Nick Foligno hoping to rebound in 2010-11 season
The off-season and training camp give every National Hockey League player a chance to reflect on the season gone by. Many aspects are called into question, such as how to improve productivity,
avoid injuries, or stay healthy. One Ottawa Senators player has had the chance to ask himself these questions and more, and he hopes to find the answers sooner rather than later.
That player is forward Nick Foligno. Foligno is coming off an injury-riddled season in Ottawa that saw him play only 61 games.
“It was a tough year with a lot of adversity from injuries,” Foligno said. “I've never really had that before in my career. Now I think I'm more mature as a player, I know my body better.
Mentally and physically I feel a lot better this year. It's all behind me now and I'm just looking forward to making an impact.”
The 6ft native of Buffalo, New York proved that he was ready for the upcoming NHL season by scoring a big goal in Ottawa’s pre-season game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He ran circles
around newly-anointed Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf and scored the goal. The Senators would go on to beat the Leafs in a lopsided 5-0 game that saw the Senators’ offence come to life.
Foligno, 22, is going into his fourth season with the Senators, who drafted him in the first round (28th overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. Last season was a disappointing one for him,
as he managed only nine goals and 17 assists for 26 points in 61 games. His best season totals thus far came in 2008-09, where he scored 17 goals and 15 assists for 32 points in 81 games. Foligno is looking to build on last year’s campaign in any way he can.
“That's my ultimate goal,” Foligno said. “I feel I have the abilities to be able to do that on this team. I want that challenge. It's just a matter of going out there and doing it. It's
a process and there's a lot of great players and a lot of guys pushing for that opportunity.”
Before being drafted by the Sens, Foligno had a stand-out junior career with the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League. In 196 games with the Wolves, Foligno put up totals of 65
goals and 131 assists for 196 points. Foligno scored 31 goals and 57 assists for 88 points in 2006-07, which was his most productive season with the team.
The season after he was drafted, Foligno went on to play for the Binghamton Senators, Ottawa’s American Hockey League affiliate. He played only 28 games in the AHL, scoring 19 points (6G,
13A). Foligno later answered the call to the NHL. He made his NHL debut on 1 October 2007, and played 45 games for the team during his rookie season. He scored only nine points (6G, 3A) in those 45 games, but would fare better the following season.
Foligno’s play has drawn some comparison to that of his father, former NHL great Mike Foligno. The elder Foligno spent 15 seasons in the NHL, finishing with 727 points (355G, 372A) in
1018 career games. John Mucker, the former general manager of the Senators was able to see the similarities between father and son when he observed Nick playing.
“He plays like his dad, I’ll tell you that,” Muckler said of the younger Foligno’s play. “He’s a gritty player. He has a little bit of sandpaper to him.”
But sandpaper is not just the only tool in Foligno’s tool belt. Scoring goals can easily become another one if he avoids being bitten by the injury bug this season. Foligno has the tools
for success in his pocket, and if he uses them to his advantage, he will be a highly productive force on the Senators’ roster for many years to come.
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