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

Plus/minus

+2

Hits

0

Blocks 0

PIM

0

Game Score

+0.80

per game

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.

Career stats

From the NHL's player records

SeasonLeagueTeamGPGAP+/-PIM
2001-02USHS-PAHershey High18162137——
2002-03MetJHLCentral Penn Panthers31111728—119
2002-03USHS-PAHershey High13182341——
2003-04U-17USNTDP187916—28
2003-04NAHLUSNTDP4381220—44
2003-04 (playoffs)NAHLUSNTDP7213—8
2004-05U-18USNTDP4213—0
2004-05OHLSudbury65102838+5111
2004-05 (playoffs)OHLSudbury125510+416
2005-06OHLSudbury65244670+19146
2005-06 (playoffs)OHLSudbury10134028
2006-07OHLSudbury66315788+13135
2006-07 (playoffs)OHLSudbury21121729+1436
2007-08NHLOttawa Senators45639020
2007-08AHLBinghamton2861319+416
2007-08 (playoffs)NHLOttawa Senators410102
2008-09NHLOttawa Senators81171532-1059
2008-09WC-AUSA9022—4
2009-10NHLOttawa Senators6191726+653
2009-10WC-AUSA6303—0
2009-10 (playoffs)NHLOttawa Senators6011-12
2010-11NHLOttawa Senators82142034-1943
2011-12NHLOttawa Senators82153247+2124
2011-12 (playoffs)NHLOttawa Senators7134-18
2012-13NHLColumbus Blue Jackets4561319+628
2013-14NHLColumbus Blue Jackets70182139+596
2013-14 (playoffs)NHLColumbus Blue Jackets420204
2014-15NHLColumbus Blue Jackets79314273+1650
2015-16NHLColumbus Blue Jackets72122537-1453
2015-16WCUSA10325-210
2016-17NHLColumbus Blue Jackets79262551-455
2016-17 (playoffs)NHLColumbus Blue Jackets4022-36
2017-18NHLColumbus Blue Jackets72151833+150
2017-18 (playoffs)NHLColumbus Blue Jackets6213-44
2018-19NHLColumbus Blue Jackets73171835+1244
2018-19 (playoffs)NHLColumbus Blue Jackets10123+24
2019-20NHLColumbus Blue Jackets67102131-362
2019-20 (playoffs)NHLColumbus Blue Jackets10246+110
2020-21NHLColumbus Blue Jackets427916-328
2020-21NHLToronto Maple Leafs7044+54
2020-21 (playoffs)NHLToronto Maple Leafs4011+25
2021-22NHLBoston Bruins6421113-1361
2021-22 (playoffs)NHLBoston Bruins7011+24
2022-23NHLBoston Bruins60101626+1845
2022-23 (playoffs)NHLBoston Bruins6123018
2023-24NHLChicago Blackhawks74172037-2957
2024-25NHLChicago Blackhawks78152035-1748
2025-26NHLChicago Blackhawks373811+227
2025-26NHLMinnesota Wild17134017
2025-26 (playoffs)NHLMinnesota Wild11213+26
2026-27NHLMinnesota Wild2101+20

Every league he has played in, from the NHL's records, regular season and playoffs.

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.

Where his Game Score comes from

+0.34 per game

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.

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

At 38: 36% of peak

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).