The Athletic - Boston FLUTO: Nick Foligno’s rough first season with the Bruins takes another wrong turn

[duffy]

And they didn't just go get one Ritchie, they got two!

Yes and the younger one looks really good with Calgary. I almost couldn't believe my eyes last night watching him beat Blues players to pucks, out battle them, and actually stick handle. Who would have thunk it?

 

[UncleRico]

The problem is these guys aren't really ever available when they're young or in their prime. These players are rare, and teams tend to keep them. Who is a player that fits this mold that is a realistic trade target right now?

edit: Maybe Crouse?

Yup, exactly. Teams don’t let go of power forwards who still have juice and can play. Yet the bruins love shopping the secondary market and overpaying for broken down power forwards who are falling apart.

Really the only way to get one is the draft and the bruins have tried with a guy like Frederic, but there’s just not much to Frederic’s offensive game and looks like he’s a career 4th liner

 

[Mantis]

Yes and the younger one looks really good with Calgary. I almost couldn't believe my eyes last night watching him beat Blues players to pucks, out battle them, and actually stick handle. Who would have thunk it?

He is the older one and has zero points in 16 games

 

[Troublesome 85]

When he signed I was hopeful and happy. Now just want it done.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Yup, exactly. Teams don’t let go of power forwards who still have juice and can play. Yet the bruins love shopping the secondary market and overpaying for broken down power forwards who are falling apart.

Really the only way to get one is the draft and the bruins have tried with a guy like Frederic, but there’s just not much to Frederic’s offensive game and looks like he’s a career 4th liner

Yeah you have to give kudos for Tampa for going and getting Coleman while he was useful and then not paying him. Hard to do though - Crouse is that guy but he’s a bit overrated. And I don’t think third line wing is where this team should spend, especially if they keep Debrusk

 

[GordonHowe]

Nick Foligno's rough first season with the Bruins takes another wrong turn

Nick Foligno buckled. Most players would have after taking a right as hard as the one Sam Carrick landed during their second-period fight on Monday.


​

Linesmen Mark Shewchyk and Mitch Hunt jumped in to bust up the fight. As they did, Foligno got to his skates with the intention of extending the hostility. Shewchyk and Hunt discouraged that from happening.

Foligno served the entire five-minute major in the penalty box. But the No. 4 left wing went to the dressing room upon exiting. He did not return. Coach Bruce Cassidy did not know whether Foligno’s upper-body injury occurred during the fight. Foligno played just 6:08 in the Bruins’ 5-3 loss to the Ducks.
It was Foligno’s latest unfortunate occurrence in a season filled with more downturns than he expected.

• The ex-Columbus captain was injured in the second regular-season game. He was sidelined for the next eight.
• He did not score his first goal until Jan. 1.
• He is averaging 1.26 points per 60 minutes of five-on-five play, according to Natural Stat Trick, the lowest of any team forward.
• His left leg folded awkwardly on Jan. 8, which knocked him out for the next five games.

“Obviously, this year hasn’t been fun for me just in the breaks of the season,” Foligno said last Friday, the day after logging 15:02 of ice time against Washington. “Getting going, injury. Then COVID comes along, break. I felt like I came out of that with the right mindset and was getting going. Then all of a sudden, another one. Just got to stick with it and find a way to contribute.”

How long Foligno’s latest setback keeps him out is unknown. Even if it is a short-term injury, it is the latest for a 34-year-old bruiser who relies on physicality to make an impact. At Foligno’s age, it gets harder and harder to find traction with each accumulating injury.

“He used to be an active player,” said one NHL source. “Now he’s reactive.”

The fight followed a flareup with John Gibson during a TV timeout. As the teams went to their benches, Gibson shoved Foligno from behind. Foligno went back at Gibson, losing his helmet during the scrum. On Foligno’s next shift, he accepted Carrick’s challenge.



Foligno’s latest injury deepens the dilemma he presents his employer. He is a banged-up wing facing competition for ice time.

