PuckSleuth
Jake Middleton55

Calgary Flames · Defense · Shoots L

Jake Middleton

Age 30 · 6'3" · 219 lb · Born in Wainwright, CAN

Cap hit

$4.35M

4.2% of $104M cap

Term

3 yrs

Through 2028-29

Clause

None

Surplus value

+$306K

vs. $4.656M market estimate

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2026-27 regular season

GP

2

Goals

0

0.0% shooting

Assists

0

0 primary

Points

0

0.00 per game

TOI/GP

19:17

PP 0:00 · PK 4:19

xGF%

44.9

5v5, -5.6 vs. last yr

Game Score

-0.13

per game

Faceoff %

—

Plus/minus

-2

Blocks 3 · Hits 4

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

GameGASOGHITBLKTOIPPPKFOOZS%GVTK+/-GS
Oct 3
@ VAN · L 4-1
0011317:390:003:16—100100-0.15
Oct 1
vs SEA · L 6-1
0023020:550:005:21—000-2-0.10
May 13
@ COL · OTL 4-3
0003321:550:001:07—010-2-0.03
May 11
vs COL · L 5-2
0002012:430:001:03—10000-1-0.20
May 9
vs COL · W 5-1
0002014:260:002:01—0000+0.07

GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.

Advanced metrics

5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 1,130 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen

xGF%50.5%

60th percentile

Relative xGF%-0.4

51st percentile

HDCF%53.2%

69th percentile

CF%46.2%

21st percentile

Relative CF%-3.4

19th percentile

FF%47.2%

30th percentile

GF%46.9%

38th percentile

CF/6053.7

34th percentile

CA/6062.6

14th percentile

ixG/600.19

45th percentile

Goals above expected-1.6

14th percentile

IPP36.8%

61st percentile

PDO100.0

47th percentile

OZS%38.9%

22nd percentile

xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.

Play stylePuck-moving defenseman

Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26

Middleton excels at moving the puck up ice with crisp passes and managing possessions smoothly, while his physical play anchors the defensive side. He gets involved in transition with strong rush chances but doesn't generate much offense from his shot.

Puck moverPhysicalTransitional
Shooting volume
20
Playmaking
60
Zone entries(est.)
73
Forechecking
58
Physicality
75
Defensive impact
63
Puck management
83
Speed
53

Where he shoots from

Slot 10% · Mid-range 27% · Perimeter 63%(96 unblocked shots)

Strengths

  • Excellent puck management skills at 83rd percentile keep plays moving
  • Physicality ranks 75th percentile, setting a strong defensive tone
  • Rush chances reach 73rd percentile, enabling transition opportunities

Watch-outs

  • Shooting volume in 20th percentile shows minimal offensive output
  • Speed at 53rd percentile limits ability to create space and drive play
  • Playmaking at 60th percentile leaves room to generate more scoring chances

Similar style: Alexandre Carrier (MTL), Jared Spurgeon (MIN)

Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.

Where his Game Score comes from

2025-26 · 75 GP

Season total +18.7, or +0.25 per game.

Scoring
+10.6
Shooting
+4.7
5-on-5 goals
-0.8
Defense
+0.4
Penalty kill
-0.6
Physical play
+7.6
Puck battles
-1.8
Penalties
-1.3

Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

Career stats

From the NHL's player records

SeasonLeagueTeamGPGAP+/-PIM
2010-11Minor-ONHuron-Perth MM4000—0
2010-11 (playoffs)Minor-ONHuron-Perth MM1000—0
2011-12Minor-ONHuron-Perth MM2571623—26
2011-12Minor-ONHuron-Perth Mid.2101—4
2011-12ON-Jr.BStratford4033—0
2011-12 (playoffs)Minor-ONHuron-Perth MM8178—16
2012-13OHLOwen Sound14011+37
2012-13OHLOttawa15134-1618
2013-14OHLOttawa6522123-2164
2014-15OHLOttawa6442327+1162
2014-15 (playoffs)OHLOttawa6112-54
2015-16OHLOttawa6872431+1168
2015-16ECHLManchester2011+10
2015-16 (playoffs)OHLOttawa5022-32
2015-16 (playoffs)ECHLManchester5000-20
2016-17AHLSan Jose Barracuda50189+1156
2016-17 (playoffs)AHLSan Jose Barracuda13044+210
2017-18AHLSan Jose Barracuda6762228-180
2017-18 (playoffs)AHLSan Jose Barracuda4011-40
2018-19NHLSan Jose Sharks3011-12
2018-19AHLSan Jose Barracuda5751419+1667
2018-19 (playoffs)AHLSan Jose Barracuda4000-50
2019-20NHLSan Jose Sharks10022-29
2019-20AHLSan Jose Barracuda32156-1352
2020-21NHLSan Jose Sharks1000-22
2020-21AHLSan Jose Barracuda22347+418
2020-21 (playoffs)AHLSan Jose Barracuda4022+10
2021-22NHLSan Jose Sharks45369+369
2021-22NHLMinnesota Wild21145+713
2021-22 (playoffs)NHLMinnesota Wild6011+62
2022-23NHLMinnesota Wild7931215+1572
2022-23WCCanada10055+124
2022-23 (playoffs)NHLMinnesota Wild6022-28
2023-24NHLMinnesota Wild8071825-1577
2024-25NHLMinnesota Wild6781321+1140
2024-25 (playoffs)NHLMinnesota Wild6022+32
2025-26NHLMinnesota Wild7521416+276
2025-26 (playoffs)NHLMinnesota Wild11011-22
2026-27NHLCalgary Flames2000-24

Every league he has played in, from the NHL's records, regular season and playoffs.

Latest news

Headlines from news outlets and team blogs

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Recent Game Scores

Last 10 games · goals above average

Average +0.06 per game over these 10.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2025-26, as of Oct 2

Top speed
21.8 mph
53rd pct
20+ mph bursts
38
Hardest shot
84.9 mph
24th pct
Distance
180.8 mi
OZ time
39.0%
10th pct
DZ time
43.1%

Usage

Last game: @ VAN, Oct 3

Pair 1 with Zayne Parekh (11:54 together at 5-on-5)

From the NHL's shift chart.

Age curve

NHL defensemen · production index

202937

At 30, defensemen typically produce 89% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 32, when the typical level is 81%.

From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.

Contract by season

3 seasons left

SeasonTeamCap hit% of cap
2026-27CGY$4.35M4.2%
2027-28CGY$4.35M3.8%
2028-29CGY$4.35M—

$13.05M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).