Middleton (bruise) took part in Monday's practice session, John Shipley of The Pioneer Press reports.
Middleton looks to be on track to play in the season opener against the Jackets on Thursday. If the defenseman does suffer a setback in his recovery, Declan Chisholm would likely see the biggest uptick in ice time while Jon Merrill would move into a third-pairing role. Offensively, Middleton remains somewhat limited even after his career-best 2023-24 in which he posted seven goals and 18 helpers.