Foligno remarked on Saturday, “[This contract] lets me know my voice and my impact will hopefully be around for long enough to really sustain and grab hold here.” “That is the thing that excites me.”
Ever since signing a contract with the Chicago Blackhawks last summer, Nick Foligno has had a complete understanding of the team’s long-term goals. He has also desired the ability to personally think long-term.
Now that he has a two-year contract extension that runs through 2025–2026, he can.
Foligno remarked on Saturday, “I really get to put some roots down, dig in here, and put that investment into it.”
The 36-year-old veteran’s desire to remain for a while, possibly to the end of his career, on a rebuilding team is unusual, but Foligno’s readiness to do so is a testament to his commitment to general manager Kyle Davidson’s goal.
Although his bond with Davidson dates back to the mid-2000s in Sudbury, Ontario, and his extension comes with a $4.5 million salary-cap hit that is significantly more than his market value, his real devotion makes the transaction even sweeter.
He’s been the team’s de facto captain since before training camp, when he initiated the now-customary practice of feeding younger Hawks home-cooked dinners at his residence. After all, he would much rather help create something from the ground up than chase Stanley Cups.
“This will require some time,” Foligno remarked. “You want things to improve and leap from one day or month to the next, but there will always be ups and downs. This year, you have witnessed it. This extension informs me that my voice and influence will hopefully last long enough to truly take root and spread over this area. That’s the thing that excites me.
“You have to go out and do it [on the ice], as much as you want to talk and say off the ice.” I look forward to the day when I can truly do both; I’ve appreciated that portion. That’s a major factor in why two years has seemed like the ideal duration. I’m excited about
Coach Luke Richardson stated on Friday that there will be a discussion on the captaincy going forward following the season. The organization has seriously considered having Foligno wear the “C” during this transitional phase, however Connor Bedard will eventually take it.
“Obviously, [Nick is] that type of player,” Richardson remarked. “Everyone knows he will be the same guy he always is; he doesn’t even need a ‘A’ on his sweater.”
Foligno provided the appropriate response when questioned about the possibilities.
“Any guy would be proud to wear it, but you’re here to make a difference, not to get attention,” he remarked. We’re still searching for our leadership group and the person who will lead the charge. Being a voice in that room is something I’m really proud of, but so are many other males there. Many guys are deserving of it.
Foligno’s immediate priority is to return to the Hawks starting lineup. He said that because of the left ring finger fracture he sustained while battling Devils defenseman Brendan Smith on December 5 to exact revenge on Bedard, doctors had deemed him to be “week-to-week.” Prior to this, he had scored 17 points in 39 games.
Since Foligno and Bedard are sidelined together, the Hawks’ staff has relied on him to keep the kid half his age away from the rink — representing a perfect example of how important and trusted he has become. “He’s dying [to get out there],” Foligno said. “The trainers were like, ‘Hey, you’ve got to help us. He’s not going to listen to us, so you’ve got to help us keep him at bay.’ So it has been pretty funny. He’s like, ‘I feel fine,’ I’m like, ‘Man, just pump the brakes.’”
