Foligno Faces Emotional Crossroads as Daughter Prepares for Critical Heart Surgery

Chicago Blackhawks’ captain Nick Foligno is stepping away from the rink, sidelined by a family matter that hits close to the heart—literally. His 12-year-old daughter, Milana, is undergoing a follow-up surgery tied to her congenital heart condition, prompting Foligno to take a leave of absence. It’s one of those moments where life off the ice takes precedence over the game, and you can’t help but admire the man’s priorities. Coach Jeff Blashill spoke highly of Foligno’s leadership, likening him to an extension of his coaching staff, but with Nick out, Chicago’s locker room is rallying, proving resilience as they dropped an impressive 8-3 win against St. Louis. The season is young, and the Blackhawks are showing they’ve got the depth to keep moving forward, even in their captain’s brief absence. Nick’s hockey roots run deep, with a family legacy spanning generations, underscoring the weight of this pause. For a guy who’s danced on NHL ice since ’07 and captained one of hockey’s most storied franchises, this break is a stark reminder of life’s bigger battles. LEARN MORE

ST. LOUIS — Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno is taking a leave of absence because his 12-year-old daughter is having follow-up surgery related to her congenital heart disease.

The team made the announcement Wednesday. The organization had no further comment.

Foligno, who turns 38 on Oct. 31, is in his third season with Chicago. The forward has no goals and two assists in four games.

“He’s a great, elite leader. He’s an extension of the coaching staff,” coach Jeff Blashill said of Foligno. “And, so, now I think we have other guys in the room that can help pick it up. It’s like, as if he was injured, just next man up has to do the job.”

Playing without Foligno for the first time this season, Chicago rolled to an 8-3 victory at St. Louis on Wednesday night.

“We’re obviously praying for him and his family and everything that’s going on, and that one was for him and them,” forward Frank Nazar said. “And, really, it’s obviously something that us as a group talked about before and after the game, and we wanted to go out there and play for them.”

Foligno became the 35th captain of the Original Six team in September 2024. His father, Mike, played in the NHL for 15 years, and his brother, Marcus, plays for Minnesota.

Nick Foligno broke into the league with the Ottawa Senators in 2007. He has 247 goals and 352 assists in 1,237 regular-season games, also playing for Columbus, Boston and Toronto.

Foligno’s daughter, Milana, turned 12 on Tuesday. He also has two sons, Landon and Hudson, with his wife, Janelle.