Anton Blidh missed his second straight game after being walloped by Tom Wilson. But Blidh felt well enough to participate in Monday’s morning skate in a non-contact jersey. Blidh is a faster north-south skater than Foligno and more timely with his thumps.

Foligno had been taking some shifts on the third line earlier this month. But Jake DeBrusk and Oskar Steen are livelier and more effective options on the wing flanking Charlie Coyle.

Perhaps the biggest issue is Foligno’s contract: $3.8 million annually with no-move protection this season. It is a big commitment to a 34-year-old who has now been dinged three times. That is precious cap space the Bruins could dearly use, assuming they bring in help prior to the March 21 trade deadline.

So for now, the Bruins can only hope Foligno recovers quickly and finds his game. Otherwise, he does not leave them with many options.

Who's fault is that, Fluto?

I like Nick, one goal and all.

If he is unable to perform for the price tag, take that up with SweeNeely.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Is this signing a Sweeney issue when it's well documented Bergeron was pushing to add this player? I agree we've been trying too hard to find a solid, reliable power forward scoring threat, but at least they're trying. Foligno does bring value to this team, just not on offense. Over paid? Yes, but not entirely useless.

Does that warrant the 1-2 million overpayment? The article says it well. No action, simply reaction at this point. A 30 point season would have been productive for Foligno and that is not worth close to 3.8 in the frozen salary cap era.

 

[Colt.45Orr]

Our toughest player got TKO'd by the Ducks 6th toughest guy. Cool,cool,cool.

 

[Gordoff]

Who's fault is that, Fluto?

I like Nick, one goal and all.

If he is unable to perform for the price tag, take that up with SweeNeely.

God forbid Fluto or DuPont and the rest of the Boston "hockey media"
take the bull by the b*lls and tell the truth about the overall job
both Mutt & Jeff have done. Throwing away assets on burnt out,
overpriced players and then paying threw the nose to rid the team of them. If it's true that Bergeron pushed for Foligno, shame on him too.
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.
As others have said, you pay a bit more and get horses like these when they're young not at the door of the glue factory.
Of course, if they knew what they were doing for the drafts that
they were at the tables for this endless cycle could've been avoided.
This whole thing with NF is reminiscent of when Bobby Orr went
to Chicago and played only a couple dozen games for the Hawks.
If memory serves correctly, he refused the money that was owed him
from Wirtz and retired. IMO, Foligno should do the right thing and
retire but these days, nobody walks away from a payday, even
if the dummy's that signed him were foolish enough to give him that deal.

 

[mikelvl]

Our toughest player got TKO'd by the Ducks 6th toughest guy. Cool,cool,cool.

Don't worry, they'll get the right Foligno brother next, in five years, when he's way past his prime too.

 

[mikelvl]

God forbid Fluto or DuPont and the rest of the Boston "hockey media"
take the bull by the b*lls and tell the truth about the overall job
both Mutt & Jeff have done. Throwing away assets on burnt out,
overpriced players and then paying threw the nose to rid the team of them. If it's true that Bergeron pushed for Foligno, shame on him too.
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.
As others have said, you pay a bit more and get horses like these when they're young not at the door of the glue factory.
Of course, if they knew what they were doing for the drafts that
they were at the tables for this endless cycle could've been avoided.
This whole thing with NF is reminiscent of when Bobby Orr went
to Chicago and played only a couple dozen games for the Hawks.
If memory serves correctly, he refused the money that was owed him
from Wirtz and retired. IMO, Foligno should do the right thing and
retire but these days, nobody walks away from a payday, even
if the dummy's that signed him were foolish enough to give him that deal.

Bergeron's part of the problem now?? He and Marchand are the part of the engine that are holding this team together. And Foligno has a family including a daughter with health issues. I wouldn't turn that money down and neither should he. Blame is on management and Neely's (I assume) need for bigger players that the game is passing by, plain and simple.

