You don’t need to go over the numbers with Nick Foligno. He’s already well aware of them.
There are the goals: two total over 64 games in 2021-22 — representing the lowest sum in a single season for the now 34-year-old veteran.
And, of course, there’s the money — with Foligno’s $3.8 million annual cap hit representing a steeper payout than other B’s players such as Patrice Bergeron ($2.5 million), David Krejci ($1 million), Pavel Zacha ($3.5 million), Craig Smith ($3.1 million), Matt Grzelcyk ($3.6 million) and Jeremy Swayman ($925,000).
Clearly, that level (or lack) of production does not match the financial commitment that Boston put forth upon signing the forward last summer.
It’s something that Foligno is cognizant of as he enters yet another season in Boston, with a clean bill of health standing as a source of optimism for the former NHL captain.
And even though Foligno expects more out of himself when it comes to that tangible production, he also believes his value goes beyond just how many times he lights the lamp.
“I know, I get it. There's a number, there's a salary attached — I get that," Foligno said. "But, guys, I've played long enough to know that if you're out there in certain situations, important minutes, then that's really what matters. And I think that's what your teammates expect out of you and that's really where you get the respect from coaches and players. So that's what I look for. Last year, that was the hardest part, was probably finding a role.
“And then once I found one, it was just making sure we were good. And I thought as a fourth line, we were really solid a lot of nights. So yeah, the goals are important. And then when you have the opportunities, you got to bury it — that's part of this league. But it's also what you do away from the puck, especially in the role you're asked of and I'm in a different role in my career now. So it's making sure that I'm doing the things necessary to allow our line to be really good each and every night, but also helping the other guys. ... I still expect myself to bring offensive production. I know I can. So that was disappointing last year, but I'm looking forward to doing that this year."
Of course, it doesn’t come as much of a surprise that a seasoned veteran (and optimist) like Foligno would point to things beyond the box score when it comes to assessing his value to an NHL roster.
The main question is - do the Bruins share that sentiment?
Based on Jim Montgomery’s response on Monday, it sure seems like that’s the case.
"I think that when you look at Foligno, he's someone who has great leadership and someone that we're looking for to help create a clear identity on the third and fourth line,” Montgomery said. “As far as puck possession, being hard on people, being relentless on top of pucks, I know that looking at last year — I don't think he was happy with how it went for his own play, I'm talking about. But the thing you have to realize and you sit back — one, he had a big surgery in the offseason, didn't get to train the way he wants to. You move to a new city, and these aren't excuses, but it is reality — you've moved here with your family and your wife, and kids … you're overcoming a lot. You didn't get to train the way you want.
“You're making sure your family is comfortable. And he's a great family man, that's going to occupy part of your brain. So I expect him to be a big part of what we do this year because of those things. I think he's playing a lot freer, he's getting on top of pucks, he's creating a lot of loose pucks, he's getting to the net front and that's where he's made his whole career is at the netfront in that third circle between the two circles where goals are scored."
Of course, the first (and clearest) message that the Bruins still had faith in Foligno was sent this summer when the cap-crunched organization opted to not buy out his contract — which would have netted the B’s $1.8 million in savings, and only push $933,334 into 2023-24.
Such a move would seem like a no-brainer, but Sweeney expressed confidence in a potential bounce-back season for Foligno in 2022-23, noting that some of his offensive struggles last season were the result of lingering injuries that plagued him for months on end.
Still, the Bruins are scrounging for silver linings amid a pretty hefty sample size when it comes to Foligno’s scoring woes.
Over his last three seasons, Foligno has only scored 19 goals over 180 games. In total, there have been 218 NHL forwards who have logged at least 2,000 minutes of 5v5 ice time since the 2019-20 season, and among that pool of players — Foligno ranks 211th in goals scored per 60 minutes at 0.39.
Perhaps those nagging back issues can resolve themselves, but the jury is still out when it comes to expecting steady production from Foligno when he’s in the lineup.
"Obviously, the goal total as you guys talk about — and for me, two goals aren't what I expect,” Foligno said. “But I think, I just came in and just tried to reset and worked on some of the things that I've always worked on. I know I can score goals. I'm not worried about that. I think my track record speaks for itself. But it's just more about putting myself in positions to do that.
“I think last year, like I said, I could never get going and it's just one of those years. So you've learned from it, you put it behind you and you get ready to not have that inhibit with this year can bring. So I'm excited and looking forward to the opportunity to play my game and to be a big factor for this club that I expect to be."
The Bruins sure seem ready to give Folingo another shot to fight for a set role in this lineup, but it’s also far from a guarantee. Be it on Charlie Coyle’s line or the checking unit, Foligno has plenty of competition to battle with when it comes to reps — be it younger players like Marc McLaughlin, Johnny Beecher and Oskar Steen, or free-agent pickups like A.J. Greer.
Both Foligno and the Bruins are focusing on the positives when it comes to the veteran’s impact on this lineup. There’s no questioning Foligno’s effort or the obvious intangibles that he brings off the ice. But until the production on the ice follows suit, the questions will remain when it comes to just how much more Foligno can help elevate Boston’s bottom-six grouping.
"It's so important for a team. That's how you grow,” Foligno said of other players vying for bottom-six minutes. “Internal competition is the only way to get better. No one should ever feel comfortable. I've never come into a camp, all the years I played, thinking I'm on the team. Never. I think it's just the mindset you have to have. Otherwise, as soon as you get complacent, that's dangerous for your team and you as an individual.
