Nick Foligno is a 14-year NHL veteran and has been a captain before, but he starts a new journey with the Boston Bruins this season.
The Bruins signed the forward to a two-year deal over the summer as a bottom-six depth option. Foligno has been well-respected in the NHL throughout the course of his career, and already is making a good impression on his teammates.
"Learning when to keep guys honest ... with doing that, you've got to keep yourself honest," Brandon Carlo told reporters Tuesday, per the Bruins. "Noticed that with Foligno already. He's fantastic about that. Love having him around. He's a great element to that leadership aspect and there's a lot that I can learn from him as well."
The Bruins already have established vets on their roster in Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, but Bergeron always wants Foligno to offer his insight to the team.
"I want to make sure he's able to tell us what he thinks, things that he thinks can be better, new ideas that can be helpful," Bergeron said. "I want to hear about that; we want to hear about that as a leadership group. I think that's how you get better."
Boston is down two veterans to at least begin the season in David Krejci and Tuukka Rask. Krejci returned home to play in his native Czech Republic and shut down rumors about a potential return this year, while Rask is an unrestricted free agent who underwent offseason hip surgery. So, adding someone like Foligno who knows how to lead and when to speak up could be crucial for the Bruins going forward.
The season begins for Boston on Saturday at TD Garden against the Dallas Stars.
