Blackhawks Bottom Line: Unofficial Captain Nick Foligno Went Above and Beyond

Over the course of the next month, Chicago Hockey Now will be profiling every Chicago Blackhawks player from the 2023-24 season. Today, will be Nick Foligno.

Nick Foligno
Right Wing
Games Played: 74
(Goals – Assists – Points): 17-20-37
Contract Status:  RFA (Arbitration Eligible)

The Short View

Nick Foligno proved to be even more than anyone expected him to be when he was acquired with Taylor Hall last June. Lauded for his leadership, Foligno was not only vocal about what the team needed to be doing on the ice and off of it–but he was constantly demonstrating it in deed.

One of young Hawks gets run? Nick Foligno is there to throw a check or drop the gloves. How about a big play, or big goal? There’s Nick Foligno again. Having to answer the hard questions after another long losing streak? It’s Nick Foligno front and center. The 36-year-old was acquired to help lead the new group and he absolutely fulfilled his duties both on and off the ice.

The Long View

Foligno signed a two-year extension that will keep him in Chicago through the 2025-26 season. By then, the Blackhawks should be pushing for the playoffs and Foligno’s work of building the younger voices into the dominant ones should take hold. His 17 goals this season were his best since the 2018-19 season while his 37 points marked his most since 2016-17.

He showed by word and deed.

The Bottom Line for Nick Foligno

Foligno is in Chicago for another two seasons and could be the next captain if it’s the route general manager Kyle Davidson and head Luke Richardson choose to go with the leadership group. Seth Jones, Jason Dickinson, and Connor Murphy are also looked to and it’s how Foligno believes leadership is best set.

“I think if you’re a true leader, you’re just going to do what you do, the way you need to do it, and not worry about titles,” Foligno said at locker clean out. “I don’t really think that really matters to me, I think. At the end of the day, we’re a team that needs leadership, where we need to just point in a direction and push to go there. But I think it can be done collectively, I think it can be done with the right mindset of every guy.”

Whether Foligno gets a C or not is irrelevant to him–he’ll continue to do what he does best–living what he preaches. The Blackhawks should take a giant step forward next season as Davidson has made improving the roster a priority. Even if they slip a bit, it’ll be Foligno building them back up and assuring that the collective group is doing what they should be to take that next step to contention.

Previous Blackhawks Bottom Line Entries

Seth Jones | Connor Murphy | Ryan Donato | Taylor Raddysh | Joey Anderson | Jason Dickinson

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