Bruins’ Nick Foligno Proud, Thankful As 1,000-Game Milestone Nears

The next milestone in Nick Foligno’s NHL career will be a family affair.

The Boston Bruins left wing told reporters Saturday he’s proud of being on the cusp of 1,000 career NHL games and he’s thankful for the people who helped him reach the mark. Foligno, 34, likely will breach the 1,000-game barrier Tuesday in Chicago when the Bruins face the Blackhawks.

“I mean, I’m obviously excited about it,” Foligno said at a press conference. “… I think you think about a lot of people along the way. It’s a weird one because it’s your own milestone, but … for whatever reason, it’s just if you start thinking about your family, your friends, the people in the game that have supported you to get to that point. It’s something I’m definitely proud of, you know, to be able to make an impact this long.”

Foligno will be the second member of his family to join the NHL’s 1,000-Game Club. His father, Mike Foligno, played 1,018 games over 15 NHL seasons between 1979 and 1994. Nick Foligno remembers a keepsake his father received upon playing his 1,000th NHL game and looks forward to netting one of his own.

“It’s something I saw my dad do when I was a kid,” Foligno continued. “(We) had the silver stick at the house. I could barely lift it when I was a kid and now I can finally hold it. So it’s special, it’s something I think my family and I will cherish. It’s a neat milestone, but hopefully there’s more to come. It’s something special, but it’s weird: I start thinking about all the people, as opposed to what I’ve done. It’s all the people who have gotten me to this point.”

Foligno will play his 999th NHL game Saturday at TD Garden when the Bruins host the Arizona Coyotes. Afterward, the magnitude of his 1,000-game achievement will come into focus more clearly, and Foligno hopefully will have some of the people on hand in Chicago to celebrate alongside him.