The Chicago Blackhawks have named Nick Foligno the 35th captain in franchise history, general manager Kyle Davidson announced on Wednesday.
After previously serving as the captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets, the veteran will now continue to mentor Connor Bedard and the youth revolution in the Windy City.
“In a very short amount of time, Nick has quickly earned the respect of his teammates and our staff,” Davidson said in the official release.
The executive added: “Nick’s commanding presence in the locker room has been instrumental in helping the team find its identity. He has served as a mentor to many of our young players both on and off the ice while also heading up the leadership group comprised of our veteran players, and we are beyond confident that he will flourish in the role of captain as we usher in a new era of Blackhawks hockey.”
Foligno, 36, is entering his 17th NHL campaign, and second with Chicago; he was originally acquired in a trade with the Boston Bruins. While serving as an alternate captain in 2023-24, Foligno scored 17 goals and 37 points in 74 games in his first campaign with the Hawks.
He also finished tied for first on the squad in powerplay goals (8), third in points and fourth in assists (20). He'll serve as Chicago's first captain since the team moved on from franchise legend Jonathan Toews in 2023.
Nick Foligno is first Blackhawks captain since Jonathan Toews
“The fact that Danny, Kyle, Luke and my teammates have all put their faith in me to lead this amazing group is extremely humbling, and I thank them all for the opportunity,” Foligno said shortly after earning the ‘C'. “I am beyond honored to serve as captain for this storied franchise and its incredible fans, especially during such a pivotal time toward the team’s future.”
A former first-round pick (No. 28 overall) by the Ottawa Senators in the 2006 NHL Draft, Foligno has scored 232 goals and 562 points over 1,155 career regular-season games split between the Sens, Blue Jackets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Bruins and Blackhawks.
“Among all active American-born players, Foligno ranks fourth in games played (1,155), eighth in points (562), 10th in assists (330) and 12th in goals (232),” stated the official release. “He has also registered 27 points (10G, 17A) in 68 career postseason contests.”
Foligno was the captain in Columbus from 2015-21, helping the squad reach four consecutive playoff berths in that span. He'll now look to help Chicago take the next step, especially as the Blackhawks are much better on paper after a busy free agency period.
Likely, Foligno will serve as the captain until he's ready to retire. When that happens, it's almost certain that Bedard will be named the franchise's 36th captain.
It'll be interesting to see if the team can take a step forward in 2024-25 with Foligno stepping into the massive shoes that Toews left after his departure.
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