Blackhawks Captain Inching Toward Return

Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno could be returning to game action soon should his progress as of late continue.

Foligno, who suffered a hand injury on Nov. 15 and hasn’t played since, skated with the team and joined morning skate prior to the Blackhawks’ game against the Montreal Canadiens. After morning skate concluded, he stayed on the ice and did some more work. While head coach Jeff Blashill doesn’t expect the 38-year-old from Buffalo to play tonight in Montreal, he does think that Dec. 20’s game against the Ottawa Senators could be a possibility.

“I think we’ll know more about Ottawa tomorrow,” Blashill said. “He’s itching to get in, we’re itching to have him back in, but until he’s fully ready to go, we’re not going to put him in.”

The Captain’s Presence Has Been Missed

With 90 seconds to go in the second period of a Nov. 15 matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Foligno blocked a shot from Jack McCabe with his hand. He immediately dropped down in pain and left the game, never to return.

Prior to his injury, Foligno had anchored the Blackhawks’ fourth line alongside Sam Lafferty and Landon Slaggert. In 15 games, he’d accumulated six points — all on assists — one of which was the 600th point of his long career. That point made him and his father, Mike Foligno, just the seventh father-son duo to put up at least 600 points in an NHL career.

Foligno’s Leadership is His Greatest Strength

Chicago Blackhawks forward Nick Foligno, forward Connor Bedard, forward Frank Naza — Sep 28, 2025; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Chicago Blackhawks forward Nick Foligno (17), forward Connor Bedard (98), and forward Frank Nazar (91) celebrate a victory over the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images | Nick Wosika-Imagn Images

It’s his off-ice leadership that truly makes the largest impact, however. As the Blackhawks’ captain, he’s someone the team looks to for guidance and support. According to Seth Jones, a former Blackhawk and teammate of Foligno’s, that’s exactly what the veteran NHL player does best.

“Nick has a special ability to bring groups together, to talk in front of groups, and to make everyone feel important,” Jones said in 2023. “I think that’s a great quality when it comes to not just a young team, but when you want to have that kind of brotherhood off the ice.”

Right after young star Connor Bedard was drafted in 2023, Foligno was someone the Calder Trophy winner gravitated toward.

“[Foligno’s] been unreal,” Bedard said in a September 2023 interview. “He’s been so good to me. He’s made me feel so comfortable, as well as all the young guys, so he’s such a good person, such a good kind of role model, and it’s pretty great for me to have a guy like him.”

Should Foligno make his return soon, that expert leadership and his steady presence on the ice could help the Blackhawks make a push toward the Stanley Cup playoffs.

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