Nick Foligno was named team captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2015 following a 31-goal campaign along with 73 points.
Since being named captain, Foligno's point production has fallen – despite his success as a vocal leader for the club during three consecutive playoff appearances.
There's been a stark contrast for the captain, who's said the right things off the ice while struggling to find consistency in his game on it.
Foligno's Year
Foligno had an underwhelming 17 goals and 35 points in 73 regular-season games.
| GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PS | PIM | SH | GWG | TOI | CF% | CZS% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 73 | 17 | 18 | 35 | 12 | 3.6 | 44 | 141 | 2 | 17:42 | 47.9 | 38.1 |
Hockey, however, was overshadowed by family.
Milana, Foligno's daughter, had heart surgery and Hudson, his son, had a serious case of pneumonia. In all, Foligno missed nine games during the regular season to attend to his family in times of need. Columbus was an inconsistent team without Foligno, going 4-4-1 when he was absent.
Foligno played some center to start the season, before familiarizing himself on the second line as a left winger with Boone Jenner in the middle and Josh Anderson on the right.
The new additions had a negative effect Foligno's play for a bit, with only a goal and two assists in the first 12 games after the CBJ acquired Matt Duchene (followed by Ryan Dzingel) via trade.
Foligno bounced back with a goal, four assists, and a rating of plus- 8 during the final seven regular-season games.
In the playoffs, it was the captain who got the Jackets on the board first. Foligno had a combined two assists and didn't score a goal in his final nine contests of the postseason.
It was a bittersweet season for Foligno, who didn't put up the numbers he would've liked to, but saw his team advance past the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Foligno has been nominated for the Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy, which, according to NHL.com is "awarded annually by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey."
Highlight of the Campaign
Outlook
Foligno is signed through the 2020-21 season with a $5.50 million average annual value (AAV).
The Blue Jackets roster of forwards will likely look a lot different next season. Regardless of who stays and who goes, Foligno isn't getting any younger. He'll be 32-years old when November comes around in 2019.
“I’m excited about what’s ahead now," Foligno said during his exit interview. "We’re building something here”.
