A new face is emerging as a major leader for the Calgary Flames
There’s a reason the Calgary Flames chose to acquire defenceman Jake Middleton from the Minnesota Wild this offseason.
Continuing what has been a rebuilding process, Flames GM Craig Conroy chose to trade Blake Coleman and Olli Maatta to the Wild. In return, they received Middleton, a third-round pick in 2027, a fourth-round pick in 2028, and a second-round pick in 2029. While those three draft picks were the biggest haul for the Flames, Middleton was anything but a throw-in.
Speaking on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast this week, Conroy explained how difficult it was to trade Coleman, who he called “one of his favourite guys ever.” The 34-year-old spent five seasons with the Flames organization and was a huge part of their leadership group. Knowing what a massive blow it would be to the dressing room, Conroy felt he needed a strong veteran voice in return.
“I was wondering about Middleton. [Wild GM] Billy [Guerin] and I were roommates at the Olympics and stuff. He said, ‘Hey, you’re going to love him. He’s going to be a big part of this.'”
Though Flames training camp has yet to officially begin, players are back in Calgary skating, giving Conroy a firsthand view of Middleton both on and off the ice.
“This Middleton, I’m watching him out there, he’s a beauty,” said a laughing Conroy. “I really like him. He drove his Harley all the way out here, him and his dad. He really has kind of taken over [on the ice]. I’m just watching. He’s a big personality. I think he’s something our team needed.”
Middleton, who has played 381 career games, projects as a bottom-pairing defenceman. He isn’t going to put up massive offensive totals, though that shouldn’t be much of a concern for the Flames, who have plenty of offence coming from the back end with Simon Nemec and Zayne Parekh.
Instead, the Flames are looking for Middleton to provide a steady, stay-at-home presence while bringing some much-needed veteran experience to the dressing room. Based on Conroy’s early impressions, it sounds like he’s already settling into that role nicely.