Nick Blankenburg Joins Maple Leafs on PTO Ahead of Training Camp

Defenseman Nick Blankenburg is joining the Toronto Maple Leafs on a professional tryout (PTO) ahead of training camp. The 28-year-old serves as an insurance depth option while Chris Tanev recovers from March core surgery. Blankenburg is coming off a 2025-26 season split between the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche, posting career highs of eight goals and 24 points in 61 regular-season games, along with five playoff appearances for Colorado. He has 176 total NHL games over five seasons.