Former Nashville Predators defenseman Nick Blankenburg is heading north of the border for the first time in his career, temporarily at least.
On Monday, the Toronto Maple Leafs officially announced that they had signed the 28-year-old Michigan native to a professional try-out with training camp scheduled to start in the near future.
Blankenburg, who spent two seasons with the Predators organization, was one of the few surprise players remaining on the unrestricted free agent list as the summer drew to an end. While he's an effective player on the ice, many are likely hesitant to bring him into the mix due to his size. While 5-foot-9 forwards are getting more and more common, defensemen with the same stature are still rare unless they possess something that sets them further apart from their bigger counterparts.
If Blankenburg does end up signing a contract with the Maple Leafs, it could be a good fit for him. They need depth, so he won't be in the lineup overnight, but his work ethic could earn him a spot in their lineup over time.
