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Columbus Blue Jackets: Expectations for Nick Foligno

By Michael Mallory

Apr 9, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Nick Foligno (71) against the Chicago Blackhawks at Nationwide Arena. The Blue Jackets won 5-4 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 9, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Nick Foligno (71) against the Chicago Blackhawks at Nationwide Arena. The Blue Jackets won 5-4 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nick Foligno had a disappointing first season as the Columbus Blue Jackets captain, but Blue Jackets fans should not be worried.

The NHL is a league with many intricacies that are not shared by any of the other major North American sports including playoff beards and not touching the conference championship trophies. Another of these is the importance of the team captain.

In the NHL the “C” on the jersey does not mean you are the best or most well-liked player on the team, but you are the voice of the team on and off the ice. The Columbus Blue Jackets named Nick Foligno the team’s captain before the 2015-2016 season.

The Blue Jackets selecting Foligno was not a rushed move with him being named the first captain since Rick Nash‘s trade to the Rangers. Foligno had all the momentum before being named. He was coming off his first appearance in the NHL All-Star game held in Columbus. He was also coming off a career-high 31 goals.

The momentum of Foligno’s 2014-2015 season did not translate over to his first season as captain. Many speculate that the team’s rough start along with the added pressure of being captain may have weighed on the new captain causing him to have a down year, but this is just speculations.

Foligno did not have the same scoring touch last year only tallying up 12 goals in 72 games played, but Jackets fans should not start calling for Foligno to be removed from his position as captain. He did have a less than stellar year, but he does need to be given a chance.

The captain was not the only question mark on the Blue Jackets. The team came out flat and this led to one major change with the team firing head coach Todd Richards adding fiery coach John Tortorella. With Torts taking over the helm Foligno being captain makes even more sense.

John Tortorella is a fierce emotional coach and that is not a point that any person in the hockey community would argue, but Foligno is more of a cool personality. This a dynamic that we have been able to see first hand in a small sample size, but this is a dynamic that will work off for the Blue Jackets.

The differing personalities will help improve the Blue Jackets with a coach that is not afraid to be tough on his players, Foligno’s calming presence will help ease any tensions between players and coach.

The captain does not get a pass for his play last season, but fans do need to have a little bit of patience. Foligno is a very talented player that will bounce back. He always puts the effort in and he will find puck luck and the rest of the team will follow suit of their leader. The Blue Jackets only can go up and Foligno will be a barometer for the team.

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