When you look at the Nashville Predators and their recent moves, one thing so many people wonder is what on earth the organization's general plan is. Now, when you look at specifically the team's defensive group, that sentiment is only amplified.
The word "logjam" does not even do justice when you talk about the left side of the defense for the Predators. They have Roman Josi, Brady Skjei, and now Nic Hague all locked into long-term contracts, and that does not even account for Tanner Molendyk, who is the team's top defensive prospect, or Adam Wilsby, who played well last year before getting injured.
The right side has suffered big time as a result, as the only guys currently on the Predators who played more than five games for them last year are Nick Blankenburg and Justin Barron. They did sign Nick Perbix to balance it out a little bit more, but regardless, it is still a problem what the team has right now.
As bad as it might look, things might look much better if Blankenburg can play similarly this year to the way he played last year. He actually played quite well with legitimate minutes and responsibility in 2024-25, and nobody knows if he will get that opportunity again, but it would be a real shame if he does not, because he deserves it.
Nick Blankenburg deserves chance to start 2025-26 on top defensive pairing with Roman Josi
It happened mainly by virtue of a defense that was increasingly depleted as the season went on, but Blankenburg got his opportunity in the Predators lineup last year, and he made the most of it. The box score might not blow you away, but the underlying numbers and eye test would tell you that there might just something here.
Blankenburg's analytics were strong, as he showed to be adept both offensively and defensively and had a very positive impact on his team. The mobility at both ends of the ice stood out, and he showcased it on this highlight reel goal in St. Louis just a month into his Predators career.
Blankenburg is undersized at 5'9" and 177 pounds, but he clearly has skill and he does not shy away from being physical either. When you think of the phrase "little engine that could," that absolutely applies to him, as he was consistently making good things happen while on the ice last year.
Let me remind you that this was not Blankenburg playing sparingly against other depth and role players. He averaged over 19:30 of ice time per game against legitimate NHL competition, and he did it for several months, so it is not fair to say he just caught lightning in a bottle in a role that worked for him.
There is of course a chance he does not keep that going for the rest of his career, but based on what he has shown with the Predators so far, he is a quality player. And with that, he deserves a chance to play with Roman Josi on the top defensive pairing to start next season.
In terms of his overall body of work, Blankenburg is the best of the right shot defensemen that the Predators have. Perbix is still unproven as he has played mainly as depth in his NHL career, and Barron simply has not shown to be good enough to handle such a role, and we have seen him try playing on the top pairing.
Having two same shot guys on the same pairing is never an ideal situation, and none of the left shot defensemen on the Predators are good enough to make it worthwhile. We even saw when Skjei and Josi were on the same pairing last year, and it did not work out, so there is no reason to try it again unless and until they have to.
Blankenburg has the best combination of criteria necessary to play on the top pairing, and one argument against it is it may not be ideal for Josi to play with another guy who also likes to play an offensive style of hockey.
But Blankenburg is good defensively, and as Josi's god given abilities decline, it might be sensible for him to play alongside another mobile guy who can take some slack off of him. It also feels slightly similar to when Josi was paired with Ryan Ellis -- another undersized guy who played a strong two-way game -- and that worked out pretty well.
Some people also might not want Blankenburg on the top pair because that would mean breaking up him and Skjei, but it is not like they played well enough that they absolutely must stay together. I see more to gain with Blankenburg rising to play alongside Josi, and would not lose sleep over having to find a new partner for Skjei.
Nick Blankenburg may have a tough time slotting in given Nashville Predators' defensive plans
As well as Blankenburg played last year and as much as I really like the guy, we have to be careful to not let ourselves get too attached to him. He is still an undrafted guy on a super cheap contract that has him set to be an unrestricted free agent next offseason, so it is no guarantee he actually is a part of the future.
He was signed to be mainly an AHL guy who would only get opportunities out of necessity, never did Barry Trotz or the front office ever expect him to be a real difference maker. And based on Trotz's moves and his recent words, he might still be operating under that assumption with Blankenburg.
Trotz talked about the Hague acquisition and that he projects him to be a top-four defenseman on the team, which if true, says a lot about what the overall defense will look like. We know Josi and Skjei will be in the top four, meaning one spot would be left after Hague's is filled.
I obviously think the last spot should go to Blankenburg in that case, but that would likely mean pushing out one of Perbix or Barron, which is highly doubtful to happen. Would that mean Molendyk comes in to fill the last spot on the left side, or you have one of your right shot defensemen playing off hand as well?
Playing Hague in the top four would not be optimal largely because of the ripple effect it would have on the rest of the lineup, but there is a real chance it happens. It would be a shame if Blankenburg ends up being collateral damage as a result, but it is not automatically a bad thing if he is not on the team after 2025-26.
If he continues to play well this season and the Predators are well out of a playoff spot, he might could be traded at the deadline for legitimate assets. It would be understandable, with him approaching age 30, if Trotz does not see Blankenburg as a true future piece, and that is alright so long as they truly get the best out of him one way or another.
The fear is that the Predators get in a situation similar to Dante Fabbro's, where the team does not realize what they have in him. It could happen with Blankenburg, as he has been overlooked throughout much of his NHL career, but last year showed his capabilities when given a true opportunity, so hopefully Trotz and company realize that they have a good one.