Nick Foligno Opens Up On “Disappointment” From Time with Maple Leafs

When Nick Foligno was brought into the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline in 2021 in exchange for a first-round pick, he was hoping to be able to be that veteran leadership voice, both on and off the ice, to lead the long-suffering franchise to the promised land—or at least a long playoff run. Like... more than one round at least.

But it didn't quite turn out that way, as Foligno suffered from a back injury in his short time in Toronto, right from the start, and he just couldn't make a true impact.

Appearing on the Dropping the Gloves podcast recently, Foligno opened up on his time with the Leafs, and how "frustrating" and disappointing" it was.

"I was excited about playing in Toronto, I felt like I could really help on the ice and off the ice," Foligno said. "Just to get them over the hump and have some snarls, some attitudes, some personality in the room. And that's kind of why I picked going there." He waived his no-move clause with the Columbus Blue Jackets in order to approve the trade.

Further to that, following in his father Mike's footsteps and playing in Toronto really appealed to him.

"I will be honest with you. Playing for the team that my dad played for, it was one of his more successful stints, in '93 they went to the Semi-Finals..."

But when the younger Foligno arrived in Toronto in midst of the pandemic in early 2021, in addition to having to quarantine for a week upon entering Canada and having no fans to play in front of, it was his back that really threw a wrench into the whole thing.

"I don't know if it was the plane or what, but my back just was tight that night. And I went to stop in front of the net and I have no idea why, but for whatever reason. Boom. Everything just locked up. I was completely stuck. Couldn't even get off the ice."

Once the playoffs began, it became even more infuriating for him.

"I was just so frustrated because I knew I was really hurt and I knew how much they had invested in me and I was trying to play through it, but I was a shell of myself. I just couldn't help in the way I wanted to, I couldn't be in the room. I was always in the training room in between periods, (but) I couldn't help galvanize the team. I couldn't do what I love to do and can do on and off the ice. And that was just, it was one of the hardest things.

“I’m sure the Toronto fans are just as disappointed with how it all shook out. But I guarantee you, I’m more disappointed, and it’s just something you’re going to have to live with.”

Foligno now finds himself living with a new two-year $4.5 million contract signed this summer with the Chicago Blackhawks, with a first-hand view of the development of the game's next great star, Connor Bedard.