Forward Nick Foligno has understood the Blackhawks’ long-term plans since the day he signed with them last summer. He has wanted to be able to think long-term personally, too.
With a two-year contract extension through the 2025-26 season in hand, he now can.
‘‘I really get to put some roots down, dig in here and put that investment into it,’’ Foligno said Saturday.
It’s unusual for a 36-year-old veteran to want to stay awhile — and potentially to finish his career — on a rebuilding team, so Foligno’s eagerness to do so speaks volumes about his dedication to general manager Kyle Davidson’s vision.
His friendship with Davidson (dating to the mid-2000s in Sudbury, Ontario) and the $4.5 million salary-cap hit of his extension (well above his market value) definitely sweeten the deal, but his passion is genuine.
Since before training camp, when he started what has become a tradition of hosting younger Hawks for home-cooked dinners at his house, he clearly has functioned as the team’s de facto captain. Helping to build something from the ground up fits his personality far better than chasing Stanley Cups.
‘‘It’s going to take a process here,’’ Foligno said. ‘‘You want things to jump from one month or one day to the next and improve, but it [entails] ups and downs. You’ve seen it this year. [This extension] lets me know my voice and my impact will hopefully be around for long enough that it can really sustain and grab hold here. That’s what I get excited about.
‘‘As much as you want to talk and say off the ice, you’ve got to go out and do it [on the ice]. I’ve enjoyed that part where I’ve really been able to do both, and I expect that from myself. . . . [That’s] a big reason why two years has felt like the right number. I’m looking forward to seeing where we can get to at the end of it.’’
Coach Luke Richardson said Friday there will be a conversation after the season about the captaincy moving forward. Rookie Connor Bedard eventually will fill the role, but the Hawks have given serious consideration to the idea of Foligno wearing the ‘‘C’’ during this transitional period.
‘‘Obviously, [Nick is] that type of player,’’ Richardson said. ‘‘He doesn’t even need an ‘A’ on his sweater; he’s going to be the same personality he always is, and everybody knows it.’’
When asked about the possibility, Foligno gave the right answer.
‘‘Any guy would be honored to wear it, but that’s not why you’re coming here; you’re coming just to make a difference,’’ he said. ‘‘We’re still trying to find our leadership group and who’s going to make that push. It’s something that I take a lot of pride in, being a voice in that room, but so do a lot of other guys in there. There’s a lot of guys worthy of it.’’
The next order of business for Foligno is to get back into the Hawks’ lineup. He said doctors have declared him ‘‘week-to-week’’ because of the fractured left ring finger he suffered while fighting Devils defenseman Brendan Smith to avenge Bedard’s fractured jaw Jan. 5. He had 17 points in 39 games before that.
Because he and Bedard are sidelined together, the Hawks’ staff has relied on Foligno to keep the kid half his age away from the rink — a perfect example of how important and trusted he has become.
‘‘He’s dying [to get out there],’’ Foligno said. ‘‘The trainers were like: ‘Hey, you’ve got to help us. He’s not going to listen to us, so you’ve got to help us keep him at bay.’ So it has been pretty funny. He’s like, ‘I feel fine.’ I’m like, ‘Man, just pump the brakes.’”
Smith hit discussion
Halfway through his fight against Smith, Foligno felt the exact moment his finger broke.
“That’s why I was doing the open hand punches at the end,” Foligno joked.
But he has no regrets about dropping the gloves, even considering the unfortunate outcome.
“You can argue it’s a clean hit,” he said. “It’s [still] our best player. So he’s going after our best player, right? And I think Smith is an honest player, I do. I have a ton of respect for him and I think he plays the game the right way. But he targeted one of our players, who was in a vulnerable spot at that time.
“No ill-will towards Smith. He’s doing his job for his team. But we’re going to do the job for ours, as well, and back up our own — especially a young kid who’s finding his way in the league and our star player. You’ve got to make sure he knows he feels protected and looked after.”
