Toronto Maple Leafs 2016 NHL Entry Draft Retrospective
By Gordon Munro
Seventh Pick
With the 101st pick, the Maple Leafs selected 6-6 235lbs left-handed defender from the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL, Keaton Middleton.
He showed very little in terms of offensive potential and unsurprisingly, was seen as a punishing shutdown defensive blueliner.
He spent the next two seasons as captain of the Spirit and in his final OHL year reached career highs four goals and 24 points in 64 games. Of course, points don’t paint a clear picture when it comes to defenders, especially in his case.
Following his juniors career, he signed a two-year AHL deal with the San Jose Barracuda. There, he once again failed to show a lot in terms of offense but was given a two-year entry-level contract by the Colorado Avalanche in 2020.
He would suit up for three games with the Avs that season and has spent the past four years in the organization, playing primarily with their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles.
His current deal is set to expire next year and it seems like even at it’s conclusion he will be a mainstay in the North American minor league circuit.