It's the right move.
Last month, the Minnesota Wild re-signed forward Nick Foligno to a one-year, $900,000 contract.
With this move, Foligno will once again be a bottom-six option for the Wild during the 2026-27 season. It also officially means that the 2006 first-round pick will be playing in his 20th NHL season.
The Wild ultimately made the right decision bringing back Foligno on this cheap one-year deal. With the Wild looking to win the Stanley Cup, it is significant that they will have a great veteran leader in Foligno in their room, who has captained two franchises. He should continue to be a good mentor for the Wild's players next season, which is undoubtedly a good thing.
Foligno's hard-nosed style of play should also make him continue to be a solid option for the Wild's bottom six. The veteran forward threw 128 hits in just 54 games last season split between the Chicago Blackhawks and Wild. This marked the 14th season in a row where he threw at least 100 hits, so he consistently makes an impact with his physicality.
There is also the possibility that Foligno's offense could go back up a bit next season. Just back during the 2024-25 season with the Blackhawks, he recorded 15 goals and 35 points in 78 games. This was after he posted 17 goals and 37 points in 74 games with Chicago in 2023-24. With these, he has shown in recent past seasons that he has the potential to provide decent secondary offensive production.
Yet, even if Foligno's offense stays down, he should still be a valuable player for the Wild to have because of his leadership, experience, and grit. It will be interesting to see what kind of season the veteran forward has for the Wild in 2026-27 from here.
