PuckSleuth
Nick Foligno71

Minnesota Wild · Left wing · Shoots L

Nick Foligno

Age 38 · 6'0" · 210 lb · Born in Buffalo, USA

Cap hit

$900K

0.9% of $104M cap

Term

1 yr

Through 2026-27, then UFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

+$2.483M

vs. $3.383M market estimate

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2026-27 regular season

GP

2

Goals

1

33.3% shooting

Assists

0

0 primary

Points

1

0.50 per game

TOI/GP

13:11

PP 0:00 · PK 1:15

xGF%

66.7

5v5, +19.5 vs. last yr

Game Score

+0.80

per game

Faceoff %

—

3 W · 6 L

Plus/minus

+2

Blocks 0 · Hits 0

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

GameGASOGHITBLKTOIPPPKFOOZS%GVTK+/-GS
Oct 3
vs BOS · W 4-1
0010013:530:000:072-4000+1+0.23
Oct 1
@ NSH · W 3-1
1020012:290:002:221-2000+1+1.36
May 13
@ COL · OTL 4-3
2033112:450:000:352-333000+2.50
May 11
vs COL · L 5-2
002209:130:001:040-1—000+0.15
May 9
vs COL · W 5-1
0006111:370:002:48—0100+0.14

GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.

Advanced metrics

5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 546 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards

xGF%47.2%

34th percentile

Relative xGF%-0.3

49th percentile

HDCF%46.0%

31st percentile

CF%48.2%

40th percentile

Relative CF%+1.0

63rd percentile

FF%49.0%

47th percentile

GF%50.0%

51st percentile

CF/6049.1

14th percentile

CA/6052.8

82nd percentile

ixG/600.42

3rd percentile

Goals above expected+0.2

61st percentile

IPP55.0%

23rd percentile

PDO100.0

55th percentile

OZS%31.8%

8th percentile

xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.

Play styleDefensive grinder

Trait percentiles vs. NHL wingers · 2025-26

Foligno is a defensive anchor who excels at punishing opponents with physicality and staying in front of dangerous plays, but lacks the shooting volume and speed to generate consistent offensive chances. He's a classic fourth-liner who plays hard-nosed hockey on both ends and works best as a depth presence in limited minutes.

Physical pestDefensive wallVeteran grinder
Shooting volume
3
Playmaking
53
Zone entries(est.)
65
Forechecking
83
Physicality
84
Defensive impact
94
Puck management
46
Speed
10

Where he shoots from

Slot 58% · Mid-range 25% · Perimeter 17%(65 unblocked shots)

Strengths

  • Elite defensive impact at 94th percentile anchors his game
  • Exceptional forechecking and physicality at 83rd and 84th percentiles generate turnovers
  • Strong rush chance creation at 65th percentile keeps play in opponents' zone

Watch-outs

  • Shooting volume at 3rd percentile means minimal goal-scoring threat
  • Speed at 10th percentile limits his ability to get into high-danger areas
  • Puck management at 46th percentile occasionally creates turnovers under pressure

Similar style: Jake Neighbours (STL), Zachary L'Heureux (COL)

Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.

Where his Game Score comes from

2025-26 · 54 GP

Season total +18.4, or +0.34 per game.

Scoring
+10.9
Shooting
+3.7
Defense
+0.7
Penalty kill
-0.3
Physical play
+4.2
Puck battles
-1.1
Penalties
+0.4
Faceoffs
-0.1

Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

Career stats

From the NHL's player records

SeasonTeamGPGAP+/-PIMPPGPPPSHGGWGSOGS%TOIFO%GS/GP
2007-08Ottawa Senators4563902000004413.69:1044.9—
2008-09Ottawa Senators81171532-10597140214511.713:4144.7—
2009-10Ottawa Senators6191726+65326028310.814:1934.0—
2010-11Ottawa Senators82142034-1943510031499.415:3547.1—
2011-12Ottawa Senators82153247+212414031539.814:3941.6—
2012-13Columbus Blue Jackets4561319+6281302698.716:3133.3—
2013-14Columbus Blue Jackets70182139+596360511116.216:0446.2—
2014-15Columbus Blue Jackets79314273+165011260318217.018:5047.5—
2015-16Columbus Blue Jackets72122537-1453013021498.116:5447.2—
2016-17Columbus Blue Jackets79262551-45511210518514.118:2646.1—
2017-18Columbus Blue Jackets72151833+150240113710.918:2145.9—
2018-19Columbus Blue Jackets73171835+1244240214112.117:4256.6—
2019-20Columbus Blue Jackets67102131-36224011317.618:4049.8—
2020-21Columbus Blue Jackets427916-3281200739.618:0947.1—
2020-21Toronto Maple Leafs7044+54000080.015:2815.8—
2021-22Boston Bruins6421113-13610100992.012:2856.4—
2022-23Boston Bruins60101626+184525017114.112:2255.6+0.58
2023-24Chicago Blackhawks74172037-29578161014611.617:4652.4+0.56
2024-25Chicago Blackhawks78152035-1748242110414.415:5548.4+0.45
2025-26Chicago Blackhawks373811+22702003010.012:4849.4+0.34
2025-26Minnesota Wild171340170000195.312:1949.4+0.34
2026-27Minnesota Wild2101+200000333.313:1133.3+0.80
Career20 seasons1289252361613-37102460145333223211.315:52—

Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Recent Game Scores

Last 10 games · goals above average

Average +0.46 per game over these 10.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2025-26, as of Oct 2

Top speed
21.3 mph
15th pct
20+ mph bursts
15
Hardest shot
83.1 mph
38th pct
Distance
100.8 mi
OZ time
41.9%
47th pct
DZ time
41.0%

Usage

Last game: vs BOS, Oct 3

Line 1 with Marcus Foligno and Michael McCarron (9:55 together at 5-on-5)

From the NHL's shift chart.

Age curve

NHL forwards · production index

202937

At 38, forwards typically produce 36% of their peak (age 24).

From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.

Contract by season

1 season left

SeasonTeamCap hit% of cap
2026-27MIN$900K0.9%

UFA after 2026-27. $900K in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).