Middleton, 26 (1/2/96), collected nine points (3-6=9), 69 penalty minutes (PIM), 89 hits and 89 blocked shots in 45 games with San Jose this season. The 6-foot-3, 201-pound native of Stratford, Ontario, ranked second on the Sharks in PIM and third in blocked shots. He registered his first career NHL goal Nov. 24 vs. Ottawa and posted his first two career multi-point games in back-to-back contests, Dec. 30-Jan. 2. He owns 12 points (3-9=12), 82 PIM, 110 hits and 97 blocked shots in 59 career games in four seasons with San Jose (2018-22). The left-shot blueliner also recorded 69 points (16-53=69), 273 PIM, three power-play goals (PPG), one shorthanded goal (SHG) and three game-winning goals (GWG) in 228 career games with the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League (AHL) in five seasons (2016-21). He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the seventh round (210th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft and will wear sweater No. 5 with the Wild.
Kahkonen, 25 (8/16/96), went 12-8-3 with a 2.87 goals-against average (GAA) and a .910 save percentage (SV%) in 25 games (23 starts) with Minnesota this season. He is 31-17-4 with a 2.89 GAA, a .907 SV% and two shutouts in 54 career games (51 starts) in three seasons with the Wild (2019-22). He was selected by Minnesota in the fourth round (109th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft.
