Happy to be a Hawk: Foligno explains why he signed 2-year extension
Nick Foligno believes.
In the direction of the Blackhawks' rebuild. In Connor Bedard. In plenty of other up-and-coming youngsters. In the fans. And in the city of Chicago.
The belief in all of that is what led the 36-year-old to ink a two-year, $9 million extension on Friday.
“Now I really get to put some roots down and dig in here and put that investment into it,” Foligno said before the Hawks hosted Dallas on Saturday.
The signing is a coup for general manager Kyle Davidson, whose tumultuous season has included cutting ties with Corey Perry, watching Taylor Hall undergo season-ending surgery and dealing with Connor Bedard's broken jaw.
While Bedard is the cornerstone to the rebuild, Foligno is that leader every ascending team needs to bring stability. Not only can Foligno still score and play defense, he does other things — like sticking up for fallen teammates — that lead to a winning culture. He's also a strong voice in the locker room and will set a tremendous example of what it takes to be a good pro.
Like Max Domi and Patrick Kane last season, Foligno could have opted to chase a Stanley Cup with a playoff team. But there's something about this group — and this challenge — that led Foligno to eschew that road and stay in the Windy City.
“When the odds are stacked against you, I think that's when you dig in the most, right?” said Foligno, who broke his finger last week in a fight with New Jersey's Brendan Smith. “Who cares what they say about us? It's what we believe in the room. … And that's what I want to bring.”
It also helps that his wife loves the city.
“I’ve bounced around a little bit here, but it’s felt like home from Day One,” said Foligno, who has played in Ottawa, Columbus, Toronto and Boston. “It's the Midwest people, it’s the Chicago people and we’ve absolutely fallen in love with this city and look forward to becoming more ingrained in the community than we already are.”
A few other tidbits from the 15-minute presser:
∎ Foligno isn't worried about whether the Hawks name him captain, believing there are plenty of worthy candidates. “That's not why you're coming here. You're coming here just to make a difference.”
∎ Foligno (8 goals, 9 assists) believes he has plenty of gas left in the tank. “It's not just my voice; I still feel like I have a lot to give on the ice. … Because as much as you want to talk, you've got to go out and do it. … That's been enjoyable and a big reason why the two years has felt like the right number. I'm looking forward to seeing where we can get to at the end of it.”
∎ While the Hawks have plenty of talent in the pipeline, it would be nice to add a couple of talented free agents who can pour fuel on this rebuild. Foligno might do a bit of recruiting, but he also knows the Hawks' grit and determination is the best way to woo free agents. “Teams play against you, they know how hard you play (and) what you’re trying to build and they want to be a part of it. That’s where I go to. If you can talk to some guys along the way and help in that regard, that’s great. But always, the play speaks for itself.”
Stars 3, Blackhawks 1:
Dallas overcame a 1-0 deficit with third-period goals by Matt Duchene, Mason Marchment, Joe Pavelski to send the Hawks (12-29-2) to their eighth loss in nine games. It's the second straight game the Hawks took a 1-0 lead into the third period. Marchment snapped a 1-1 tie with 5:06 remaining, while Pavelski scored into an open net with 22.6 seconds remaining.
Boris Katchouk opened the scoring at 12:56 of the second period. It was his second goal in seven games since being recalled from Rockford.
Seth Jones returned after missing 15 games with a shoulder injury. He blocked 3 shots and saw more than 23 minutes of ice time.
Dallas is 5-3-1 in its last nine games, with 3 of those victories coming over the Hawks.