Nick Foligno signed a two-year, $9 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday. It has an average annual value of $4.5 million and begins next season.
"He's been great," Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said. "We knew he would be, and I knew he would be too, so real excited that it's going to extend for sure. I think the players are as well.
"He sits in on all the meetings now and he's in the dressing room and around [the rink]. Some players don't feel like they want to be around when they're injured. He knows he's a big presence, he's part of the leadership on the team, so just being with the guys, it's great. I think that's a huge boost for us, moving forward, to have him here."
The 36-year-old forward, who is on injured reserve with a fractured left finger, has 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 39 games this season. Richardson said Foligno is week to week.
"Nick's just a great guy to have in the locker room," said Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones, who was Foligno's teammate with the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2016-21. "He's a great leader, great person, he's a great speaker and he knows how to communicate with older guys, younger guys, a group of guys to bring us all together.
"We've had three or four team meetings this year, players only and things like that, trying to get on the same page, and I think it's led by him when it comes to trying to get everyone to pull on the rope in the same direction. So I'm certainly happy he's going to be back."
Foligno signed a one-year, $4 million contract with Chicago on June 27, 2023, one day after he was acquired in a trade with the Boston Bruins along with forward Taylor Hall.
"When I signed, even in the summer, in trying to turn this into a team that's respected and understands what it means to play Chicago Blackhawk hockey," Foligno said Saturday. "Now I really get to put some roots down and dig in here and put that investment into it. It's been a great group of guys to work with. I know it's been a frustrating year in a lot of ways, but there's also a path forward and I think that's with talking to (general manager) Kyle (Davidson) and having this cart go by right now … but that's been really a great thing – the open lines of communication that we've had has been really a motivator in why I wanted to sign here and see this through."
Selected by the Ottawa Senators with the No. 28 pick in the 2006 NHL Draft, Foligno has 542 points (223 goals, 319 assists) in 1,120 NHL games with the Senators, Blue Jackets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Bruins and Blackhawks, and 27 points (10 goals, 17 assists) in 68 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
“The impact Nick has already had on our team in such a short time is a testament to his work ethic and dedication to helping the players around him succeed,” Davidson said. “Hard-working on the ice, the energy he brings every night and his versatility to play in any situation have been tremendous assets. His leadership skills both on and off the ice have been instrumental in what we are building, and we are excited for him continue to push our team forward.”
The Blackhawks (12-28-2) have lost seven of their past eight entering their home game against the Dallas Stars on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; BSSWX, NBCSCH).
"There should be a belief we have a chance to win every single night," Foligno said. "That's the commitment I've made by signing here, showing that it doesn't matter where you play – it's the group of guys, the guys that go to war and what we're trying to attain. What all the experts say, it's what we believe. I think that's the biggest thing – you have to believe in yourself first and hopefully I can do that with a lot of guys in that room that are starting to build that here."
NHL.com staff writer Tracey Myers contributed to this report
