Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno shares his emotional return to practice after supporting his daughter through a tough time.

Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno was back on the ice Monday.

The Hawks captain was seen rejoining the team following a leave of absence to support his daughter, Milana, during a follow-up surgery related to her congenital heart disease.

Foligno, 37, described the past week as “very stressful” but expressed gratitude for the wide-ranging support the family received from the hockey community, teammates, and fans. “It’s amazing when you go through a hard time how everyone bands together to send you a ton of support and love and prayers, and it was felt by our family,” Foligno said after his return to practice.

Milana, who recently turned 12, is now home and recovering well. Foligno gave special thanks to the doctors and staff at Boston Children’s Hospital and Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, crediting them for acting swiftly and preventing what “could have been probably a lot worse.”

Foligno, who was named the Blackhawks’ 35th captain in September 2024, missed three games during his time away: an 8-3 blowout win against division rival St. Louis, a 3-2 shootout loss to Vancouver, and a 2-1 overtime victory over Anaheim. He has posted two assists in four games so far this season.

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“He’s our leader, so you want that presence in your locker room,” head coach Jeff Blashill said. “I think he brings good energy, so I think it was great to have him back. Great that, considering the situation, everything went really good.”

A veteran of 17 NHL seasons, Foligno also reflected on Milana’s resilience. “She’s probably the one that gives us the most strength, with the way she’s handled this adversity. It’s impressive for a 12-year-old girl to handle it face on,” he said.