Ex-Bruins Winger Named Captain Of Original Six NHL Franchise

Bruins fans saw firsthand two years ago the type of player and person Nick Foligno is, and the Chicago Blackhawks are now rewarding the veteran winger for his on- and off-ice contributions.

The Blackhawks on Wednesday named Foligno their captain ahead of the 2024-25 season, an appropriate honor for the soon-to-be 37-year-old entering his 18th NHL season. Foligno held the same position with Columbus earlier in his career.

Foligno clearly made an immediate impact on the Blackhawks. Boston traded the veteran and winger Taylor Hall to Chicago last summer in a deal designed to free up needed cap space for the Bruins. The Blackhawks immediately signed him -- he was due to hit free agency a week later -- and they needed just a half-season before giving him another extension. Chicago locked up Foligno with an additional two-year extension in January that runs through the 2025-26 season.

"In a very short amount of time, Nick has quickly earned the respect of his teammates and our staff," Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement. "Nick's commanding presence in the locker room has been instrumental in helping the team find its identity."

The Blackhawks have endured a few difficult seasons, on and off the ice, since their dynastic days last decade. There's hope for the future after drafting Connor Bedard with the No. 1 pick last year. The phenom was the NHL's top rookie, scoring 22 goals and adding 39 assists in just 68 games. At times, it felt like Foligno's main responsibility was to look out for Bedard, and he was quick to defend the rookie if he felt opponents targeted the No. 1 pick.

Now, Foligno is the Blackhawks' 35th captain, and it's pretty clear a big part of his job now will be to make sure Bedard will be ready when it's his time to become No. 36.