Introducing Jacob Middleton

Seventh Round, 210th overall: Jacob Middleton
Position: D
Shoots: L
DOB: 1/2/96
Height: 6’3
Weight: 194

NHL Central Scouting final ranking: 172
NHL Central Scouting midterm ranking: 87
Stats (OHL – Ottawa): 65 GP, 2 G, 21 A, 23 Pts, 64 PIM
Twitter: @MiddzClassy

Vice President of Hockey Operations and Director of Player Personnel Mike Futa:
We thought he was the best defenseman at the Top Prospects Game. Wildly inconsistent season. Highs and lows. Played with the big Finn Lintuniemi at times. At times on a team that was rebuilding, and they were playing Doughty-like minutes, sometimes a lot of scabs got exposed, but they’re both exceptional guys on the back end. They’ve both got good size. They’re going to give themselves a chance.

Mike G. Morrealle, NHL.com:
Ottawa 67’s defenseman Jacob Middleton might be a few years away from beginning his professional hockey career, but he has a good idea on what it might take to reach the highest level.

“You have to be the strongest guy on the ice both physically and mentally,” Middleton said. “When you have guys like Sidney Crosby coming down on you, you must be mentally prepared for what’s to come and physically prepared to take on someone of his ability.”

Does Middleton, who stands 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, feel he’s up to the challenge?

“I’m a physical defenseman and pretty aggressive,” he said. “I’m a defensive-defenseman, but I was given opportunities on the power play in Ottawa as well because we were a younger team. I was able to showcase some skills up there, but as a pro, I think I’ll be a stay-at-home guy.”

Neate Sager, Yahoo! Canada Buzzing the Net:
Junior hockey demands you grow up quickly. Take last week, when Jacob Middleton got dropped off by his parents to resume the second half of the season one day and was traded across the province the next.

Ben Kerr, Last Word on Sports:
The Ottawa 67s have been rebuilding for the past two seasons, and so when they moved Ottawa Senators prospect Cody Ceci to the Owen Sound Attack at the 2013 trade deadline, the key piece coming back to the club was then 16-year-old, defenceman Jacob Middleton. Middleton had been the Attack’s first round pick, 8th overall, in the 2012 OHL draft. Middleton has made himself a core member of the 67s playing top four minutes, and important defensive situations, including penalty kill time for Ottawa.

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