Nick Foligno doesn't know whether his 20th year of NHL hockey will be his last.

What he has learned, however, over the course of the past few decades, is to appreciate those moments while they last; moments like the chance to finally play on the same team as his brother, Marcus.

"I think it was even better than I expected," said Nick earlier this month, just before heading back to Minnesota. Traded from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Minnesota Wild at the trade deadline last spring, Foligno re-signed with the Wild for one more year on July 2nd (2026).

"When you are younger, it might be different, but I think Marcus and I are past that point of sibling jabs. To now have a chance to chase your dream with someone you have encouraged your whole life is special."

"We both know how bad we both want to win and how badly we want each other to be successful," added Nick.

For a family that is as tight as the Foligno clan, the side effects were magnified even more. "I don't think that we realized the impact it would have on our families, the joy they would have watching us play together," said Nick.

With more than 250 goals and 600 points to his credit in the best hockey league in the world, the 38 year-old forward knows that the ask from Wild coach John Hynes and company is sure to be different from his days in Columbus, posting seven straight seasons with ten goals or more with the Blue Jackets.

"I've done so many different roles," said Foligno. "I think that wealth of knowledge has really helped me now, in the later parts of my career, where I am comfortable in many situations."

"I think I am a really solid dependable fourth line guy who can bring an identity to the team and fill in with spots. It's all about accepting any role that you're given. That's what great teams do. I've seen it first hand."

As for the Wild, Foligno is confident that the team has what it takes to move forward from a season in which they eliminated the Dallas Stars in the opening round of the playoffs before falling victim to the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference semi-finals.

"When you look at the age groupings on our team, we're not super old," he said. "We have older players, but our star players are all in their twenties, all in the prime of their career: (Quinn) Hughes, (Matt) Boldy, (Brock) Faber, (Kirill) Kaprizov, (Joel) Eriksson Ek."

"That's a nice core to build around that has an understanding of playoff disappointments - not unlike the Carolina Hurricanes."

As for his post playing days, it's difficult for Nick Foligno to avoid questions of possible involvement in either coaching or media. His father, Mike, was behind the bench for more than 20 years with teams in the OHL, AHL and NHL after all.

"I haven't really put much thought into a coaching career, just yet," he said. "I've always thought that I need to focus on the task at hand. I do want to take some time when I am done to really enjoy my family. They have made all of these sacrifices for me, so this will be my time to be around."

"After that, I am excited about the possibilities out there," Foligno added. "Long story short, I have definitely thought about coaching and would be open to it, but it would have to be the right situation for myself and my family."