 

[Gee Wally]

I’m beginning to think Neely took too many punches over the years.

 

[UncleRico]

Who's fault is that, Fluto?

I like Nick, one goal and all.

If he is unable to perform for the price tag, take that up with SweeNeely.

It’s bad on Sweeney to give him that contract, but even his offensive numbers are way down and that’s while playing top PP unit minutes on a unit that’s consistently been in the top 5 of the league for the past 5+ years.

Regardless of pay he’s vastly under performing.

 

[bp13]

See, they need to go a younger route. I get that those players are typically costly, but at some point you have to say "This is a huge need for us, and we should be willing to spend"

Foligno, Backes, Beleskey, etc.

They're spending on these guys...they just suck at finding the good ones.

 

[Sheppy]

Foligno, Backes, Beleskey, etc.

They're spending on these guys...they just suck at finding the good ones.

I know, which is why they need to look younger. Backes and Foligno were both on the back 9 of their career.

 

[GordonHowe]

It’s bad on Sweeney to give him that contract, but even his offensive numbers are way down and that’s while playing top PP unit minutes on a unit that’s consistently been in the top 5 of the league for the past 5+ years.

Regardless of pay he’s vastly under performing.

True enough. I don't know what you do. It's a pattern. I'm so sick of these guys.

 

[Dr Hook]

I know, which is why they need to look younger. Backes and Foligno were both on the back 9 of their career.

They tried that with the two Ritchies and Beleskey. I think the real problem is they don't want to pay to get the type of guy you are calling for. They don't mind the big contract but they don't seem to want to pony up assets to pry a guy loose from a team because those players are gold in the league and the price is high. So, they sign aging guys on the back 9, or overpay a UFA (not seeming to realize that if these guys were what they really needed, their teams probably would not have cut them loose to start with).

 

[BruinsBtn]

Yeah, there's a clear pattern and problem that needs to be corrected here. This is 'strike four' on acquiring tough players. That's abysmal.

 

[Jim]

You have to draft these guys. You can’t trade for them…once they show even a glimmer of hope, the price is too high. By the time teams are willing to trade them, their bodies are already wrecked.

Draft big nasty forwards….key word: nasty.

 

[WhalerTurnedBruin55]

I’m beginning to think Neely took too many punches over the years.

I still don't know what qualifications he had to put him in a decision making position.

He's a figurehead and former face of the Bruins... but not really sure he's shown any reason to give him control of management decisions.

 

[Dr Hook]

You have to draft these guys. You can’t trade for them…once they show even a glimmer of hope, the price is too high. By the time teams are willing to trade them, their bodies are already wrecked.

Draft big nasty forwards….key word: nasty.

Pretty much. They need to draft them or acquire them when they are still prospects and the price isn't through the roof.

 

[TCB]

Who's fault is that, Fluto?

I like Nick, one goal and all.

If he is unable to perform for the price tag, take that up with SweeNeely.

Nailed it !!!

 

[Bearcrap]

I’m beginning to think Neely took too many punches over the years.

Or Sweeney didn't take enough punches over the years.

 

[mar2kbos]

If you're going to go the power forward route, you gotta go younger. A Greenway, a Marcus Foligno (a few seasons ago) a Josh Anderson...

No need in grabbing a power forward well into the back 9 of his career.

That’s literally what the problem is. No one gives up on a young power forward, but these guys tend to break down much earlier in their career. It’s where Sweeney tried the bargain route that he hasn’t learned from after multiple attempts.

 

[MattFromFranklin]

I still don't know what qualifications he had to put him in a decision making position.

He's a figurehead and former face of the Bruins... but not really sure he's shown any reason to give him control of management decisions.

The team had just collapsed and blown a 3-0 series lead to Philly and the fans were angry. Cam gets angry when things don't go well and he acts like a maniac when the team scores goals in the playoffs. The fans were out for blood and wanted someone who they thought would be tough and as passionate as they were. It didn't matter that he was (and is) a mediocre hockey mind.