyd and Brendan Gaunceand defender Carson Lambosto the minor leagues.

Middleton has been sidelined since Dec. 12, when he suffered a hand injury in a game against the Edmonton Oilers. He was placed on long-term injured reserve a day later. His injury forced him out of Minnesota’s final 11 games. It was a noticeable absence for the Wild, who are also suffering from injuries to the team captain Jared Spurgeon and superstar Kirill Kaprizov. Middleton has continued to serve as a big body on the Wild’s second pairing. He scored five goals and 13 points in Minnesota’s first 29 games, putting him on pace to blow his career-high 25 points out of the water. He has also recorded +22 and 15 penalty minutes – both career bests for the physical defenders.

Middleton is making good use of the final year of his three-year contract with the Wild. He has surpassed 20 minutes of average ice time for the first time in his seven-year NHL career this season and served as a crucial piece in the lineup like top defensemen Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin recovered from their own injuries. Middleton should take advantage of Spurgeon’s absence again when he returns, likely challenging Brodin for the top left-back role alongside Brock Faber.

The AHL’s Iowa Wild will get three routine lineup pieces back with this move, and they can hold on to Minnesota finally getting injured players back. Boyd and Gaunce lead Iowa in scoring with 20 and 17 points, respectively, in 22 games. Lambos hasn’t found the same production, with just five points in 27 games, but should get a chance to earn a routine lineup role again with Middleton back.