Blackhawks Waste No Time Signing Nick Foligno After Bruins Trade

Nick Foligno has been the property of the Chicago Blackhawks for less than 24 hours, and the free-agent-to-be already has a new contract.

The Hawks on Tuesday signed the veteran winger to a one-year, $4 million contract, the team announced. Chicago acquired Foligno’s rights alongside Taylor Hall on Monday afternoon in a trade with the Bruins. The $4 million is actually a raise for Foligno, who carried a $3.8 million cap hit in Boston.

Foligno was set to become an unrestricted free agent this weekend, but he apparently is buying what the rebuilding Blackhawks are buying. In addition to trading for Hall, the 2018 Hart Trophy winner, Chicago also owns the No. 1 pick in Thursday’s NHL draft, where it almost certainly will take budding superstar Connor Bedard.

Foligno probably won’t be skating on a line with Bedard next season, but adding a veteran voice like his to the dressing room should only help in the Windy City. The 35-year-old proved in Ottawa, Columbus, Toronto and Boston that he’s more than willing to drop the gloves to defend a teammate. The Blackhawks probably hope that will make opponents think twice before trying to take a run at Bedard or any of the other young Hawks.

If Chicago can tap into what Jim Montgomery and the Bruins got out of Foligno last season, he could pack more than a punch or two for the Blackhawks. Foligno scored 10 goals and added 16 assists in just 60 games for Boston, and those 26 points were Foligno’s most since the 2019-20 season.