In The Taylor Hall Deal, The Blackhawks Get Nick Foligno
In a four-player deal on Monday, the Chicago Blackhawks acquired Taylor Hall, the rights to upcoming unrestricted free agent Nick Foligno, and the Boston Bruins’ rights to pending restricted free agents Alec Regula and Ian Mitchell.
In a four-player deal on Monday, the Chicago Blackhawks acquired Taylor Hall, the rights to upcoming unrestricted free agent Nick Foligno, and the Boston Bruins' rights to pending restricted free agents Alec Regula and Ian Mitchell.
In a four-player deal on Monday, the Chicago Blackhawks acquired Taylor Hall, the rights to upcoming unrestricted free agent Nick Foligno, and the Boston Bruins’ rights to pending restricted free agents Alec Regula and Ian Mitchell.
Of the bunch, Taylor Hall is undoubtedly the star. He has two years left on his deal with a $6 million cap charge. He is a five-time NHL All-Star and a former Hart Trophy winner.
Because Foligno is more of a role player at this point in his career, he garners less attention. He could have explored his options when free agency began on July 1 and pursued rings, but he wasted no time and quickly agreed to a one-year deal with the Blackhawks, who will pay him $4 million in cap costs, the team said on Tuesday.
At age 35, Foligno is more of a bottom-six guy, so his $4 million contract is undoubtedly hefty, but the Blackhawks don’t need to spend much since they need to reach the salary limit floor. If the chance arises, this deal does not affect the Blackhawks’ ability to sign contracts for future assets because they still have a ton of cap space.
For Foligno to agree to serve as a mentor on a rebuilding club and not negotiate a lower-paying contract with a Stanley Cup contender, the Blackhawks likely have to make money attractive enough. Foligno’s regular ice time, which has decreased over the years, will also be guaranteed by the Blackhawks; last season, he only averaged 12:21 minutes per game, a slight decrease from 12:27 the season before.
Foligno, one of the most well-respected players in the NHL, should serve as a terrific locker room presence for a young Blackhawks club aiming to establish a new core that is anticipated to be centered on predicted No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard. Foligno has played in the NHL for 16 years and has served as its captain once, which speaks something about his ability to lead.
In 60 games with Boston last season, Foligno had 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) and added another three points (one goal, two assists) in three postseason games. The former No. 28 overall first-round selection by Ottawa in 2006 has played in 1,081 NHL games and has 524 points (215 goals, 309 assists) in his career.
