The former Wolves' great has signed a long-term deal with the Wolves and recently resigned his position as Head Coach of the AHL's HERSHEY BEARS - (the farm team of the Colorado Avalanche) where he has coached for the past five years.
Foligno coached at the NHL level as an assistant coach for the Colorado Avalanche in 1997-98 and as an assistant coach for the St. John's Maple Leafs and the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1995-96.
Foligno played 15 seasons in the NHL for the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and the Toronto Maple Leafs before retiring as a member of the Florida Panthers after the 1993-94 inaugural season. He played 1,018 National Hockey League regular season games and 57 NHL play-off games.
Foligno's most productive season was 1985-86 when he scored 41 goals, 39 assists for 80 points. Foligno was drafted in the NHL's first round, 3rd overall by the Detroit Red Wings in 1979 and was runner-up to Ray Bourque for the NHL' s Rookie of the Year honours.
Foligno played four seasons for the Sudbury Wolves from 1975 to 1979. During that time, he played 259 games, scored 166 goals and 181 assists for 347 points. Foligno played 32 play-off games for the Wolves, scoring 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points.
Foligno still holds the Wolves' franchise record for most points in a season. He scored 150 points on 65 goals and 85 assists in 1978-79 and won the OHL's Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the TOP SCORER in the OHL. Foligno is the only Wolves' player to win this award in team history.
Foligno was recognized by the Sudbury Wolves in 1996-97 as the Most Valuable Wolves Player in franchise history - as voted by the fans. Foligno's #17 was retired during the Wolves 25th Anniversary season.
The Wolves' recently drafted Foligno's son Nicholas in the 2003 OHL Entry Draft. Nicholas was selected in the fifth round. Prior to the draft, Nicholas was selected to play for the U.S.A National Under-17 Team.
"We are extremely excited to have Mike accept the position of Head Coach and General Manager of our hockey club" notes Wolves' president Mark Burgess. "It is a big thrill for my family and for the hockey fans of Sudbury to have such a prominent and successful hockey man join our organization. We are extremely optimistic that our team fortunes will quickly turn around in our favour under Mike's tutelage. I believe exciting times are ahead for this franchise."
"This is a very exciting time for me and my family," says Foligno. "It's great to be home. I am looking forward to this opportunity of leading the Sudbury Wolves to the top of the OHL pack once again. We will begin a process of acquiring and developing players with the talent, determination and the heart that it will take to win the Memorial Cup."
As General Manager, Foligno will be assisted by Oscar Clouthier - Director of Player Personnel, and by Gord Ewin - Director of Player Education.
Foligno's first order of business is to meet all of the Wolves' Drafted players and their families at the SUMMER ROOKIE CAMP scheduled to begin at 2 o'clock today at the Countryside Arena.
Mike Foligno was born on January 29, 1959 in Sudbury, Ontario. He and his wife Janis have four children: Cara, Lisa, Nicholas and Marcus.
