Donnelly: Foligno's nomination for the Masterton a testament to his rejuvenation

Nick Foligno could be nearing a return to the lineup once the playoffs start, and on Monday, the 35-year-old forward received another bit of news.

Foligno was named the Bruins nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy, annually awarded to the player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, leadership and dedication to hockey.” 

“It’s a cool honor,” Foligno told reporters at Warrior Ice Arena on Monday, “I think it’s just more you think about the guys. I'm always one that's more about team awards. So I get a little weird when I hear those things, but I think it's a great honor. I'm humbled by it and appreciative, and I'm more looking for the ones we get as a team together.”

Each team’s nominee is selected by the city’s chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA).

Jake DeBrusk was Boston’s nominee last season. Previous years have included Kevan Miller (twice), Zdeno Chara (twice) as well as David Backes. Four B’s have won it in the past. Phil Kessel was the last to do it, in 2007, after battling testicular cancer. Cam Neely took it home in 1994, Gord Kluzak did in 1990 and Charlie Simmer won in 1986.

"Whether it's through his hard-nosed, determined play or his leadership, or simply the smile and joy for hockey that he brings to the rink with him every day, I can't think of a more fitting candidate for the Masterton Trophy than Nick Foligno," Joe Haggerty, chair of the Boston chapter of the PHWA said. "He showed his determination and perseverance in battling back from injuries to play a key role for the Boston Bruins this season, and his dedication to ice hockey and sportsmanship are on display every time he laces up the skates.”

Before going down with a knee injury on Feb. 28, Foligno had been enjoying quite a bounce-back season for the B’s. 

After signing a two-year deal worth $3.8 million annually in the 2021 offseason, Foligno’s first impression in the Black and Gold saw him post just two goals, a career-low. An oblique injury knocked him out of action just two games into the season. A concussion and MCL injury sidelined twice more during the season. His 11 assists and 13 points were his lowest in a single season since nine points (6g, 3a) in 45 games as a rookie with the Ottawa Senators in 2007-08. 

Before signing with Boston, Foligno was hardly himself with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, who sent a first-round pick to Columbus for his services. The Buffalo naitve had four assists through his first four games before going dormant. A back injury prevented him from contributing more than an assist in seven more games in the regular season and playoffs. His 7-13–20 totals were his lowest since 6-13–19 in 45 games during the lockout-shortened 2013 season. 

“I was just dealing with a really bad back injury that was debilitating,” Foligno said in a Sportsnet radio interview in Sept. 2021. “There was nerve pain. Shut down my whole right leg. It was really disappointing that happened at the time it happened. Anything else you can play through a lot of times. This I couldn’t. I tried and I just couldn’t be the player — I like to hit and forecheck and do the things necessary in order to win the hard minutes of the game. 

“So when that kind of got taken away now I had to rely more on my positional play and trying not to hurt the team, instead of trying to help the team it felt like. That bothered me a lot as a player just because I knew I could give more, I just physically couldn’t.”

The 6-foot, 208-pound forward returned to form this season. After summers of rehabbing injuries, Foligno could return to a normal training regimen. He told reporters in September it was the “best summer I’ve had in three years,” according to Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic.

It wasn’t a rosy start, though. Foligno nearly became a cap casualty on Oct. 9 before the start of the season, when the Bruins placed him on waivers, along with Mike Reilly and Chris Wagner. 

All three players cleared, and Foligno ran with his second chance. 

In 60 games, he put up 10 goals and 16 assists for 26 points, his best output since 10-21–31 in 67 games in the COVID-shortened 2019-20 regular season. On an 82-game pace this season, the versatile forward was on track to hit 14 goals and 22 assists for 36 points, which would have been his best season since a 26-goal and 51-point output in 79 games in 2016-17.

He’s regained his identity as a do-it-all power forward, bringing a physical edge on the forecheck, a two-way ability and a veteran presence in the room and on the ice in the bottom six. 

“I think that's what was my plan for this year,” Foligno told reporters Monday. “Just come back and be the player that I knew I could be and envisioned being when I signed here. It was unfortunate what happened, but I'm just looking at the now and being in the moment and with this group. I've always said that from day one, how much I love this group and really enjoyed being their teammate and brother, so to speak. It's been nice to be able to contribute the way I want to and help this team on and off the ice. I think that's where, you know, this year has meant a lot to me in that way. And then what we're trying to do.

