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Why Marcus Foligno signed extension with Wild: ‘It’s the hockey’

john shipley, pioneer press
·4 min read

Marcus Foligno loves Minnesota, calls it home. Might stay here when his playing days are over. But right now, at 32 on an NHL team he thinks is growing something special, he loves winning more.

Foligno signed a four-year, $16 million extension Friday that keeps him under contract through the 2027-28 season. Before it expires, he wants to win a Stanley Cup, and he thinks the Wild have a team that can do it, whether it’s this season or in the near future.

“That’s the main goal,” Foligno said after skating Saturday morning with the group that won’t play in Saturday night’s preseason game against Chicago at Xcel Energy Center.

“It’s great to live in Minnesota and the community and everything like that, but it’s the hockey for me and the role I have here,” he added. “I don’t think you’re going to build that back up anywhere else.”

An alternate captain who is one season removed from scoring a career-high 23 goals and 42 points, Foligno is a key cog in what general manager Bill Guerin is building in St. Paul — an alternate captain who led the team with 237 hits last season, protects teammates, mentors prospects and keeps teammates accountable.

“Guys like Marcus, there’s not a ton of them anymore,” Guerin said. “So, we feel fortunate to have him in our dressing room.”

Guerin extended Mats Zuccarello, 36, on Friday, as well, signing the team’s second-leading scorer to a two-year deal worth $8.25 million. The top-line wing has averaged 15 goals and 64 assists in four seasons with Minnesota.

Foligno had seven goals and 21 points in 65 regular-season games last season but was slowed by a series of injuries. He finished the Wild’s first-round, six-game playoff loss to Dallas with one goal.

“I know that my game needs to be better than it was last year,” he said, “and now being healthy, I believe it’s going to be like that moving forward here.”

Guerin said Friday he also is working on a deal to keep Ryan Hartman under contract beyond this season. The top-line center between Zuccarello and Kirill Kaprizov is about to start the last season on a three-year, $5.1 million extension.

Bothered by a lower-body injury that limited him to 59 games, Hartman, 29, scored 15 regular-season goals among 37 points and scored the winner in a 2-1, double-overtime victory over Dallas in Game 1 of the playoffs last season. In 2022-23, he had career highs of 34 goals and 31 assists.

“We’re in discussions with Ryan,” Guerin said Friday. “Things are going there. Just because it doesn’t get done today doesn’t mean we’re in any trouble. We are continuing to talk to Ryan.”

The GM believes the veterans’ presence is integral on a team that includes several talented players just starting their NHL careers, from the more-seasoned Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek to Marco Rossi and Brock Faber, on whom the Wild are relying for productive seasons starting now.

“You look (up) to guys that bring energy to the team every night, guys that are vocal, guys that are really invested in the team and then carry it out to the ice,” Guerin said.

Maintenance

The Wild spent nearly an hour working on their three-on-three game with the 14 skaters not playing against the Blackhawks on Saturday. Jonas Brodin was not with them, missing his second straight practice for what coach Dean Evason called maintenance.

“It’s an opportunity because we’ve got days off here (so) he can really rest,” Evason said. “He was visibly and verbally peeved that he couldn’t skate today, but we didn’t allow it. He could have skated today, we just didn’t allow it.”

Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury also used Saturday for maintenance. After Saturday, the Wild have two preseason games remaining, the first on Thursday in Chicago.

End game

Saturday will be the last chance for most of the Wild’s camp prospects to make their case in front of coaches. The team will make cuts Sunday before it leaves for Two Harbors for team building and practicing Tuesday at Duluth’s Amsoil Arena.

The plan is to reduce camp to players the Wild believe will break camp with the NHL club and have them play in the last two preseason games, in Chicago and at home next Saturday against Dallas. Although “things can change,” Evason said.

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