The San Jose Sharks are just 67 days away from hitting the ice at the SAP Center, kicking off their season with a home game against the Vegas Golden Knights. Only one player has ever worn the No. 67 for the Sharks—Jacob Middleton, who started his NHL career with that number when he debuted on January 5, 2019, against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Middleton played a handful of games in that debut season and earned the chance to take the ice again in April against the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers, where he notched his first career point with an assist in the final game versus the Oilers. During the 2019-20 season, he appeared in 10 more games for the Sharks while still wearing No. 67, collecting two points. However, before the 2020-21 season, he switched to No. 22 and continued wearing it during his remaining tenure with San Jose.
Midway through the 2021-22 season, Middleton was traded to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a fifth-round pick and goalie Kaapo Kahkonen. Since then, he has become a mainstay on the Wild’s defense, steadily building a solid NHL career.
Photo credit: Stan Szeto-Immagn Image
Fan Take: Jacob Middleton’s journey is a great reminder of how persistence and growth shape NHL careers. For hockey fans, his story highlights the exciting potential for players to evolve and make impacts across different teams, enriching the sport’s competitive spirit.
