The Minnesota Wild have acquired Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno, providing him with the chance to play alongside his brother, Marcus.
Sources indicate the deal involves future considerations, suggesting Chicago facilitated the move as a gesture to their captain, allowing him a pursuit of the Stanley Cup. No salary was retained in the transaction, as the Blackhawks had already utilized their three retention slots.
Nick Foligno, 38, is in the final year of a two-year contract he signed with the Blackhawks, paying him $4.5 million annually. This acquisition brings the Wild close to the salary cap ceiling, potentially concluding their trade deadline activities after previously bringing in forward Bobby Brink on Friday and Michael McCarron earlier in the week.
PuckPedia reports that Minnesota’s available cap space stands at $5.25 million following the absorption of Foligno’s complete salary.
Additionally, the Wild sent center Vinnie Hinostroza to the Florida Panthers, also for future considerations.
Foligno had previously hinted at a potential departure during a media session with the Blackhawks on Thursday.
“It’s difficult,” Foligno commented on his circumstances. “I’ve expressed my deep commitment to this team. It feels strange to have these challenging discussions, but it reflects our current standing. There’s also a personal struggle involved; you still desire to compete, fight, and achieve victory. That’s the internal conflict.”
“I have tremendous faith in this team,” he added. “Serving as captain here has been a profound honor. I remain fully dedicated until instructed differently. However, a competitive drive within also yearns to participate in significant matchups.”
Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill corroborated the trade.
“Firstly, I’m pleased for him,” Blashill informed reporters. “As I mentioned yesterday, I wish we were leading by 10 points and this situation wouldn’t arise, but that’s not our reality. The chance to play alongside your brother, to share such an experience, is remarkable. Having a brother myself, I understand how incredibly special that would be. So, I know this holds immense significance for him and his family; I recognize its profound importance.”
The coach expressed gratitude for Foligno and the other seasoned players who supported such a youthful roster.
“We’ve been fortunate to have excellent veteran leaders, or ‘papa bears,’ guiding our young players, and Nick was undoubtedly at the forefront of that effort,” he stated.
The Wild, boasting one of the league’s stronger records, are clearly aiming for a deep playoff run, evidenced by their acquisition of Brink from the Flyers in exchange for 22-year-old defenseman David Jiricek.
Brink, a 24-year-old Minnesota native, was a second-round pick (34th overall) by the Flyers in 2019. In his fourth NHL season, he has recorded 13 goals and 13 assists in 55 appearances, with a minus-5 rating. Brink is known as a skilled playmaker with robust two-way play, enhancing the Wild’s offensive options. He is slated to become a restricted free agent at the end of the current season.
Philadelphia opted to move Brink given their significant depth on the wing, featuring talents such as Tyson Foerster, Travis Konecny, Matvei Michkov, and Owen Tippett, alongside the anticipated future addition of top prospect Porter Martone.
Jiricek, originally the sixth overall selection in the 2022 draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets, was traded to the Wild in 2024 in exchange for defenseman Daemon Hunt and four draft selections. This season, Jiricek divided his time between Minnesota and the AHL’s Iowa Wild, struggling to fully realize his potential since joining the NHL squad. While possessing untapped offensive talent, his defensive play and skating ability have raised some questions. He too will enter restricted free agency this offseason.
The Wild have certainly been active at this trade deadline, also having previously secured defenseman Jeff Petry from Florida and McCarron from Nashville.