Michigan Hockey Coach Pearson: 'If You Have Anyone You Want to Have Success and Cheer for, it’s Nick Blankenburg'

Senior defenseman and captain a David on a team of Goliaths, having come from obscurity to notoriety

Nick Blankenburg has scored 13 goals and blocked 39 shots this season.

Photo Courtesy of University of Michigan Photography

By Steve Kornacki

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Michigan hockey program is built on Goliaths, but it’s also thriving this year thanks to a gritty defenseman from the David mold.

Nick Blankenburg was playing at Romeo (Mich.) High while the seven first-round draft picks and 12 total NHL draft picks on the Wolverines were starring for the U.S. Hockey National Team Development Program in Plymouth or playing in the elite United States Hockey League or North American Hockey League programs. He hustled his way onto the Okotoks Oilers in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, located in a distant Canadian province, as a 5-foot-6, 140-pound senior.

He then came to Ann Arbor as a walk-on after Dan Farrell, the Wolverines’ head coach from 1973-80, suggested current Michigan coach Mel Pearson take a look at him.

Blankenburg, now 5-9 and 160 pounds, is the senior captain of the No. 5 team in the nation, where he teams up on the blue line with 6-5, 214-pound Owen Power, the No. 1 pick in the last NHL Draft. Blankenburg has 13 goals and 22 points and -- for the first time in his career -- is actually on scholarship this season. And while Power leads Michigan with 40 blocked shots, Blankenburg is next with 39.

He’s one of the headliners on a Wolverine team that is 25-9-1 overall, and finished second in the Big Ten at 16-8. Michigan hosts Michigan State in the best-of-three conference tournament quarter-finals at 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday (if necessary).

Pearson was asked to describe the journey he’s seen Blankenburg make from obscurity to notoriety.

“It’s been a long journey,” said Pearson, taking on a glow. “But Nick Blankenburg adjusted. You know, there’s no shortcuts. Everything he does: his work ethic, his personality on the ice (and) off the ice, in the community, on campus, with our team. He just keeps on giving.”

While warming up for the recent Senior Night victory over Ohio State, Blankenburg noticed a young boy standing behind the boards with his father, both wearing Michigan hockey sweaters. The boy was holding up a homemade sign painted in maize and blue to encourage his favorite team. Blankenburg said something to the boy and flipped him a puck. The boy absolutely beamed.

“If you have anyone you want to have success and cheer for, it’s Nick Blankenburg,” continued Pearson. “We all see the things he does on the ice, the plays he makes, the things he does for his team. I can’t say enough about him, and I’m just happy he’s on our team.

‘He’s made huge plays for us, he’s a captain, and his journey led him here. We’re happy to have the opportunity to coach him. He’s a heck of a hockey player, and that’s what he is – a hockey player.”

Al Randall, the radio voice of Michigan hockey, was admiring his physical play against the Buckeyes.

“Blankenburg is a warrior,” said Randall.

Nolan De Jong, the Michigan captain just five years ago, added, “He’s just a competitor – always competes…He tires me out to watch him. He’s the Energizer Bunny.”

He also gets under the skin of opponents with his relentless play. As the final horn sounded in the Wolverines’ 3-0 victory Feb. 19, Buckeyes forward Kamil Sadlocha sucker punched Blankenburg after the two had gotten into it seconds earlier. There’s bad blood between them. They also fought on the ice Dec. 12 and Blankenburg, whose helmet was cracked in the skirmish, was inexplicably given a penalty while Sadlocha was not.

Sadlocha was assessed a five-minute penalty for contact to the head and a 10-minute misconduct for their most recent fight. Too bad the game was over.

However, Blankenburg quickly got up after their most recent fight and basked in the spotlight introduction for Senior Night, blowing a kiss to the fans at Yost Ice Arena. Then he hugged each teammate stationed in a reception line and got one last hug and a pat on the behind from Pearson.

The seniors, flags draped over their shoulders, took a victory lap together. Then Blankenburg, wearing a flag for the state of Michigan, began sprinting around the ice, taking them on one last lap. The seniors stopped skating and dropped to center ice and kissed the Block M together.

It was a scene of pure joy, and that’s what Blankenburg’s time at Michigan has been.

I asked him to put into words what playing his last regular season games at Yost meant. Blankenburg smiled widely and said, “I don’t really know if I can put that into words. I just try to live in the moment. For me, personally, I go back to my relationship with Christ. I know that’s been huge for me, and I’m just trying to enjoy every moment I have here. I cherish it.”

This team has come through COVID shut-downs, scheduled games that were lost, and losing its top four scorers – Matty Beniers, Brendan Brisson, Kent Johnson and Power – to the U.S. and Canadian Olympic teams for three weeks in February.

“It takes a special group to cut through all the distractions we’ve had this year,” said Blankenburg, an assistant captain last season. “It speaks a lot to the character of this team to limit the outside noise and just play. By just doing that and coming to the rink and enjoying it, working hard, playing hard in practice every day, you gain confidence day by day, and understand that it’s a process.

“We’re missing our top four guys and everyone (was) playing their role, and playing the right way, and that speaks a lot to the guys on this team. I’m really thankful for these guys here and just this atmosphere at Yost.”

Michigan freshman left wing Mark Estapa was asked what he appreciated about Blankenburg.

“Blankenburg -- he’s awesome,” said Estapa. “I mean, he’s the best leader out there. Every day, he comes to the rink with a smile on his face. He’s ready to get better. He’s ready to push his teammates. I think he helps everyone get better every day.”

Estapa assisted on Blankenburg’s game-winning goal Feb. 18 against Ohio State, and said something Blankenburg told him before that play was key,

“He gave me tips and told me he was open,” said Estapa.

The kid nobody seemed to notice just a few years ago has scored 24 goals with 62 points in four seasons, upping his goal production every season.

Blankenburg was a big scorer at Romeo High – which also happens to be the alma mater of Robert James Ritchie, better known as Kid Rock – and tallied 75 goals with 147 points in three seasons with two All-State selections and a 2016 state championship.

Then he had 10 goals and 28 points in 32 games for the Okotoks Oilers, and came knocking on the door at Yost.

The door opened, and what came inside was a David who would one season lead Goliaths to great things. So, as you watch these Wolverines chase a Big Ten Tournament championship and then a national championship, think of Nick Blankenburg, and how the captain with the rock in his sling has come up big.