Sabres jump on Foligno in fourth round
Gritty left winger resembles Gaustad
MONTREAL — He says he's debating it, but, really, there's no debate. If Marcus Foligno makes it to the NHL and scores for the Buffalo Sabres, he has no choice but to resurrect the most famous goal celebration in team history.
And his father will be just as proud then as he was Saturday.
The Sabres' second day of the entry draft was highlighted by their fourth-round selection of Foligno, the rough and rugged son of Sabres Hall of Famer Mike Foligno. The 17-year-old was born in Buffalo in 1991 while his father played for the Sabres and spent his first five years in town.
"It's perfect. It's the perfect scenario," Mike Foligno said in Bell Centre. "He was born there. We've got friends and family ties to that city, good friends as well, and it's really a great opportunity."
The Foligno name is instantly recognizable to Sabres fans, thanks to Mike Foligno's 10-season run with the Blue and Gold that began in 1981. He was a captain whose 511 points rank eighth in team history. But what people remember most are his 247 goals, nearly all of which were punctuated by a leap into the air.
Foligno's son Nick is a forward for the Ottawa Senators and celebrated his first NHL goal with the jump. Someday, Marcus may have the chance.
"I'm still debating that," Marcus said. "I know that my brother's teammates, they made him do it. So if one day when I'm playing for Buffalo and my teammates make me do it, then I'm going to have to do it."
While scoring goals is a treat, that's not the skill that drew the Sabres to Marcus Foligno. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound left winger works as hard as he hits. He had 12 goals, 30 points and 96 penalty minutes for the Ontario Hockey League's Sudbury Wolves, who are coached by his father.
"I'd rather go through people than around them," Marcus Foligno said. "I'm a guy that's going to bring energy to the game and energy to the Buffalo organization. I'm also there for my teammates. I'm not selfish, and I love to win. I'm one of those gritty players that [tries] to give my all every night."
Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier and Kevin Devine, director of amateur scouting, both compared Foligno to Paul Gaustad. The tough Sabres forward needed to work to improve his skating after being a seventh-round selection in 2000, and the team sees the same need in Foligno.
"There's some work to do there, but there's a lot of raw talent as well," Regier said. "Marcus is a big kid. He's got tremendous work ethic. We've seen it in the past with players like Paul Gaustad. I think, quite honestly, when you add the family background that he has, the understanding of what it takes to play in the National Hockey League — he has that in instant help from his father — that's a pretty big advantage for him."
The Sabres were interested in selecting Foligno in the third round but decided to take defenseman Brayden McNabb when he unexpectedly fell to them. That brought a sting to the Foligno clan in the stands.
"He was almost cursing under his breath because he really wanted to be there," Mike Foligno said.
Once the next round came, the curses turned to hugs, smiles and handshakes.
"It's really exciting," Mike Foligno said. "It's a great opportunity for him, and I think Buffalo's really going to love the player he is."
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