Dietz: Foligno’s loss will be felt by the Blackhawks

As a right-hand man goes, they don't get much better than Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno.

That's why, as I left the United Center after the Hawks' 3-2 win over Toronto on Saturday, it seemed quite symbolic that a somewhat somber Foligno was standing directly to coach Jeff Blashill's right side.

“Sorry, Nick,” I offered.

“Thanks, man,” he nodded back.

Foligno, already sporting a fresh cast on his left hand, will be out about a month after a speeding puck caught him square in that hand during the second period. The 38-year-old immediately doubled over in pain, went to the locker room and did not return.

“He's a tough, tough, tough customer,” Blashill said. “So when he came off like that I knew he was in trouble.”

How much trouble that puts the Hawks (9-5-4) in remains to be seen.

On one hand (pardon the pun), it's not like losing a 40-60 goal scorer like the Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews, who missed Saturday's game with a lower-body injury. Foligno chips in for some offense occasionally, but his impact is often appreciated only by teammates and true hockey aficionados.

“Nick's a big loss in a lot of ways,” Blashill said. “He's a great leader in the room, our guys have tons of respect for him, (and) he's an extension of the coaching staff. I like to pick his brain on a lot of things.

“That's not to say he won't be around, but it's a little different when you're not in there game in and game out. But we'll certainly make sure we work to include him.”

During the last two sloppy seasons I always made a point to watch Foligno. While his young teammates were attempting fancy, unrealistic plays, he showed how a true professional approaches the game.

Win a board battle. Bang the puck deep. Position your stick correctly while defending. Stand up for your brothers. Be a voice of reason. Talk until you're blue in the face about winning habits.

Eventually, it's got to sink in. This season, it has as the Hawks — 9-3-3 in their last 15 games — have to be the most surprising team in the NHL.

Here's a quick snapshot of Foligno's influence: During the first period Saturday, the Hawks hemmed Toronto into the offensive zone for an absolute eternity. Foligno was in the middle of it all, battling along the sideboards for possession, passing with precision, and even taking 2 point-blank shots on net.

After 90-plus seconds, the Hawks cashed in when Ryan Greene one-timed a pass from Artyom Levshunov to open the scoring.

Blashill will look to replace Foligno on the power play, penalty kill and the defensively-minded fourth line.

“He also gives us a guy who can go out and win a faceoff on that left side and kind of solidify a line,” said Blashill, who no doubt knows Foligno is one of just two Hawks winning 50% of his draws. “He's a smart player that can help other guys play with energy because he's cerebral and thinks his way around the game.”

It's also not the end of the world if the young Hawks continue to emulate Foligno's cerebral approach. They certainly did that Saturday by getting a highlight-reel goal from Teuvo Teravainen and a game-winner from Colton Dach to erase a 2-1 deficit. Frank Nazar's return from injury energized the entire squad, and it was his impressive, behind-the-back pass that set up Teravainen's fourth goal of the season.

Both tallies, by the way, came after Foligno exited.

On the bright side, forwards Jason Dickinson (on IR since Oct. 30) and Tyler Bertuzzi (out Saturday with an upper-body injury) could return for Tuesday's home game against Calgary.

In the big picture, Blashill knows injuries are part of the game — and good teams weather those storms.

“Everybody in the league's got guys that are down,” he said. “You've got to find a way to take the guys you have and find a way to win.”

John Dietz, a sports writer at the Daily Herald from 1998-2024, covered the Blackhawks from 2014-24. You can reach him at jdietz6917@hotmail.com.