Blue Jackets, Wild Interested In Nick Foligno

Emily Kaplan of ESPN reports that the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild have contacted the Chicago Blackhawks about forward Nick Foligno. Chicago’s captain has connections to both organizations.

Columbus is where Foligno had the most successful period of his career. Ahead of the 2012-13 season, the Blue Jackets acquired Foligno from the Ottawa Senators for defenseman Marc Methot. The 38-year-old winger spent four years with the Blue Jackets before being named the team’s captain for the 2015-16 season.

Throughout his nine-year tenure in Columbus, Foligno scored 142 goals and 334 points in 599 games, averaging 17:47 of ice time. Aside from notching a pair of 20-goal campaigns (one of which was a 30-goal performance), Foligno displayed immense physicality, averaging 2.5 hits per game, and a respectable 91.5% on-ice SV% at even strength.

Pulling back into the playoff conversation of late, Foligno is exactly the type of player the Blue Jackets were expected to add. Yes, the club has a trio of pending unrestricted free-agent forwards it could dangle, but it’s clear the team is looking to reward its group with some low-cost additions. Columbus wouldn’t need Chicago to retain any of Foligno’s $4.5MM cap hit either, which would inevitably lower the Blackhawks’ asking price.

Meanwhile, despite never having played for the Wild, Nick’s brother, Marcus Foligno, has been in Minnesota for the last nine seasons. The two play a very similar style of hockey, and they could slot in on the same line if Minnesota ultimately acquires Nick.

Still, Minnesota is known to be looking for a top-six center, and acquiring Foligno, even at 50% retained, would cut into their financial assets. If the Wild cannot acquire a higher-end center, they could focus their remaining cap space on acquiring veteran depth pieces, such as Foligno. Regardless, if the Wild acquired Nick, it would be the first time the pair has played together, even since their high school days.