Foligno grasps dad’s dream of Maple Leafs’ Cup
The Maple Leafs like the idea of ‘like father, like son’ when it comes to playoff-impact trades.
Hoping some post-season history repeats itself in a new generation, they beat a few other clubs to Monday’s deadline clock for left winger Nick Foligno from the Columbus Blue Jackets in a three-way trade with the San Jose Sharks. Toronto gave up its first-rounder in this July’s draft to Columbus and fourth-rounders both this year and next to the Jackets and Sharks for the eldest NHL son of Mike Foligno, who was a key piece in a fabled 42-day playoff odyssey in 1993.
Known for his post-goal celebratory jumps and wearing the No. 71 that Nick will inherit, Mike, now a Vegas Golden Knights scout, moved his family to Toronto after his own trade from Buffalo. So, Nick is coming home in a sense.
“It was nice to have that phone call with him,” Nick said via Zoom in a straigh-tfrom-the-heart talk about his six years as Columbus captain and the adventure awaiting him here. “My dad’s advice was ‘enjoy it, play with passion, the fans in Toronto are passionate.’ That lines up with who I am and how I play.
“I was telling him there’ll be another 71 flying around. But I won’t be wearing that (distinctive bubble) helmet.”
Nick still looks effective at age 33 — just ask the Leafs he pushed around in last summer’s playoff win — as an aggressive 6-foot, 200-pounder. But he realized over the weekend with their two most recent trades, Riley Nash to the Leafs and David Savard to Tampa Bay, this chapter of the Jackets is ending.
Toronto general manager Kyle Dubas made it known he’d give up picks and prospects to re-arm the Leafs and avoid another first-round knockout. But Sunday also displayed the CBA savvy of assistant GM Brandon Pridham. The Leafs finessed this deal through two other current non-playoff teams, getting the Sharks to eat half of Foligno’s remaining $5.5-million salary this year in exchange for a fourth-rounder, while Columbus assumed the rest of his cheques.