The Chicago Blackhawks Have Extended Nick Foligno

The Blackhawks have signed Nick Foligno to a two-year contract extension worth $9 million with a salary-cap AAV at $4.5 million.

It hasn't been a season to remember for Chicago. They are currently the second-worst team in the NHL, and Bedard is going to miss some significant time. Blackhawks fans need some positive news in their lives, and I think this signing is just that.

This extension by the Blackhawks can guarantee one thing. Bedard is going to have a reliable centreman for the next two years, and someone who brings great leadership to his teammates around him. The Blackhawks have done this right from the start. The NHL is not a developmental league, so surrounding a young player with veterans is the right way to go.

Blackhawks fans are going to love Foligno even more now with this extension. He is 35 years old and has never won the Stanley Cup, yet he is choosing to stay with a team that is asking him to mentor its young players for the future. You have to love the character of Foligno and by signing this extension it shows he cares about his teammates.

Although Connor Bedard will be the captain of the Blackhawks in the future, it might not be the worst though of giving the "C "to Foligno for a year or two. He knows what it is like to lead a team, as he was captain in Columbus for quite some time. The deal's terms are a positive too, as it is short enough in length to where Bedard can get some more seasoning and ultimately be handed the torch to lead the Blackhawks.