Marcus Foligno is eight days away from turning 22 years of age. Think about that for a minute. Marcus Foligno is only 22 years old. Doesn’t it feel like he’s been in Buffalo a lot longer than a year and a half? He’s mature beyond his years. He’s entering the third year of his entry level contract, yet he’s never played a full season in the NHL. He played 14 games at the end of the 2011-12 season when he scored 6 goals and 7 assists and served as the catalyst to the offensive revivals of line mates Drew Stafford and Tyler Ennis. Foligno quickly became a victim of his own success. Is hard to duplicate the offensive output of his 14 game NHL debut, much less sustain that kind of sick offensive production over an 82 game season. What 82 game season? The NHL lockout cancelled the first three and a half months of the NHL season. Say goodbye to continuity and consistency. Foligno played 47 or 48 games during the lockout-shortened season. The lone game he missed was in Sunrise, Florida. That one hurt him badly. He was a healthy scratch for the annual “family and friends” trip. Ron Rolston didn’t like Foligno’s lack of urgency and power shortage, so he parked him in the press box. After the trip, I spoke with Marcus after a practice and he told me “ I totally deserved to be benched. I wasn’t playing good and that’s what happens. I can’t let it happen again”. I’ve known Marcus for a few years. I like his honesty and candor. He calls a spade a spade. There was no sugar-coating it. His overall game was lacking, in all phases. He wasn’t throwing opponents off the puck with reckless abandoned like he had in his 14 game NHL debut in 2011-12. He wasn’t using his 6’2 215 lb. frame to hold on to pucks. His goal production had dipped. His confidence was in the dumps. Marcus was in his first ever NHL slump. Big deal. He was only 21 years old. His father and brother had always told him not to get too high, or get too low. He followed their advice, The Sabres missed the playoffs for the second season in a row and Foligno went home to Sudbury to reflect on what wrong and to find common sense solutions to the problems that crept up in his game in 2013. Marcus is in the process of getting himself “energized” for the 2013-14 season. His opponents better buckle their chin straps and pop in their mouth pieces because Big Marcus is about to come back with a vengeance.
On Wednesday, Marcus joined Kevin Sylvester on Sabres Hockey Hotline. He wasn’t making excuses for his poor 2013 season.
“ Obviously, I didn’t have a great end to the season last year in Buffalo. This summer, I’ve been working real hard and I’m in great shape and I’m coming in (to training camp) very, very hungry”.
Foligno heard the jeers and sneers. He doesn’t need to be reminded of his poor play. Rather than bitch and whine about it, he’s taking accountability and his owning it.
“Next year (2013-14) is a big rebound year, that’s for sure. Getting back hopefully with Ennis and Stafford, the guys I’ve been playing with, you gotta make sure you’re playing hard every game, just like I was when I got called up for that stint for 14 games. I know it. Obviously a lot of fans saw it, I can bring more, and I’m just looking forward to next season and getting back at it and I obviously don’t want to be ending the season like we did last year”.
Remember, Marcus has never played an 82 game NHL season. No more 14 game stints and 47 game abbreviated seasons. Foligno is now going to be evaluated fairly on a full NHL schedule.
“I’m excited about that, too. Coming in to training camp with a regular routine, starting everything fresh. It’ll be my first 82 game season, so I’m looking forward to it and I’m excited and pumped up for this year coming up. I think its going to be a good year”.
Marcus isn’t spending his days on the pontoon boat on the lake, nor is he sleeping the days away in the hammock. He’s and his brother Nick are getting their asses kicked in the gym everyday by their personal trainer, and Foligno wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I’m working on stamina, obviously trying to last long endurance-wise, but for me, I think its just leg power. I’m a big guy, getting there quick and with speed. The thing I have to work on this year is holding on to the puck down low. This whole summer has been “low” training, building the legs. Its been good. I feel unbelievable right now. I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in and come training camp, I’m definitely going to be ready to go 100% and for this season, for the foirst regular season and on, I want it to carry on from there”.
Foligno says his goal is to be harder and heavier on the puck so that enemy D-men aren’t able to separate his hands from and knock him around. Sound to me like opposing D like Chara, Subban and Phaneuf better hold their heads up and carry it on a swivel this season.
“I gotta use my frame, and I know that this season, I’m stronger than I was last season”.
Marcus says that he has to play with more hatred.
“Obviously, playing nasty and gritty is what I have to do. Being pissed off before the puck drops is a big thing for my game and I just have to do mental preparation before games and be ready to go. Not liking the opponents, that’s when I play hard and you saw that last season when it looked like I was on my game because I was playing with that grittiness… nice off the ice, mean on the ice”.
All I can say is look out NHL. Marcus Foligno is in the best shape of his young career, and he’s out to prove the critics wrong. The arena ops guys at First Niagara Center better reinforce the boards and glass now. Marcus is about to dish out a lot of blunt force trauma this season.
***
Foligno played center in Sudbury and Ron Rolston used him on the dot quite a bit last season. Is he a center now?
“I didn’t mind center at all. It was pretty good and it got me going to be on the puck a lot and you’ve got to get back, so you’re skating a lot more. I think you’re more in the play and you’re breaking the puck out of the zone. I thought my faceoffs were pretty good last year when I was at center. Just being strong on the faceoff dot has helped a lot and that’s one of the thing with our team last year. Our faceoff percentage was low and it hurts you when after a faceoff you are always chasing it down trying to get the puck back. Faceoff percentage is huge in this league. I think its something you take pride in. As a center or a wing, you should have that dynamic where you can play both.
***
Join the Discussion:
»