Unfinished Business

“I’m invested in this group,” said Wild forward Nick Foligno last season after Minnesota lost to Colorado in five games in the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. On the eve of the season opener in Nashville, Foligno is true to his word and is gearing up for what could be his 20th and final season.

“I’ve been around a long time. I have seen a lot of great teams, I have seen a lot of bad teams—I think this team is on the verge of understanding what it takes to win,” he said in his exit interview last year.

As the saying goes, sometimes you have to lose to know how to win. The Wild did that last season, advancing to the Second Round for the first time in 11 seasons, before falling to Colorado. Foligno admitted the team may have taken a deep breath and let its guard down after defeating Dallas in the playoffs and finally getting over the hump. That’s one of the driving forces that made him come to the decision to return this season.

“I kept coming to the realization that I wanted to (return). I felt like there was unfinished business and I had such a great time playing here I wanted to experience it in full.”

The Wild acquired Foligno from the Chicago Blackhawks at the March 6 trade deadline last season in exchange for future considerations, pairing him up with younger brother, Marcus. In 17 games with Minnesota after the deadline last season, Foligno recorded four points (1-3=4) and was a mainstay on Minnesota’s penalty kill. Maybe his most memorable moment, or forgettable, depending on who you ask, came in Game 5 against Colorado when he scored two first period goals in what would turn out be the final game of the season for the Wild.

“We lost that game. The two goals were great--I was more pissed we lost. I thought we were a better team than we showed in that series. I’m excited to now get a full season and help push where I can.”

As he admitted after last season, he’s a little longer in the tooth so his play on the ice may not be where it once was, but his leadership remains the same. He’s the type of player that can push others around him to be great. He is the type of guy that knows how to rally a locker room and is an added voice of reason in the Wild locker room alongside players like Jared Spurgeon and younger brother Marcus. Nick spent six seasons as the Captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets (2015-21) before spending two seasons donning the “C” with Chicago (2024-26).

“I know what my role is going to be and that’s to bring energy, play a physical game, pitch in offensively when I need to and make sure I’m a really reliable, steady defensive forward to our team. I’m looking forward to pushing this group.”

Minnesota comes into this season with arguably the highest expectations the franchise has ever seen. The Wild got the monkey off the back advancing past the first round, but everyone in the room knows that’s not the ultimate goal.

“Playing this long, I guess the beauty of it is, you see a lot of great teams and the mix that they have and this team has that—this is as good of a team as you’re going to play on and you have to make good on that.”

It won’t be an easy road for Minnesota as the Central Division remains one of the best divisions in the NHL, and now the Wild will be without star defenseman, Brock Faber, who will start the season on Injured Reserve after suffering a fractured skull in the team’s final preseason game against Dallas.

One thing is certain, however. Foligno didn’t come back to lose in the Second Round again, he’s here to win a Stanley Cup—one that would be the first for him and the Wild. If this is the final season for Nick, what a storybook ending it would be to win a Stanley Cup for the State of Hockey alongside his younger brother.