On Sunday evening, the Columbus Blue Jackets traded captain Nick Foligno to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a first-round (2021) and fourth-round (2022) draft pick.
The trade marks the second time in two days that GM Jarmo Kekalainen acquired a first-round pick in exchange for a pending UFA.
3-WAY TRADE:
— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) April 11, 2021
To Toronto Maple #Leafs
F Nick Foligno*
F Stefan Noesen
Columbus #BlueJackets
2021 1st RD pick (TOR)
2022 4th RD pick (TOR)
San Jose #Shareks
2021 4th RD pick (TOR)
*CBJ and SJS each retained 50% of Foligno's cap hit, meaning that TOR is only charged $1,375,000
Before analyzing the trade from a strictly hockey perspective, it's important to take a moment to appreciate all that the 33-year old did in his time in Columbus. Foligno's 599 regular-season games in a Blue Jackets jersey rank third all-time (David Savard was fourth at 597) in the club's history. He leaves the longest-tenured captain in franchise history. Between 2000 and 2012, when Foligno was traded to Columbus, the franchise made the playoff just once. In his nine seasons with the organization, the club will have made the playoffs five times. He was a catalyst for cultural change at a time when the franchise needed it most.
Anecdotally, he scored arguably the most iconic goal in franchise history (all due respect to Rick Nash's ridiculous goal against the Phoenix Coyotes).
A veteran of 1,001 regular-season and playoff games, it's fair to say that Foligno no longer brings the offensive oomph that he once did. His last 20-goal season came in 2016-17, and he's now most appreciated for his stout defensive play.
Nick Foligno (to Toronto in threeway deal with various picks and retentions) is an extremely good defensive forward. Do not expect him to score much but he will help Toronto a lot. pic.twitter.com/dCPthTeTjN
— Micah Blake McCurdy (@IneffectiveMath) April 11, 2021
Nick Foligno, reportedly acquired by TOR, is a defensive specialist top six forward who doesn't bring much of anything offensively whether it's play-driving, production, or finishing. #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/zdmtglAceN
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) April 11, 2021
On the surface, it's a bit surprising that a declining veteran with a stat line of 7-9-16 in 42 games could garner a first-round pick (the same sentiment applies to Savard). On the other hand, it's quite the commentary of Foligno's reputation that multiple teams were reportedly interested in acquiring him for a similar price tag. It also suggests that, even in 2021, where words like 'grit' and 'hustle' are almost ironic or used pejoratively on cesspools like Twitter.com, that NHL teams clearly value this type of player.
The Maple Leafs (and Lightning, in Savard's case) would know better than most the impact that Foligno can have, particularly in the postseason (and make no mistake, Foligno was acquired solely for the postseason). The Blue Jackets, who were surely out-skilled by the likes of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander, in the play-in round last fall, still managed to advance with a rugged, defense-first philosophy.
Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas spent the offseason adding players (Joe Thornton, Wayne Simmonds, Zach Bogosian) who will make them tougher to play against. By adding Foligno at the deadline, Dubas is emulating Lightning GM Julien BriseBois, who added Barclay Goodrow and Blake Coleman (coincidentally for first-round picks) at last season's trade deadline. That gamble paid off perfectly, and the Coleman-Goodrow-Yanni Gourde line tormented the Blue Jackets in the next series and was instrumental in their road to winning the Stanley Cup.
The Blue Jackets will miss Foligno. He was the heart and soul of this franchise, and he embodied the type of hockey that John Tortorella preaches. And he was a damn fine leader. The club will have less bite without him in the lineup. That said, this trade was a home run for Kekalainen and company, who need to replenish a largely depleted prospect pool. Adding a first-round pick should pay immediate dividends ot bolstering that pipeline.
columbus really got two firsts and four other picks for david savard and nick foligno in the year 2021. you can only respect the hustle
— dom at the athletic (@domluszczyszyn) April 11, 2021
Foligno could opt to return to Columbus next season. But even if he doesn't, a non-playoff team acquiring a first-round pick in exchange for a veteran on an expiring contract is a no-brainer.
