The Minnesota Wild acquired forward Nick Foligno from the Chicago Blackhawks in a March 6 trade deadline deal. The 38-year-old veteran returned to Chicago for the first time Tuesday night when the Wild visited the Blackhawks.
Foligno wants to help Minnesota win its first Stanley Cup in franchise history. But leaving Chicago wasn’t easy after spending time developing young players like Connor Bedard.
The trade reunited Foligno with his younger brother Marcus, who plays for Minnesota. It also gave him a chance to chase a playoff run in his 19th NHL season.
“As hard as maybe a couple parts of the seasons were, I love my time here and absolutely cherish being in the leadership role that I was but also just with a group of guys and then staff and playing for this organization. It’s one of the premier organizations in the league and it was special to be able to be a part of it.”
Foligno had dinner with Bedard and other Blackhawks players Monday night.
Leadership Role in Chicago
The Blackhawks acquired Foligno from Boston in a June 2023 trade. He became the 35th captain in franchise history in September 2024.
Foligno recorded 35 goals and 48 assists in 189 games with Chicago. The Blackhawks finished last in the Central Division during both of his full seasons with the Original Six franchise.
But Foligno served as a mentor as the team’s prospects broke into the NHL.
“He was great with all of us. Him and all our older guys were really patient and good with us. So we’re very grateful for that. Obviously he was the leader of that, so there’s a lot of stuff we can thank him for. It’s an exciting opportunity for him to be with his brother and contending, but yeah, definitely a lot of good memories.”
That’s how Bedard described Foligno’s impact on Chicago’s young core.
Transition to Minnesota
Marcus Foligno, 34, is on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. The brothers haven’t been able to play together since the trade.
Nick has collected one assist in five games with Minnesota heading into Tuesday’s matchup.
“He’s come in, he’s played some good hockey for us. I think he fits in well with the guys obviously with his personality and I think his experiences. So he’s been a great addition for us.”
Wild coach John Hynes praised Foligno’s early impact with the team.
“Obviously it’s such a rush when you get traded, especially on a game day. You’re trying to stay out of their way. So it’s nice to say goodbye in a way. Just catch up and see how things have been. I’ve obviously made it known how much I care about this group, so it was nice to see those guys.”
Foligno described Monday’s dinner with his former teammates as a proper goodbye after the quick turnaround of deadline day.
