San Jose Sharks: Can Jacob Middleton win the sixth defenseman job?

The San Jose Sharks still host one of the deepest blue-lines in the NHL, but could the young Jacob Middleton secure the sixth defenseman job?

The San Jose Sharks were expected to make some necessary changes this offseason. Finding themselves in quite the cap bind and with a number of key free agents set to hit the open market, it was always going to be difficult to keep the core together.

And while they may have lost a few important pieces — primarily now-former captain Joe Pavelski — they did a relatively good job of keeping the main building blocks of the team intact.

But while the offense underwent a sizable makeover with multiple top-six forwards departing in free agency, so too did the team’s defense. The Sharks traded away longtime defenseman Justin Braun just prior to the draft in an effort to save creat some cap space.

On top of that, 26-year-old Joakim Ryan was let go in free agency meaning that a hole existed on the team’s blue-line. But with Erik Karlsson and Radim Simek hopefully returning to full-health next season, the future still looks bright.

But that sixth defenseman spot remains an open competition. The current favorite for the job is veteran Tim Heed who has spent the last two seasons serving as a seventh defenseman of sorts.

Last year, Heed played in 37 contests totaling just 13 points but his skating and offensive prowess should be appealing to the Sharks. But if the team is looking for upside and potential, they may want to look in a different direction.

The Sharks have no shortage of blue-line prospects waiting in the wings, but perhaps the one most likely to earn a roster spot this fall is Jacob Middleton.

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Middleton has spent the last three seasons playing down in the AHL with the San Jose Barracuda — the last two he spent actually under contract with the Sharks.

The 23-year-old impressed enough with the Barracuda to earn a training camp invite last September and even earn a brief call-up in January of this year. Middleton would go on to play in three games with the Sharks recording one assist in just under 10 minutes of total ice time.

San Jose has been impressed with Middleton’s leadership and development as the final pick in the 2014 NHL Draft has served as an alternate captain with the Barracuda over the last two seasons. Over that time, Middleton has 47 points in 124 total games.

But one thing does stand in the way of Middleton securing the job, aside from Heed just playing exceptionally well. While Heed is a right-handed shot and a good fit behind Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson, Middleton is a left-handed shot.

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And currently, the Sharks left-handed defenseman jobs are all locked up with Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Radim Simek, and Brenden Dillon occupying those roles. If Middleton is to win that sixth defenseman job, he will have to do so playing on his off-side.

It’s not something that would immediately disqualify him, but it’s definitely something that the Sharks will take into account. And it could be the difference-maker that gives Heed the edge over Middleton.

It’s probably more likely that we see Middleton stick around as the team’s seventh defenseman and be the first man up if someone were to get injured.

Perhaps the Sharks are grooming Middleton to become a top-six defenseman in the future with rumors that the Sharks could deal Dillon arising this offseason. But for the time being, it’s more likely that Heed wins the sixth defenseman job and Middleton serves as the team’s primary backup.

But with a strong showing in training camp, Middleton could force the Sharks to rethink their decision.