'Like an F-150 getting new suspensions': Foligno ready for next season following season-ending surgery
Marcus Foligno confirms he will be ready for training camp after his second straight offseason surgery.
ST. PAUL - During exit interviews with the media, Marcus Foligno confirmed he will be ready for training camp come next season despite getting surgery in the off-season for the second straight season.
Last year Foligno got surgery in May after the Wild's season ended with a first round elimination to the Dallas Stars in the playoffs. This year Foligno got surgery roughly three weeks before the regular season had even concluded.
It wasn't a concern for Foligno last year to be ready for the season so this year is no different.
"Yea, I’m three weeks out after surgery and yeah, I feel good," Foligno said a month ago. "Just right now it’s slowly going for walks. That’s pretty much it right now. And then in the next week here I get to ramp it up a little bit more. So I just want to give it time. There’s no rush. I know I’m way ahead of schedule, way ahead of the time, I think I did it May 18th last year, and by the end of June I was skating."
Foligno, 32, had a hernia surgery after the playoffs last season and just completed his second hernia surgery. He did one side of his hernia last year and the other this year. He fully recovered from the surgery last year and even landed himself a four-year, $16 million contract extension that has him signed through 2027-28.
He signed this deal before the regular season had even started. His 2023-24 season ended in late March after only playing in 55 games for the Wild during the season. The Wild's alternate captain tried to continue to play through his injury but with the Wild on the brink of elimination from playoff contention, Foligno and the staff decided to go through with the surgery.
He was one of two Wild players to have had season-ending surgery. Jared Spurgeon was the other. Spurgeon had season ending back and hip surgery in January. He is also expected to be ready by the start of the season as well.
What made the Wild's season tough was having their captain only playing in 16 games and their alternate captain only playing in 55 games. Their veteran leadership was missed throughout the season but a few Wild players stepped up as leaders.
“I think over this season, I thought Bolds [Matt Boldy] spoke a little bit more and stuff like that," Foligno said. "I think guys get their feet wet and a little more confidence. I think we need that. There’s nothing worse than guys not talking.
"Guys are going to speak and say stuff in the room. I’m a little bit more outspoken and can do that, but some guys don’t like to do that. But I think to give them confidence and push these guys in that direction just to make them feel comfortable when they say it, I think it just gets everyone more involved."
Foligno plays a tough style of hockey. He led the team in hits with 179 hits in just 55 games. The next closest was Joel Eriksson Ek with 168 in 77 games.
So is there a concern that the 32-year-old, who is entering his first year of a four-year extension, can keep playing the same style?
“Yeah, no, that and then some. So, that’s what’s exciting about it. This surgery is what was needed. It’s like a F-150 getting new suspensions. That’s all it is. I didn’t compare myself to a really good truck, just a nice, stable truck, gets the job done," Foligno said. "So, that’s it. That to me is the excitement of feeling good again and feeling powerful and something that I haven’t been feeling these last couple months.
"It’s been pretty brutal to be honest. You can’t make plays. You can’t get up and be physical the way you want to, and that drops your bench a little bit when they see guys that aren’t doing it. It screwed with the mind a little bit this year but I’ll be better because of it and no doubt in my mind we’ll be better next year.”
Not only does Foligno believe that he will be ready to go and better next year, he also believes the team will be better.
The Wild missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2018-19 season and the second time since 2011-12. They played well under new head coach John Hynes which may shine a light on what they could do next year in Hynes' first full season with the team.
After Hynes took over the Wild were 13th in the NHL with a 34-24-5 record for 73 points. They played at a 95 point pace which could've been enough to make the playoffs.
As the alternate captain and someone who is signed long-term, Foligno understands that if the Wild miss the playoffs again next year, it may be time to point fingers and question the direction of the team.
“Personally and for this team I don’t want to be in this spot. That’s when the fingers start being pointed," Foligno said about possibly being in the same spot next year as well. "I don’t want to have any more fingers pointed at me in the sense of leadership and qualities of that and why we’re not taking the next jump. That’s a huge responsibility you take when you’re an assistant captain on this team and someone that’s been signed long-term. I get it. I want to be here because I believe in this team that there are great days ahead of us. Really good days. I think the future is bright obviously, but I don’t think it’s years from now."
But not only is the future bright, Foligno believes this team can win right now.
"I think it could be next season. You guys know better all about the stuff with the salary cap, things like that, that’s great and all but we gotta win games now and I do believe we have a team that can do it and adjustments being made leaves me no doubt," Foligno said. "We’ve been having great years under these circumstances and this year just got away from us with injuries and what not. Again, we’re doing everything in our power to make sure next season when we come in it’s a better year and we obviously know what’s on the line.”
Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' Minnesota Wild page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.