Blackhawks' Nick Foligno adjusting to smaller on-ice role while focusing on team's future
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’...