“I mean, it's been a special year we've talked about it. This group, what we're trying to accomplish you know, every day trying to get better, push each other and these guys have you know, made me a better person and player. Hopefully I've done the same for them.”

At 5-on-5, the Bruins have a 33-14 (70.21 percent) scoring differential with Foligno on the ice this season, compared to 14-21 (40 percent) last season, according to Natural Stat Trick. High-danger goals at 5-on-5 have shot up as well this season, with Boston holding a 16-7 edge (69.57 percent) with him on the ice this year, as opposed to a 10-12 (45.45 percent) deficit in 2021-22. The B’s on-ice shooting percentage has improved from 3.76 percent to 11.22, and Bruins goaltenders have a .951 save percentage with Foligno on the ice at 5-on-5, a bump from last year’s .927. 

All of that has come with increased defensive responsibility at 5-on-5, earning the trust of Jim Montgomery and his staff. Just 22.58 percent of his even-strength shifts have started with an offensive zone draw. He and Tomas Nosek have made for a reliable fourth-line duo, beginning just 12.17 percent of even-strength shifts together in the offensive zone. Even if only a slight advantage, they held more than 50 percent of goals-for, high-danger chances and high-danger goals when together.

“You can dissect it a bunch of different ways,” Foligno said. “I think I just came in here knowing that I wanted to play the way I needed to in order to give these guys every chance to be successful, and that was most important for me. The opportunity obviously with playing the right way and well comes with Monty trusting me and having those conversations. 

“But I think it really came down to what we’re trying to do here. I think that’s what most excited me about this season, knowing the team we had even last year and feeling that there was so much more to give in the tank, and everyone felt that."

Boston thought Garnet Hathaway’s defensive prowess would add to the fourth line’s reliability. It had in the roughly three games they were together before Foligno’s injury, holding a 5-4 edge in shots and not allowing a high-danger opportunity. None off that trio’s shifts began with an offensive zone face-off. 

Foligno doesn’t currently have a timeline for a return on his latest injury, but the hope has been for the playoffs.

“Yeah I mean that's what I'm shooting for,” Foligno told reporters on Saturday. “I don't even know I can't, like I'd love to give you a timeline. I don't know. I'm gonna try my hardest and probably throw some threats at some people if not, but that'll be kind of the conversation we have in the next week or so.”

Even if the issue is worse than he initially thought, the result from an incidental knee-on-knee collision with Calgary’s behemoth Nikita Zadorov was likely not as bad as it could have been.

“I mean, pretty significant injury that I had,” Foligno said. You know, it's a credit to our medical staff, you know, [manager of player rehabilitation] Scott Waugh working with him that I'm a little further along than probably we were expecting. So that's why it's hard there's no real timetable. It's just a matter of me feeling as good as I need to feel. And when that time comes, we'll know when I'm ready.”

He later added, “I give those guys [on the training staff] a ton of credit, man, one with the original diagnosis and where I am today. I'm pumped with the work everyone's done to get me back to feeling good.”

Even if he has been practicing with the team in recent weeks, Foligno understands the importance of not pushing for a premature return and risking re-injury. He knows there are still marks to be hit on the checklist.

“I think that's what I fought with last year,” he said. “I think sometimes you come back and you’re maybe not 100 percent, you don't have that bank account, so to speak, when something nags you and it just kind of bounces you back out. So I just want to make sure that when I'm ready to come back and I'm ready to go and then you know, almost chomping at the bit to do that. 

“Especially the situation we're in with, you know, the run we expect to go on as a group here. I mean, I want to make sure that I'm ready and dialed in for the job I have to do and the grind that it's going to be.”

The Bruins already got one key forward back in the lineup recently when Taylor Hall returned to the lineup after a 20-game absence, recording four shots in 12:12 of ice time across 19 shifts in Saturday’s record-tying win over the New Jersey Devils. 

“I wanted to play in either the Toronto game or this game, just to feel that, a little bit of playoff intensity against teams that are really looking for points and against a really good team,” Hall told reporters on Saturday. “That was important. … To play a game like that where every shift mattered was great.”

Boston moved Foligno and injured defenseman Derek Forbort to long-term injured reserve (LTIR) to reactivate Hall. To be eligible, a player must miss a minimum of 10 games and 24 days of the season, and Foligno checked both boxes weeks ago.

When he returns, he’ll get a dose of playoff intensity, not unlike Hall. Only it’ll be a full helping.