Wild’s Marcus Foligno expected to return following five-game injury absence

Minnesota Wild veteran left winger Marcus Foligno is expected to make his return to lineup Thursday versus the NHL-leading Washington Capitals after missing the past five games due to an upper-body injury, reports Michael Russo of The Athletic.

Sidelined since mid-March, Foligno has made 67 appearances with the Wild this season in which he has collected 11 goals and 11 assists for 22 points coupled with a plus-five rating and 66 penalty minutes, three back of fellow forward Ryan Hartman for the team lead.

Originally chosen in the fourth round of the 2009 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres, Foligno has totaled 865 career contests with the Sabres and Wild in which he has totaled 137 goals and 179 assists for 316 points. With the Wild in 2021-22, Foligno set career highs in all leading offensive categories counting 23 goals, 19 assists, and 42 points coming in 74 games. Foligno has also tallied two goals and five assists for seven points through 28 appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Wild originally acquired Foligno from the Sabres in the 2017 offseason in the deal that sent forward Jason Pominville and defenseman Marco Scandella to Buffalo. More recently, prior to the 2023-24 season, the Wild signed Foligno to a four-year extension that carries a $4-million annual average value, according to PuckPedia.

While Foligno is expected to return Thursday, the Wild still continue to battle injury challenges as star left winger Kirill Kaprizov has made just three appearances since the calendar turned to 2025, while fellow forward Joel Eriksson Ek has been sidelined since late February due to a lower-body ailment.

In the midst of a two-game losing skid, Minnesota has fallen to the first wildcard seed in the Western Conference with a 40-27-5 record and 85 points. The Wild have advanced to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in four of the past five seasons.