WASHINGTON — Trying to get Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno to talk about himself is like trying to get a hyperactive dog to sit still.
He will do it briefly, but he always drifts back to his usual habit of talking about the team.
‘‘I feel good,’’ Foligno said before the Hawks’ 5-3 loss Friday to the Capitals. ‘‘I feel like I’ve impacted the game the way I want to impact it. . . . But right now I’m trying to find a way forward for our group, and that’s all that really matters to me.’’
Production-wise, the 37-year-old forward is on pace to finish close to his numbers of last season. He had 37 points (17 goals, 20 assists) in 74 games last season and has 30 points (12 goals, 18 assists) in 72 games this season.
His on-ice role has changed substantially, however. His ice time per game has decreased from 17:46 last season to 16:04, and it’s below 15 minutes since Jan. 20.
He has dropped to the fourth line with Pat Maroon and Joe Veleno lately while the Hawks aim to maximize their young players’ NHL experience higher in the lineup. Foligno isn’t getting power-play time anymore, and he has been much less involved in offensive-zone entries and forechecking, according to All Three Zones data.
‘‘When [I’m] now in a more defensive role, I don’t really judge where my goals or assists are,’’ Foligno said. ‘‘It’s just, how am I playing? Am I contributing? Am I helping the team push forward? I feel what I’m doing out there is helping, so it’s all you can do.
‘‘[But] I’m always looking to help more when you don’t win. I’m never going to be OK with the season that we’re having and think that I’m doing everything [right]. I’m always looking to try to improve. I’m looking forward to going into the summer and trying to get in even better shape, so I can come back next year and really help push this forward.’’
Interim coach Anders Sorensen has used Foligno as an extension of the coaching staff, telling him to pass along messages to youngsters such as Oliver Moore, who sat in the locker next to Foligno’s in Washington. Sorensen commended Foligno for being a ‘‘true pro’’ and not resenting the kids jumping past him.
Reichel’s mistake
Forward Lukas Reichel’s slightly oblivious personality has endeared him to Hawks teammates and fans, but it bit him Friday: He was scratched against the Capitals after missing a team meeting.
‘‘[It’s a] learning lesson, right?’’ Sorensen said. ‘‘You’ve got to be a pro.’’
Even without that context, it wasn’t surprising to see Reichel excluded from line rushes during the morning skate because he hasn’t done much in recent games. He has 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) in 66 games this season.
Another prospect
In the Hawks’ overflowing pipeline of defensive prospects, 2021 third-round pick Taige Harding had received little attention in the past few years.
But that’s changing now that Harding — after four years at Providence College — has signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Hawks that kicks in next season. In the meantime, he has joined Rockford on an amateur tryout contract for the rest of this season and likely will remain in Rockford next season.
One of only three natives of Scotland drafted into the NHL, Harding is 6-7 and 235 pounds. His offensive skills are limited, and his AHL success likely will be determined by how competent his passing and puck-moving proves to be. But his defensive skills — in addition to his size and range — are solid.
