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Nick Foligno was named captain of the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday.

The 36-year-old forward replaces Jonathan Toews, a three-time Stanley Cup winner with the Blackhawks (2010, 2013, 2015) who held the title from 2008-23. He scored in his final game with Chicago, a 5-4 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Flyers at United Center on April 13, 2023; general manager Kyle Davidson announced that morning they would not re-sign the then-35-year-old.

“The fact that (chairman and CEO) Danny (Wirtz), Kyle, (coach) Luke (Richardson) and my teammates have all put their faith in me to lead this amazing group is extremely humbling, and I thank them all for the opportunity,” Foligno said. “I am beyond honored to serve as captain for this storied franchise and its incredible fans, especially during such a pivotal time toward the team’s future.”

Foligno was traded to the Blackhawks on June 26, 2023, signed a one-year, $4 million contract the next day and a two-year, $9 million contract ($4.5 million average annual value) on Jan. 12. He was captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2015 until he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a three-team deal involving the San Jose Sharks on April 11, 2021.

In Foligno’s fourth season as captain, the Blue Jackets won a Stanley Cup Playoff series for the first time, a four-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2019 Eastern Conference First Round. Foligno had three points (one goal, two assists) in 10 playoff games.

The moment Nick learned he became Captain pic.twitter.com/i2nhCpEnQk

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) September 18, 2024

“In a very short amount of time, Nick has quickly earned the respect of his teammates and our staff,” Davidson said. “Nick’s commanding presence in the locker room has been instrumental in helping the team find its identity. He has served as a mentor to many of our young players both on and off the ice while also heading up the leadership group comprised of our veteran players, and we are beyond confident that he will flourish in the role of captain as we usher in a new era of Blackhawks hockey.”

Foligno and defensemen Seth Jones and Connor Murphy served as alternate captains last season. Jones and Murphy will continue in that role this season.

Foligno played his 1,000th NHL game March 15, 2022, a 2-1 overtime win by the Boston Bruins against the Blackhawks at United Center. He and his father, Mike Foligno, joined Bobby Hull and Brett Hull as the only father-and-son duos to each have played 1,000 regular-season NHL games. His 500th NHL point was an assist on Pavel Zacha‘s goal at 4:03 of the first period in a 6-3 win against the Arizona Coyotes at TD Garden on Oct. 15, 2022.

He was named winner of the 2017 Mark Messier Leadership Award, given to the player who leads by example through on-ice performance, motivation of team members and a dedication to community activities and charitable causes, and the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, given to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community.

There are five teams in the NHL without a captain: the Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres, Seattle Kraken, Lightning and Utah Hockey Club.