“So anytime you're seeing guys push, it's so good for the organization because you're gonna get the best from everybody else that's maybe ahead of them on the depth chart. That's important for our group and I think you're seeing that. There are guys that are pushing, which is great. It's our job to make sure we continue to show what we can do as players.”
CAMP REPORT
BRUINS LINES
GROUP A
Zacha-Bergeron-DeBrusk
Frederic-Coyle-Smith
Wagner-Studnicka-Lysell
Greer-Coyle-Steen
Merkulov/Toporowski-Asselin-Brazeau
Lindholm-Stralman
Zboril-Carlo
Forbort-Wissman
Wolff-Berglund
Swayman
Keyser
Bussi
GROUP B
Hall-Krejci-Pastrnak
Greer-Nosek-McLaughlin
Foligno-Koppanen-Lettieri
Lauko-Beecher-Steen
Poitras
Reilly-Clifton
Ahcan-Didier
Callahan-Wilson
Renouf-Carrick
Mast
Ullmark
Kinkaid
Brassard
TALKING POINTS
Throwing Stralman into the fire?
He’s only been in Boston for a whopping four days, but it seems as though Anton Stralman is going to get every opportunity to try to earn a defined spot on Boston’s depth chart during training camp.
Even with Charlie McAvoy's extended time on the shelf due to offseason surgery, the Bruins were set to enter camp with a number of depth options on the right side — be it Jakub Zboril, Connor Clifton or free-agent pickups like Connor Carrick.
But on Monday, it was Stralman who earned a majority of reps on Boston’s de-facto top pairing with Hampus Lindholm — with Brandon Carlo slotted down to the second D pair with Jakub Zboril.
“Lindholm, I just think he's getting better every day," Montgomery said. "And he was good day one. And then Stralman, you can see that he's in really good shape. And he ends plays and he makes good decisions with the puck. He played a lot of games in this league and it showed today."
Considering that Stralman is only here on a PTO (professional tryout) deal, it does make sense that the Bruins might want to throw the 36-year-old blueliner into the fray right away and see what they have with him, considering that the start of the regular season is just weeks away.
Even though he’d likely be best suited for more of a third-pairing role on this team (especially once more D-men are healthy), Stralman isn’t exactly a guy who was limited last season with Arizona.
Yes, the Coyotes were, by and large, a dumpster fire and desperately needed guys that could chew up a ton of minutes, but Stralman was a workhorse (21:20 ATOI) who scored eight goals and posted 23 points last season over 74 games.
That willingness to shoot into traffic from the blue line might be the most appealing aspect of Stralman’s game, considering Boston’s D corps isn’t exactly chock full of defensemen known for peppering the net.
If Stralman was on the B’s last season, his eight goals would rank second among blueliners, while those 23 points would rank third — with Grzelcyk just in front of him with 24 points.
"I think he's a person that came in with more of an offensive look to him, played some power play in Toronto, a little bit in Tampa Bay and then he merged into becoming just a top-four defenseman that complimented (Victor) Hedman,” Montgomery said of Stralman. “Then he became a shutdown guy his last three years. So he's someone who has continually been able to adjust his game and he does a real good job blocking shots.”
Top-six grouping coming into focus
The first few days of training camp saw the Bruins primarily shuffle younger players into established spots in the lineup, but Monday offered a much more pragmatic look at Boston’s depth chart — with Montgomery rolling with what is expected to be the team’s top-six unit come Oct. 12 in:
Zacha-Bergeron-DeBrusk
Hall-Krejci-Pastrnak
Even though Monday was a step in the right direction as far as Boston starting to link a few familiar faces together on the same line, don’t expect Montgomery to roll out this six-man configuration during Tuesday’s preseason contest against the Rangers at TD Garden.
"Heavier than our last lineup, but probably not more than one or two more vets,” Montgomery said of Tuesday’s roster, adding: “I expect to play a lot of vets starting Saturday. And then obviously the last game the following Saturday, and they'll be mixed in on the two road games."
Tralmaks sidelined
Some unfortunate news on the injury front, as Montgomery announced on Monday that Latvian forward Eduards Tralmaks was expected to miss “at least four weeks” due to a lower-body injury he suffered last week during camp.
Even though Tralmaks wasn’t expected to make a major push for the NHL roster, the 25-year-old forward — who played at the University of Maine with Jeremy Swayman — still flashed during his limited time on the ice at Warrior, including some nifty dangles during 2v2 drills.
Upon recovering from his injury, Tralmaks should be a potential top-six regular down in Providence, especially after scoring 27 points in 51 games during his first full season in the AHL in 2021-22.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Another brief scare during Group A’s scrimmage, as Charlie Coyle barreled into Kyle Keyser during a drive to the net. Thankfully, the B’s goalie appeared to be no worse for wear.
- So long as they can continue to get Pavel Zacha to shoot early and often, that top line has the means to do a lot of damage around Grade-A ice. Bergeron was a threat, per usual, from his usual spot in the low slot, but DeBrusk also had a pretty soft touch around the net and set up Zacha for a few easy tap-ins during some drills.
- The Bruins landed plenty of punches against goalie Francois Brassard during 2v2 drills in Group B’s skate, with Marc McLaughlin snapping a puck past him off a wrister and Taylor Hall beating him with a slick dangle on a drive to the net.
- Also, we can officially confirm that the goalie hugs have returned.
The goalie hugs are back. pic.twitter.com/2CdMq8HW64
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) September 26, 2022
UP NEXT
Training camp will continue on Tuesday, with a pre-game practice slated to begin at 10 a.m. over at Warrior. The Bruins will then return to TD Garden for the first time since May and will battle the Rangers in a preseason contest — with puck drop set for 7 p.m.