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Maple Leafs Sign Nick Blankenburg To One-Year Contract

The $1.4 million one-year deal provides low-cost right-shot defensive depth that creates a small cap overage the team must manage with LTIR.

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Colorado Avalanche defenceman Nick Blankenburg (37) in the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Overview

  • The Maple Leafs signed defenseman Nick Blankenburg to a one-year contract with a reported $1.4 million cap hit, a move announced on Sunday.
  • Blankenburg earned the deal after attending Toronto’s training camp on a professional tryout and showing enough in preseason games to win a roster spot.
  • The club expects him to serve as a seventh defenseman or rotate onto the third pair, giving coach Jim Hiller a trusted right-shot option for 12–15 minutes in case of injuries.
  • The signing leaves Toronto slightly over projected cap limits and the team plans to use LTIR roster maneuvers to submit an opening-night roster.
  • Blankenburg is a 28-year-old puck-moving defenseman coming off career highs last season, and the one-year term preserves Toronto’s short-term flexibility and potential trade value.