There were times Keaton Middleton wondered if he’d ever get back to the NHL.

After playing three games with the Colorado Avalanche in 2020-21, the six-foot-six blue-liner from Stratford returned to the team’s top minor league affiliate where he became a defensive backbone and alternate captain. Strong NHL training camps in 2023 and 2024 didn’t stop the Avs from placing Middleton on waivers and, it seemed, cementing his spot with the American Hockey League’s Colorado Eagles.

“There’s a lot of times you’re like, ‘Wow, I’m getting older now, so maybe they don’t see me as an option,’” he said. “‘Am I done and have to play in the American league and give up on the dream of playing in the NHL?’ I’m glad I stayed resilient.”

The Avalanche noticed, and the Western Conference club rewarded Middleton by calling him up last December. Though he was sent down a few times for salary cap purposes, the 27-year-old former Toronto Maple Leafs fourth-rounder never played another AHL game in 2024-25.

“I never took away from what I knew I could do, but I needed another opportunity,” he said. “I was lucky enough to get one this year and ran with it.”

Middleton played 47 NHL games this season and earned a two-year contract extension in January.

“We’ve liked what he’s done, his puck touches and breakouts and regroups, even his (offensive) zone play. . . . He’s grown in those areas over the years,” Avs head coach Jared Bednar told reporters at the time. “It’s probably what was keeping him out of the league for the last few (seasons), so we’ll see where he gets to at the NHL level right now and see what he can provide in those areas of strength for us.”

Middleton averaged more than 11 minutes a game and brought a physical edge to the Avs’ back end, dishing out 69 hits and blocking 37 shots while also sticking up for teammates when needed. He soaked up knowledge from teammates like Josh Manson, a defenceman with a similar skill set, and Cale Makar, one of this year’s finalists for the NHL’s top defenceman.

“I would take (this season) as a huge success,” Middleton said. “Just getting the opportunity to play in the NHL is a dream.”

The “coolest part of the whole season” was when Middleton faced his older brother Jake, a Minnesota Wild defenceman. The pair played each other twice with family in attendance.

“It’s hard to describe how surreal it was knowing what each of us went through to get to that position,” the younger Middleton said.

The Avs’ rearguard didn’t see any action in the playoffs as Colorado lost to Dallas in seven games.

“Not playing was hard,” he said. “I wanted to get in there and play, and I think that’s any athlete with a competitive side. Just being a part of that, the NHL playoffs, this is fun, this is good. Obviously, it was a heartbreaker for us. (Being around) that atmosphere and experience was good for me moving forward.”

Middleton will spend most of the offseason training in Denver. The doubt is gone, replaced by confidence he can make the team out of camp in September and stay there for good.

As long as he sticks to what he does best.

“Defence-first, make the outlet pass, don’t overtouch it and defend hard,” he said. “I need to be reliable with the puck. I know what I am … and that’s really going to help me and the team.”