Foligno: Call from Bergeron 'Carried A Lot of Weight'

BostonBruins.com - Patrice Bergeron just may have a second career as a recruiter.
Over the years, stories have emerged citing his calls to prospective free agents - including last fall when Boston inked Craig Smith to a three-year deal - during which he sells the players on the club's culture and the opportunity to win with the Black & Gold.
And on Wednesday, the Bruins captain was at it again.
After signing a two-year deal with an annual NHL cap hit of $3.8 million on the opening day of free agency, veteran forward Nick Foligno - one of the game's most respected leaders in his own right - made sure to mention his chat with Bergeron and how vital it was in his decision to choose Boston as his new home.

"I think the track record speaks for itself," Foligno said of the Bruins' appeal. "Playing against them all these years, they're a team that I've admired from afar. Their culture, their structure. They're always in the thick of it. They're always a team that seems to have a chance to win on any given night, and also in the postseason.
"So that, topped with a conversation I got to have with Bergy, which was really cool just being able to speak to Patrice and kind of pick his brain a little bit before, how excited they would be to have me join. That excites you as a player.
"I think it's one thing to hear it from a GM or a coach, but when you can get a teammate lobbying to try and get you on their team, especially somebody with his respect in the league and the way he plays, it meant a lot to me and carried a lot of weight. And it's a team that I'm really excited to be joining right now."
While Bergeron's lobbying certainly helped the cause, Foligno also had plenty of firsthand knowledge when it comes to understanding how the Bruins play and what they represent. For years, the Buffalo native - and his father, Mike, before him - has battled against the Black & Gold, including the 2019 second-round playoff series between the Bruins and Blue Jackets.
"That's kind of what I refer to a lot of times when I think of their team," said Foligno. "That year, they were poised to win…we had our best team that we had assembled in Columbus in a long time…it just felt like they came in waves. We kind of got out to an early lead in the series and they just kept coming. They didn't stop. They were confident in who they are. They know that they have the skill and the will to work and win.
"That's what kind of draws me to them. I feel like that's the brand of hockey that I play and I'm looking forward to complementing that with this group that already has such a great culture in there."

