Blackhawks' captain Nick Foligno is setting a high standard for his teammates

Nick Foligno has done his job with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Entering the final year of his current two-year contract, which he signed in January 2024, Foligno has captained the Blackhawks into a new era, one without two franchise icons in Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.

The Blackhawks captain was assigned a tough task when the Blackhawks traded for him ahead of the 2023-24 NHL Season. He was one of a few veterans given the keys to lead the next generation of stars in Chicago.

Guys like Frank Nazar, Connor Bedard, Lukas Reichel, Alex Vlasic and Artyom Levshunov have all been able to look to Foligno on how to be a professional in the NHL. How to approach an 82-game season—soon 84-game next year—and how to build a winning culture within the locker room.

Foligno has done his job setting a high standard for his teammates, and now entering the final year of his contract, it is about being able to pass it on to the next generation.

Nick Foligno is helping to prepare the next generation of leaders in Chicago.

At 37 years old and with no contract after this season, there is a chance this could be Foligno's final season in the NHL. The Blackhawks are not going to have him on their roster when they eventually turn the corner on the rebuild—but they will be a better team because of his time with the organization.

"As much as I'm the [captain] this is their team, and I know that. I think it is exciting for me to hand it off to whoever and know it's going to be in great hands."

Nick Foligno during his exit interview.

During his exit interview at the end of last season, Foligno spoke highly of how much Vlasic has matured, how Nazar "came to play" and how his game "took off." He said he was encouraged by Bedard's improvement both as a player and as a person.

"I can keep going through the whole room, there is good pieces here," he said. "It's just a matter of guys realizing it but respecting it, and knowing that this wasn't good enough. We have to come in with a really different attitude of a standard next year and get to it right away and never look back."

Foligno wants to find a new attitude in the locker room, and that starts during training camp.

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