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Foligno finally reveals the truth about his injury when the Leafs acquired him
Photo credit: Nick Turchiano - USA Today Sports
Nick Foligno has finally revealed why he chose to accept a trade to the Leafs in April 2021 and how his injury was more significant than many believed it to be.
When Kyle Dubas and the Toronto Maple Leafs splurged for Foligno ahead of the trade deadline in 2021, the hope was that he would bring the grit and grind that the club was looking for during the post-season. Unfortunately he lasted just 7 regular season games and an additional 4 in the post-season due to injuries.
He looked like a shell of his former self, the very same player that recorded 31 goals and 73 points in 2014-15 and another 50-point season in 2016-17. At the time of the trade, he had accumulated just 42 goals and 99 points in 212 games between 2017-18 and 2019-20 and was on pace for another slow campaign in 2020-21 when he potted just 7 goals and 20 points in 49 contests.
Not only was he on the down-turn, the Maple Leafs overpaid for his services as they sent a 2021 first round pick and a 2022 fourth round pick to Columbus as well as a 2021 fourth round pick to San Jose for retaining 25% of Foligno's salary. It was a trade that left Leafs fans wondering what Dubas' motives were for making a deal like that and on a recent episode of "Dropping the Gloves", the veteran opened up about the situation as well as his injury problems.
"You know what I was really excited about in Toronto was that I felt like I could really help on the ice and off the ice -- the culture. Just to get them over the hump and have some snarl, some attitude, some personality in the room and that's why I picked going there. I just felt like I could really put a stamp on that team and that's probably the thing that really bothered me the most.
I think I was just so frustrated cause I knew I was really hurt and I knew how much they invested in me. I was trying to play through it but I was a shell of myself. I couldn't be in the room, I was always in the training room in between periods. I couldn't help galvanize the team, I couldn't do what I love to do and can do on and off the ice. I'm sure the Toronto fans were disappointed in how it all shook out, but I guarantee you I'm more disappointed."
I think I was just so frustrated cause I knew I was really hurt and I knew how much they invested in me. I was trying to play through it but I was a shell of myself. I couldn't be in the room, I was always in the training room in between periods. I couldn't help galvanize the team, I couldn't do what I love to do and can do on and off the ice. I'm sure the Toronto fans were disappointed in how it all shook out, but I guarantee you I'm more disappointed."
As Foligno pointed out on the podcast, he was a shell of his former self and that's been proven to be right with how he's done in the last 2 seasons with the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks. He recorded 26 points in 60 contests for the Bruins in 2022-23 and then added 17 goals and 37 points in 74 games last year with Chicago. It's unfortunate how things shook out for Toronto but he was dealing with ailments left, right, and centre at a time where they desperately needed his help.
The veteran has looked to turn things around and will be entering his first season of a 2-year deal with the Blackhawks in 2024-25 worth $4.5 million dollars per season. He signed with the club last year on a one-year deal and helped the young club on and off the ice to a point where they rewarded him with an even richer contract this summer.
The Maple Leafs could have assuredly used his veteran leadership and on-ice snarl but it just wasn't meant to be. You'd have to imagine that if he was at or near 100%, the Leafs could have at least gotten past the Montreal Canadiens in the first round and went on to face the Winnipeg Jets in the second round of the playoffs.
Source for the Podcast Episode:
Interview with Nick Foligno, Chicago Blackhawks
Interview with Nick Foligno, Chicago Blackhawks
Source for Nick Foligno's statistics: Hockey-Reference
Nick Foligno stats
Nick Foligno stats
| POLL | ||
AOUT 12 | 836 ANSWERS Foligno finally reveals the truth about his injury when the Leafs acquired him Was the Nick Foligno trade the worst one during Kyle Dubas' tenure? | ||
| Yes, we gave up way too much for an injured player | 253 | 30.3 % |
| No, trading Nazem Kadri was way worse | 274 | 32.8 % |
| It's definitely in the top-3 | 309 | 37 % |
| List of polls | ||