Nick Foligno Returns to the Blackhawks After a Period of Absence for Family Reasons
The Chicago Blackhawks captain, Nick Foligno, has rejoined the team after an absence to be with his daughter, who underwent follow-up surgery related to a congenital heart condition. Foligno reported that Milana, who turned 12 last week, is already at home and recovering satisfactorily. The player described the previous week as “very stressful”.Foligno expressed his gratitude to the medical staff at Boston Children’s Hospital and Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. The player, who will turn 38 on October 31, is in his third season with the Blackhawks. He missed three games during his absence: an 8-3 victory in St. Louis, a 3-2 shootout loss against Vancouver, and a 2-1 overtime victory against Anaheim. So far this season, the forward has two assists in four matches.I think we found a lot of comfort in the support of the hockey community and the fans, from former teammates and my second family here. It’s incredible how everyone comes together to send you a lot of support, love, and prayers when you’re going through a difficult time, and our family felt that.
Nick Foligno
Foligno was named the 35th captain of the Blackhawks in September 2024. His father, Mike, played in the NHL for 15 years, and his brother, Marcus, plays for Minnesota. Nick Foligno debuted in the league with the Ottawa Senators in 2007. He has accumulated 247 goals and 352 assists in 1,237 regular season games, and also played for Columbus, Boston and Toronto. Foligno and his wife, Janelle, have two sons, Landon and Hudson. Milana is “probably the one who gives us the most strength, because of the way she has faced this adversity,” Foligno said. “It’s impressive for a 12-year-old girl to face it head-on.”He’s our leader, so you want that presence in the locker room. I think he brings good energy, so I think it was great to have him back. Great that, considering the situation, everything went very well.
Jeff Blashill, coach