Foligno also holds Boston in high regard for what the city has done for his family. The 33-year-old and his wife, Janelle, donated $500,000 to Boston Children's Hospital in 2016 to show their gratitude for the life-saving heart surgery their daughter Milana received there as a newborn in the fall of 2013.
"She's doing great. She's having a blast up here. We're up in Canada for our summer home. She's on the lake, so she's just a typical seven-year-old girl and having a blast," said Foligno, who won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy and the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2017 following his family's donation.
"A big thank you to Boston Children's and, obviously, Nationwide Children's in Columbus for allowing us to have a healthy daughter. But Boston has a very special place in our heart because of that. My wife said [it's] serendipitous in a way, of coming back to a place that gave us a chance to be a family in the first place. We're really looking forward to that bond that was created.
"We love the doctors and the people in that hospital. We're looking forward to playing in front of them, having them cheer us on. I think they were secretly cheering me on from afar, but now they'll really have a reason to cheer from me, which will be great. And probably even more so to see how well Milana is doing; for them to see her on a more day-to-day basis will be really special. We're pretty excited about being back in Boston for that reason."
Everything else you need to know about the new Bruins forward:
Last team:Toronto Maple Leafs
Position:Forward
Height:6 feet
Weight:211 pounds
Shoots:Left
Birthday:October 31, 1987
Hometown:Buffalo, New York
Twitter:@NickFoligno
Miscellaneous:The 33-year-old finished last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs (11 games - seven regular-season, four playoffs) after being traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets at the trade deadline. Foligno notched seven goals and 20 points in 49 games between the clubs.
The Buffalo native spent eight-plus seasons with the Blue Jackets and was the club's captain from 2015 until the trade in April. Foligno ranks third in Columbus history in games played (599), goals (142), assists (192), and points (334).
"I think leading is just by building relationships," Foligno said of becoming a veteran presence in the Bruins dressing room. "I'm looking forward to building relationships with all these guys and showing them that I'm here to push the same direction as everybody else…I enjoy building relationships so guys can trust you and know that you're in the trenches with them. I look forward to doing that with this group. I like that part of the game. It's something that I feel like I thrive in, is having that voice or that work ethic and lead by example.
"Listen, there is no shortage of leaders on that hockey club. It's a reason why I joined. I wanted to learn from a guy like Patrice and [Brad Marchand] and the list goes on of that team. I'm looking forward to being around those guys and absorbing what they do and the recipe for having success they've had. And try to add to it and also take some stuff in my game and try to help the team even more."
The 6-foot, 211-pounder set career highs for the Blue Jackets in 2014-15 when he recorded 31 goals and 73 points in 79 games and was named an All-Star. Foligno has scored 15-plus goals seven times in his 14-year career. He was selected 28th overall by Ottawa in the 2006 NHL Draft and spent the first five seasons of his career with the Senators.
Foligno's father, Mike, played 15 seasons in the NHL (1979-94), including 10 with the Buffalo Sabres, during which he was often a thorn in the Bruins' side.
"[My dad] had a good laugh," said Foligno, whose brother, Marcus, plays for the Minnesota Wild. "We actually just looked at each other when I signed, before we hugged, and just started laughing. All the battles that he's had - I mean, he got booed more than anybody, I think, in that arena. So, I'm hoping to change around the boos for him and have some people cheering for a Foligno on the back of a jersey now.
"But he's thrilled for me…he's a dad. He's thrilled for his sons. Both of his sons are playing in the NHL, which is something you can only dream of. I think he's just really excited that we both have the opportunity to play on great teams and have a chance to vie for the Stanley Cup, which is all you can ask for."
Foligno has worn No. 71 for his entire 14-year NHL career, though he may have to go through some more negotiating if he wants to don it in Boston.
"Actually, I got told that. I was like, 'Oh yeah, I forgot Taylor Hall took 71.' Son of a gun," Foligno said with a smile. "I'm going to have to text him and see if I can steal it back. But I'm not sure, I haven't really thought that far through. I'm just thrilled to be a Bruin. We'll see where it goes."
Scouting Report:Foligno brings a strong veteran presence to the Bruins dressing room and plenty of versatility. The left-shot can play all three forward positions and is prepared to move up and down the lineup, especially with the uncertainty surrounding David Krejci's return to the Bruins and the hole that leaves in the middle of Boston's second line.
"It was unique in the conversations with Nick and I'm very fortunate that Patrice had a chance to talk with him when things opened up," said Sweeney. "And it might not look on the surface that Nick Foligno was a fit for our group, but I believe he is, and he did as well, which is most important in that sense because he's got a lot of opportunity. He comes in as a leader, he plays three positions, he brings an edge to his game, and he wants to win."

Foligno echoed Sweeney's assessment, saying that he's prepared to play wherever coach Bruce Cassidy needs him to.
"I think I've heard everything but goalie," Foligno joked. "I'm looking forward to that. It's going to be a work in progress, which I'm very comfortable with. I feel like I've worked hard at being a versatile player. And it's something that I think complements a team, especially when you're going late into a season or a postseason and can play up and down a lineup.
"I'm not too concerned about where exactly I fit in. I think my play will do the talking for me. But I'm just here to help. I'm here to help this group. They want to win. They know how to win. And I want to be a part of something like that. So, I'm really looking forward to it."
The veteran forward is also capable of contributing on both the power play and penalty kill, though he acknowledges all his assignments will need to be earned.
"Nothing is promised," said Foligno. "My history of playing in special teams and what I can bring, I think allows those conversations to happen. It just felt like a more natural fit when we talked about where I'd play in the lineup. Whether it would be up, second line - maybe some power-play time. Ultimately, I know how that works. You can say it, but you have to go out and deliver. Just in talking though, I felt like this was the right fit.
"I was so humbled today with the conversations that I was able to have with some of the other teams. I was really thrilled that it ended up working out in Boston. It was a humbling day in a lot of ways, that teams were interested.
"I just feel like this is the right fit for me and my family. Ultimately, I'm a dad. A family of three kids and I want them to be just as comfortable. Because a lot of times, how they feel off the ice makes me play that much better on it. And I think that's why I chose Boston."