There were people who thought Nick Foligno was done after his injury-filled first season with the Bruins last year. Many of them, in fact.
And it wasn’t just confined to the sometimes cynical, acerbic Boston fandom. When the B’s management decided to cross their fingers and expose him to waivers on the eve of the regular season so they could fit all their pieces under the salary cap, there were no takers across the league.
The Bruins were far more fortunate than anyone knew at the time.
Not only had the now 35-year-old Foligno’s offseason dedication to getting himself physically ready for the season pay off on the ice – he, Tomas Nosek and a revolving cast of right wings have made the fourth line a difference-making entity – the boisterous former Columbus captain embraced his slice of the leadership pie when the B’s started the season without Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk. Foligno is a big reason the historically good 2022-23 Bruins are who they are.
For those reasons, Foligno is the Boston chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association nominee for the Masterton Trophy, given to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the sport.
While Foligno may have had his doubters, the player himself exuded confidence in training camp that he could be a significant contributor again. And his contributions go far beyond his 10-16-26, plus-18 stat line.
“That was my plan for this year, that I come back and be the player that I knew I could be and envisioned being when I signed here,” said Foligno. “It’s unfortunate what happened. But I’m just looking at the now and being in the moment and looking at this group. I’ve always said that from Day One, how much I love this group and being able to enjoy being their teammate and brother, so to speak. It’s nice being able to contribute how I want to and help this team, on and off the ice. That’s where I think this year has meant a lot to me in that way, and what we’re trying to do. It’s been a special year. We’ve talked about it, this group, what we’re trying to accomplish and every day trying to get better and push each other. These guys have made me a better player and person and hopefully I’ve done the same for them. It’s been a really fun year.”
While he’s currently out of the lineup with a lower body injury, Foligno’s good health for most of the season allowed him to be himself in full.
“You can dissect it a bunch of different ways. I think it was just coming in here and knowing that I wanted to play the way I needed to in order to give these guys the chance at being successful,” said Foligno. “That was most important to me – the opportunity that comes from playing the right way and (new coach Jim Montgomery) trusting me and having those conversations. But I think it came down to what we’re trying to do here. That’s what’s excited me about this season, knowing the team that we had, even last year and feeling like there was so much more to give in the tank. I think every guy felt that. Knowing what we were up against early on, I knew I had to step up and help with some of the guys we had out. And that’s what’s made it exciting. Every guy has done that, not just myself. You see the growth in this room and it makes you want to be a part of it.”
Foligno, out since taking a hit from Nikita Zadorov in Calgary on Feb. 28, has been skating for a couple of weeks and hopes to be ready to contribute to what the Bruins hope will be a long playoff run. Whether that’s for Game 1 next week against an opponent to be determined or not, he should be able to make an appearance at some point.
Unsurprisingly, Foligno doesn’t think this Bruins team will be burdened by the weight of past failures of past Presidents’ Trophy winners.
“I just don’t think we’re caught up in that. I think everyone talks about all the negative things. It’s probably more fun to talk about those than what’s really gone on,” said Foligno. “For us, we really focused on what we feel like needs to be addressed in this room. All the other stuff is outside noise. We have to answer the questions. But for us, not one time have we talked about the record (for wins). I think every day we’re just so dialed in on trying to get better and being in the moment. I know you hear these cliches but it’s true. When it’s spoken that many times, there’s a belief in here. That’s why we talk about the process. That’s why we talk about being in the moment, being present and the gratitude that that comes with it. That’s what’s allowed us to drown out the noise of what’s happened in the past and forge our own path. That’s what we’re excited about doing and knowing how hard it is to do. We’re going to face some really good teams and we know we still have levels to get to as a club, which is scary in some ways but exciting for us. That’s the mindset and the attitude we have.”
And that’s a mindset and attitude that the irrepressible Foligno helped to establish.