Nick Foligno’s wife Janelle knew right away she wanted to help Jeremy Swayman after he was injured.
The Bruins goalie suffered a leg injury in a collision with Patrice Bergeron during Boston’s 6-5 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 1. The Pens medical staff treated Swayman as their own and immediately got him the treatment needed before Swayman headed back to Boston.
Foligno has stepped up in Swayman’s absence when it comes to the post-win goalie hug, but his wife also made sure Swayman didn’t come home to an empty fridge.
“I have so many good things to say about that guy,” Swayman told reporters after Tuesday’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena. “Something, probably a lot of people don’t know, but I was on the train back to Boston from New York the next day and he texted me asking for my address.
“He said, ‘My wife made you a ton of food, she’s going to drop it off.’ I couldn’t believe it. When I got home, there was this huge bag with like a gallon and a half of homemade chicken soup, 30 turkey meatballs, a bunch of peppers and cookies and stuff. It brought me to tears almost, it was really amazing.”
Foligno long has been lauded for his leadership and what he brings to the Bruins’ dressing room, and it’s clear his wife has Swayman’s best interests at heart. There’s no denying he’s been well-fed during his time off the ice.
Swayman returned to practice Tuesday and still is ahead of schedule in his recovery. While there’s still no timetable as to when he’ll be back between the pipes, head coach Jim Montgomery told reporters the goalie has begun to check all the boxes — a term Bruins fans have become quite familiar with when it comes to injured players getting ready to make a return.
