It seemed like only a matter of time, but on Wednesday, the Chicago Blackhawks made it official, naming Nick Foligno the 35th captain in team history.

“In a very short amount of time, Nick has quickly earned the respect of his teammates and our staff,” Blackhawks General Manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement. “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.”

“The fact that Danny, Kyle, Luke 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.”

The 17-year NHL vet joined Chicago last summer as part of a trade with the Boston Bruins that brought Taylor Hall and Foligno to Chicago in exchange for defensemen Ian Mitchell and Alec Regula. Foligno quickly solidified himself as a strong presence both on and off the ice. In 74 games with the Hawks, Foligno recorded 17 goals and added 20 assists. He was awarded a two-year contract ($4.5 million AAV) in January for his efforts.

The Blackhawks captaincy sat vacant last season, largely out of respect to Jonathan Toews, who served as the team’s captain from 2008-2023.

“I don’t take this lightly,” Foligno said in a speech to his teammates. “I know what’s come before us…the leadership group that was here before us…the success that’s been here…I’m excited to get back to that with your help.”

For more on the impact of Nick Foligno’s captaincy, see Jay Zawaski’s analysis here, only for our CHGO Diehards.

The Blackhawks begin their on-ice portion of training camp on Thursday. Stick with CHGO Blackhawks for all the news as we finally drop the puck on the 2024-25 season.