Middleton (upper body) was ruled out of Thursday's contest with Buffalo, per Curtis Pashelka of The San Jose Mercury News.

EDGE Analysis

Middleton suffered an upper-body injury against the Red Wings that forced him to exit the game early. Pashelka adds, the 26-year-old is not expected to miss more than another game at most. The Ontario-born defenseman averaged 20:38 of ice time and tallied four points through his five performances prior to exiting.

Middleton (upper body) was given a questionable designation for Thursday's game with Buffalo on Wednesday, per Curtis Pashelka of The San Jose Mercury News.

EDGE Analysis

Middleton has averaged 21:04 of ice time and logged one goal and three assists in through 11 appearances since the end of November. The 23-year-old's return for Thursday's contest with Buffalo is unlikely as his condition is still under evaluation. In his absence, Jaycob Megna will likely see an expanded role.

Middleton (upper body) won't return to Tuesday's game versus the Red Wings, Corey Masisak of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Middleton's head hit the glass after a hit from the Red Wings' Givani Smith late in the first period. The two players had previously fought early in the contest. The 26-year-old Middleton will likely continue to be evaluated, leaving him as day-to-day at best heading into Thursday's game versus the Sabres.

Middleton logged two assists, five hits and three blocked shots in Thursday's 3-2 overtime win over the Flyers.

EDGE Analysis

Middleton helped out on goals by Logan Couture and Brent Burns two minutes apart in the second period. The first of those tallies came shorthanded, making Middleton's assist his first special-teams point in his career. The 25-year-old has six points, 48 hits, 46 blocked shots, 39 PIM, 32 shots on net and a plus-6 rating through 26 outings overall.

Middleton scored an empty-net goal on two shots and added seven PIM in Wednesday's 6-3 win over the Senators.

EDGE Analysis

Middleton fought Austin Warson in the first period and also took a slashing minor in the second. The 25-year-old finally got to check off his first NHL goal when he tallied into an empty cage in the final minute of the game. That milestone took him 27 contests across four seasons to achieve. He's added two assists, 31 PIM, 18 hits, 14 blocked shots and a plus-4 rating in 13 outings this year. With minimal scoring potential, Middleton is best left off fantasy rosters.

Middleton produced an assist, two blocked shots, a plus-2 rating and five PIM in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Wild.

EDGE Analysis

Middleton fought Wild winger Jordan Greenway in the first period. In the middle frame, Middleton set up Erik Karlsson's bar-down goal. The helper was Middleton's second in nine appearances. He's provided a tough presence on the blue line with 19 PIM, 11 hits and eight blocked shots. The 25-year-old has matched his career high in points with the two helpers this season -- he shouldn't be counted on for consistent offense.

Middleton is scheduled to skate Tuesday, indicating he's cleared the NHL's COVID-19 protocols, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.

EDGE Analysis

Although Middleton could be ready sooner, he won't be eligible to rejoin the Sharks' lineup until Saturday against the Avalanche due to Canada's COVID-19 border restrictions. Another update on the 25-year-old blueliner should surface once he's cleared to play.

Middleton entered the league's COVID-19 protocols Saturday.

EDGE Analysis

Middleton was one of seven Sharks players to enter the virus protocols. The 25-year-old defenseman has logged one assist, 12 PIM and a plus-4 rating through seven contests. Per the protocols, he'll undergo further testing to determine the next steps.

Middleton recorded an assist Friday in a 5-3 win over the Maple Leafs.

EDGE Analysis

This was Middleton's first NHL point since the 2019-20 season, as the majority of his service time has been spent with AHL San Jose. The 25-year-old is paired with elite rearguard Erik Karlsson, and that facet alone makes him an interesting budget option in select DFS tournaments.

Middleton was reassigned to AHL San Jose on Tuesday, per CapFriendly.

EDGE Analysis

Middleton is unlikely to play in the Sharks' regular-season finale versus the Golden Knights on Wednesday. Instead, the 25-year-old defenseman will probably finish the campaign with the Barracuda.