How does Jake Middleton's extension impact the future? – Wilderness Walk

The Minnesota Wild weren't as busy with the heavy lifting of free agency on Monday and Tuesday, but they were primarily looking to add some depth, as they always do.

Of course, they first signed free agent Yakov Trenin to a four-year deal to help as a bottom-six forward who isn’t that old and should continue to perform reasonably well over the life of that contract. They also signed defenseman Jake Middleton to a four-year, $17.4 million contract ($4.35 million AAV). In classic Bill Guerin style, he signed a player he likes a lot a year before they officially hit free agency. Middleton is signed with Minnesota through the 2028-29 season.

It's not a contract that's going to destroy the team. Even if you think Middleton's success in Minnesota is a product of being next to Jared Spurgeon, he's at worst a serviceable bottom-pairing defender and they could do a lot worse than that.

How does this new contract impact the Wild's future blue line?

We know Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon are going to be here for a long time. Brock Faber will eventually be locked in for good. And we’re all waiting (now) for Zeev Buium to turn pro and work his way into the team’s top four. Everything else feels very open. Right now, Zach Bogosian and Jon Merrill are here on a cheap deal, and then Declan Chisholm could provide a little burst of youth and potential on the left side.

For the foreseeable future, over the next season or two, Middleton should simply be a steadying force, even if everyone else is fit. Especially given the lack of leaping ability of the expected wave of defenders like Carson Lambos, Daemon Hunt and Ryan O'Rourke — all of whom have been disappointments thus far, compared to what they should have been — Middleton doesn't really block a young player.

Of course, you could argue that he eventually will, but if the top four of Brodin, Spurgeon, Faber and Buium lives up to expectations, then Middleton will simply be the bottom two players on the left side and the team will just throw in random right-handed defenders.

Could it be better? Yes, of course. Does Middleton offer some kind of security? Yes. Is that contract a substantial overpayment? Not substantial, but they certainly pay him well.

Given the pipeline and development of some of the players, and where the team is now, we're guessing Guerin just wanted to make sure he kept his guy. And remember, things are always fluid in the National Hockey League. In fact, players are traded just a year after signing extensions or are bought out anyway.

That's wild

• The Wild are weighing themselves down in the mid-table with a bunch of additions of good but not groundbreaking players.[Hockey Wilderness]

• De Wild has announced the selection and schedule for this week's development camp.[The Hockey News]

• The full schedule for the 2024-2025 regular season has been announced![NHL.com]

Off the path…

• After being acquired by the Buffalo Sabres, goal scorer Jeff Skinner signed a cheap, easy one-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers to presumably play on the wing for Connor McDavid and score a billion goals. That’s something that team can offer, allowing players to make big bucks elsewhere.[Sportsnet]

• The St. Louis Blues did everything they could on Tuesday. They signed excellent winger Pavel Buchnevich to a six-year contract extension and acquired two forwards in return for free — Radek Faksa and Mathieu Joseph.[NBC Sports]

• The latest news on available unrestricted free agents.[Sportsnet]

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