Nick Blankenburg may have just secured his spot on the Maple Leafs roster

Though Nick Blankenburg is only at Maple Leafs camp on a PTO, he played like someone who not only is fighting for a spot, but may have just secured it altogether.

The Toronto Maple Leafs played their first preseason split-squad games on Saturday night, but came up empty-handed with two losses to the Montreal Canadiens. However, there were some bright spots that came out of both games, especially coming from the 'B' squad playing in Montreal.

Though they lost 4-3 in OT, the weaker 'B' side took it to the top side in Montreal, and managed to put in a strong defensive effort despite being outshot and outplayed for the first period. However, there was one player who stood out above the rest when it came to the Maple Leafs: Nick Blankenburg.

Nick Blankenburg just stepped up when he needed to the most

Signed to the team on a PTO this summer, Blankenburg not only looked like a seasoned member of the team at times, but it was clear that head coach Daniel Alfredsson trusted him to lead the way. Blankenburg led all skaters in ice time with 24:47, but had an incredible eight blocked shots as well.

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It looked like prime Chris Tanev out there for the Maple Leafs and if he had any reservations about whether he played well enough to earn a contract those should be put to rest.

While he didn't add any points, he was tenacious and a puck hound all night, and his one shot he did take was one where he gathered the puck, and had confidence to weave into the slot and fire off a wrister. He showed poise, creativity, tenacity, and a relentless motor that kept the Maple Leafs fighting until the bitter end - good signs for a future contract.

Maple Leafs fans want Nick Blankenburg as their #6 defenseman

But it wasn't just his teammates or coaches that he left an impression on, but the Maple Leafs faithful took quick notice of just how good Blankenburg was on Saturday:

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It doesn't take much to get on the good side of Maple Leafs fans especially nowadays. Hard work, effort, and a desire to win are the keys to getting the crowd to love you, and Blankenburg did that in one game.

While it doesn't guarantee a contract for him, the fact that he played a simple preseason game like a Stanley Cup Final shows no matter the circumstances he's ready to help. He and Oliver Ekman-Larsson looked like a seasoned duo together, which could be a sign of the future in Toronto.

Frankly, it should be considering what Blankenburg did in just 25 minutes.

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