Foligno on leave to be with Milana for follow-up heart surgery

Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno is taking a brief leave of absence to be with his 12-year-old daughter, Milana, as she undergoes follow-up surgery related to a congenital heart condition, the team announced Wednesday. The Blackhawks said they would have no further comment and did not specify how long Foligno would be away.

Milana was born with a severely leaking mitral valve and was diagnosed in 2013 with a form of congenital mitral valve abnormality. She underwent an experimental valve procedure when she was under a month old, had open-heart surgery in Boston in 2013, and a subsequent surgery in 2018. Foligno and his wife, Janelle, have spoken publicly about their daughter’s care and serve as national ambassadors for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

The announcement comes as Foligno begins his third season with the Blackhawks and his 19th in the National Hockey League. He was named team captain in September 2024. Through the first four games of the season he has two assists. The team did not indicate whether his absence would be temporary for a specific number of games or open-ended.

Foligno has frequently cited the medical care that helped his daughter as a...