FTR if Middleton is now the 7/8th defenseman and resident goon, I'm okay with that. Much as he's prone to horrid turnovers and dumb mistakes, he's an All-Star blueliner compared to MacDermid. I don't know if I've ever seen a bigger guy with a weaker stick. That guy got into puck battles with himself every shift, and lost.
His 775k for the next two years is actually below the league minimum as well, which will probably be close to 900k next year.
It's actually a fantastic contract for a 7/8D