Why the Maple Leafs signed defenceman Nick Blankenburg after PTO deal

Toronto Maple Leafs have bolstered their defense by signing defenceman Nick Blankenburg to a one-year contract, according to the NHL team's announcement on Sunday. The 28-year-old from Washington, Mich., recently participated in training camp as part of a professional tryout agreement. Last season, Blankenburg played for the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche, tallying eight goals and 16 assists in 61 games, marking his career-high performance.

The Leafs acquired Blankenburg after he initially signed with Columbus as an undrafted free agent in April 2022, spending three seasons with the Blue Jackets before moving to Nashville in July 2024. The contract details reveal that the annual payment is $205.00 plus GST for the first year. Subsequently, the annual cost will increase to $233.00 plus GST every 52 weeks, representing a 10% discount off the regular annual price of $259.35.

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