CHICAGO — Nick Foligno will be away from the Chicago Blackhawks for the time being to attend to a family matter.
In a statement released by the Blackhawks on Wednesday, their captain “is taking a brief leave of absence as his daughter (Milana) undergoes follow-up surgery related to her congenital heart disease. Nick, nor the Blackhawks, will have any further comment at this time.”
Milana, who turned 12 on Tuesday, was born with a congenital heart defect. She is the eldest of the Foligno’s three children; they also have two sons, Hudson and Landon.
Milana was only three weeks old when she had her first heart surgery to insert an expandable stent. She’s also had other procedures on her heart, including a valve replacement after being diagnosed with endocarditis, an inflammation of the heart’s inner lining, in November 2018.
In 2020, Janelle Foligno, Nick’s wife and Milana’s mom, wrote a children’s book, “Dear Heart: A letter to my special heart” based on the family’s experiences with Milana.
A first-round pick (No. 28) by the Ottawa Senators at the 2006 NHL Draft, Nick Foligno has 599 points (247 goals, 352 assists) in 1,237 games with the Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins and the Blackhawks. He was acquired by Chicago, along with forward Taylor Hall, from Boston for defensemen Ian Mitchell and Alec Regula on June 26, 2023.
Foligno, who turns 38 on Oct. 31, has two assists in four games this season. He is in the last of a two-year, $9 million contract ($4.5 million average annual value) on Jan. 12, 2024, and was named Blackhawks captain on Sept. 18 of that year.
Chicago (1-2-1) visits the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, TNT).