Nick Blankenburg was recalled by Nashville from the American Hockey League just days after Thanksgiving. Over four months later, he not only hasn’t looked back, but he’s become a fixture in the Predators defense corps.
The undrafted 26-year-old defenseman has been so impressive, in fact, he’s been named the Predators nominee for the 2025 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy by the Nashville chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.
Presented annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey, Blankenburg more than meets the qualifications. Nothing has ever come easy in his hockey career, but after what he’s done with the Preds over the past 59 games, he may not be headed anywhere other than the NHL anytime soon.
And Blankenburg knows just who to thank for his success.
“First, all glory to God,” Blankenburg said prior to Nashville’s game in Utah on Thursday. “I mean, I wouldn't be here without Him and just the strength that He's given me over the years to just keep on pushing. And, obviously, I wouldn't be here without my family and just my core, supportive people. To get through hard times, you have to have good core people around you, and I’m just so thankful for family and for friends and for the people that have just helped me live out this dream. Honestly, it's such a blessing.”
After making his way through the high school ranks in Michigan, all Blankenburg wanted was a shot with a junior team. He got that chance with the Okotoks Oilers of the Alberta Junior Hockey League during the 2017-18 campaign, and that next season, he walked onto the team at the University of Michigan.
All he did there was make a name for himself with the Wolverines, including a senior season that saw the 5-foot-9 defenseman produce 14 goals and 29 points in just 38 games while serving as team captain.
“I think 16-year-old-me just wanted to find a junior team and try and play college hockey, wherever that was,” Blankenburg said. “Thankfully, with how everything worked out, I was able to just be a walk-on player at Michigan and just kind of fought for an opportunity there. Over my whole career, [I’ve had] that attitude of just betting on myself, and obviously, after four years there, to be able to sign an NHL contract and to play NHL games has just been a dream come true.”
That showing with Michigan was good enough for the Blue Jackets to sign him right out of school, but over the course of three seasons in the Columbus organization, Blankenburg dealt with a number of injuries that kept him from ever playing a full season at the NHL level.
Last summer, after the Blue Jackets decided to go in a different direction, the Predators called and inked him to a two-year contract worth $775,000 at the NHL level - a two-way deal in 2024-25 and one-way in 2025-26. Blankenburg almost made the team out of trading camp and was one of the last players to be assigned to Milwaukee (AHL) prior to opening night, but less than two months later, the Preds called again.
“I've played over 100 games [in the NHL], and I feel like every game you almost have to pinch yourself,” Blankenburg said. “I’m just so thankful to be able to live out this dream, and obviously there's been a lot of ups and downs throughout the years, but I think that just has built my character up to, I think most importantly, who I am as a person. Obviously, hockey is important to me, and it is to all these guys, but for me, I think the most important thing is who I am becoming throughout that journey, in that process.”
As a hockey player, Blankenburg has become not only a regular in the Nashville lineup, but a top-pairing defenseman alongside Brady Skjei with the Predators’ blueline depleted with injuries to Roman Josi, Jeremy Lauzon and Adam Wilsby.
Blankenburg has stepped up, including a memorable overtime goal in December, and as of late, he’s even quarterbacked Nashville’s top power-play unit, scoring a goal on the man advantage Thursday night in Utah.
The challenge has been large, but that’s nothing new for Blankenburg. Not only has he learned to deal with whatever comes in the best League in the world, but he’s also in a better spot than he’s ever been.
And that’s worthy of Masterton consideration.
“With hockey in general, I got to a point, probably around my senior year of college, and then throughout pro, it's just that constant surrender of just kind of letting go of the things I can’t control,” Blankenburg said. “I think a lot of that is just my identity and who I am outside of hockey. For me, I think my faith plays the most important role for me.
“Earlier in the year, [Predators Sport Psychologist Vickie Woosley] had us write down one word that we wanted to write for the year, and mine was just to ‘Surrender.’ So, I think for me, just surrendering the outcome every single night, whether if I play good or I play bad or win or lose or kind of no matter what happens. That’s just given me the peace to go out there and just enjoy it and really just make the most out of it."
