PuckSleuth
3Toronto Maple Leafs · Defense · Shoots R
Nick Blankenburg
Age 28 · 5'9" · 179 lb · Born in Washington, USA
Cap hit
$1.4M
1.3% of $104M cap
Term
1 yr
Through 2026-27, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$3.743M
vs. $5.143M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2025-26 regular season
GP
61
Goals
8
11.1% shooting
Assists
16
10 primary
Points
24
0.39 per game
TOI/GP
16:48
PP 1:25 · PK 1:19
xGF%
51.3
5v5, +0.1 vs. last yr
Game Score
+0.10
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
0 W · 2 L
Plus/minus
-10
Blocks 59 · Hits 55
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22 vs VGK · L 3-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9:21 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.02 |
| May 9 @ MIN · L 5-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7:54 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 100 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.07 |
| May 5 vs MIN · W 5-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7:08 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.14 |
| May 3 vs MIN · W 9-6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10:06 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 100 | 0 | 0 | -2 | +0.77 |
| Apr 26 @ LAK · W 5-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 12:35 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.15 |
GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 818 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
66th percentile
47th percentile
55th percentile
84th percentile
60th percentile
78th percentile
25th percentile
87th percentile
65th percentile
87th percentile
89th percentile
89th percentile
20th percentile
54th percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleOffensive playmaking defenseman
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Blankenburg is a creative distributor who drives offensive chances through intelligent passing and steady puck movement. His limited defensive intensity and below-average rush entry skills hold back his overall impact.
- Shooting volume
- 76
- Playmaking
- 86
- Zone entries(est.)
- 36
- Forechecking
- 65
- Physicality
- 46
- Defensive impact
- 30
- Puck management
- 53
- Speed
- 43
Where he shoots from
Slot 18% · Mid-range 18% · Perimeter 64%(121 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Elite playmaking ability in the 86th percentile creates scoring chances for teammates
- Strong shooting volume at 76th percentile contributes steady offensive pressure from the point
- Balanced puck management keeps possession moving without many turnovers
Watch-outs
- Defensive impact in the 30th percentile suggests limited play-stopping ability at both ends
- Struggles generating rush chances, ranking in the 36th percentile for offensive entries
- Below-average speed at 43rd percentile limits ability to track back quickly
Similar style: Filip Hronek (VAN), Rasmus Andersson (VGK)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 61 GP · goals above average
Season total +6.0 goals, or +0.10 per game.
- Even strength offense
- +0.4
- Power play
- -0.8
- Penalty kill
- +0.4
- Finishing
- +3.1
- Playmaking
- +1.6
- Penalties
- +1.3
Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
By season
Regular season
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | SOG | TOI/GP | FO% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | COL, NSH | 61 | 8 | 16 | 24 | -10 | 72 | 16:48 | — | +0.10 |
| 2024-25 | NSH | 60 | 4 | 12 | 16 | -2 | 84 | 19:33 | — | -0.04 |
| 2023-24 | CBJ | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 10 | 16:13 | — | +0.00 |
| 2022-23 | CBJ | 36 | 4 | 10 | 14 | -16 | 50 | 19:10 | — | -0.02 |
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- Maple Leafs reward Nick Blankenburg after his impressive preseason
editorinleaf.com · Sep 27
- Maple Leafs sign Nick Blankenburg
pensionplanpuppets.com · Sep 27
- One player is inching closer to making the Maple Leafs' final roster
editorinleaf.com · Sep 25
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average +0.28 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 21.4 mph
- 41st pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 27
- Hardest shot
- 90.0 mph
- 46th pct
- Distance
- 147.1 mi
- OZ time
- 45.3%
- 92nd pct
- DZ time
- 37.1%
Age curve
NHL defensemen · production index
At 28, defensemen typically produce 95% of their peak (age 24).
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
1 season left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | TOR | $1.4M | 1.3% |
UFA after 2026-27. $1.4M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).