The Minnesota Wild have several players who can throw their bodies around, but none like Marcus “Moose” Foligno. There’s a reason his nickname is “Moose,” after all. However, they’ve been without him the past few games and will be without him for a few more.
Hearing Marcus Foligno will miss another few weeks https://t.co/la7wQI5vif
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) February 15, 2024
Foligno has blended well into the team this season when he’s not throwing his punches or bone-crushing hits. The Wild may have won a couple of games with him out of the lineup, but they will miss his presence. In this article, we’ll look at why they will miss him until he returns to the lineup, starting with his uplifting energy.
Foligno Carries the Mood
For those fans who’ve had the chance to watch Foligno play, he’s a very electric player, and he wears his heart on his sleeve. His emotions are always clear, whether he’s upset with the play or overjoyed from scoring a goal. That emotion carries through the rest of the team when he’s in the lineup.
He can motivate his entire team after a big fight or a big goal and get them to play better when he gets upset. The Wild will miss his loud and boisterous personality, win or lose, and they’ll need someone to step up and temporarily fill that void. A team needs personality, and Foligno is a big part of that.
Players like Jake Middleton, Kirill Kaprizov, and Marc-André Fleury can lift their team with their emotions. Middleton isn’t afraid to stir things up, plus he has a loud personality like Foligno but can also be reserved. Kaprizov doesn’t necessarily get loud with his voice, but he does with his scoring and emotions. He can lift the entire team with one celebration.
The same can be said for Fleury, whose saves do the same, especially when he pulls his old-school windmill-type save that makes the entire arena cheer. He can carry the whole team on his back and win the game. With Foligno out for an unknown time, the team needs all three players to step up and lead in the morale department.
Foligno Sets the Physicality
While fighting is becoming increasingly obsolete in a game that is more about speed than punches, Foligno has found a way to include both. He can use his big frame to throw monster hits that rattle the glass to the point it should break but also surprise with a highly skilled goal.
He knows how to use his physicality to change the game’s momentum. When his team may be stuck in a rut and has no energy, he’ll deliver a big hit to motivate and energize them to play better. It typically works, and his teammates are grateful for his efforts; sometimes, it backfires, but they get through it.
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Those hits can also change the momentum regarding puck possession; a big hit can cause a turnover in the Wild’s favor. It’s happened multiple times and allowed Foligno to pass the puck ahead to a teammate or take it himself. However, one flaw in his game is that he doesn’t trust himself enough to always carry the puck. He’s a capable player that needs to trust his puck handling, once he does, he may catch a few goaltenders by surprise with his quick shot.
Foligno Matured His Game
During the last postseason, the Wild were nearly forced to bench Foligno because he took unnecessary penalties that put them in precarious positions. Several of those penalties cost them goals, and while that’s also on the penalty kill, Foligno knew how dangerous the power play was for the Dallas Stars, but he continued to take penalties.
Thankfully, Foligno worked on that part of his game during the offseason and has tightened up a lot. An integral piece of the lineup is a player who can change their game like that and realize their flaws. He’s been careful about taking any penalties, including when he fights. He’s made a few mistakes here and there, but overall, it’s been much better than in the past.
Foligno’s game has matured, and with it has come more skill, specifically in the defensive area of his game. He’s been blocking shots and stepping up so much that the Wild will miss him in their lineup. He isn’t being noticed much by fans because his game has been more behind the scenes, but that is exactly what the Wild need from him. Sometimes, it’s not about being in the spotlight but doing all the hard work behind it.
Wild Currently Lucky
The Wild have been playing very strong hockey as of late, including a 10-7 win over the Vancouver Canucks that included them coming back from being down 5-2. Luckily, they’ve had several players step up and help fill the void Foligno has left behind. It’ll be interesting to see if they can keep it up. Hopefully, they can, and once they get him back, they’ll get even better and keep winning.