"He'd have those monster rockstar drinks": Nick Foligno recalls Dany Heatley's hilarious routine

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Aug 10, 2024 06:59 GMT

Nick Foligno shared some funny stories about former NHL star Dany Heatley on "Dropping the Gloves" with John Scott on Friday. Foligno remembered how Heatley, known for his scoring talent, disliked the "Heatdaddy" parody.

The parody, popularized by the YouTube channel "Ottawa Gh0st," depicted Heatley as a boastful player with the catchphrase "I’m a fuc*ing All-Star." Although fans found it amusing, Heatley did not.

Foligno described how Heatley would often vent about the parody, jokingly insisting he was "way better than Spez" (referring to teammate Jason Spezza). Despite his irritation, Heatley's quirky off-ice behavior gave his teammates many laughs.

"Yeah, he hated that guy." Foligno said, "That was like a parody thing… Oh, he hated that guy so much. He would be like, yeah, I don't know why. I'm not like, I'm way better than Spez. Like, you would have that mouth. Oh, it was so funny. He hated that guy. He hated that guy. I think it's one of the funniest things ever"

One of the most memorable stories Foligno shared was about Heatley’s morning routine. He said:

"I'll never forget this. He'd come in, he'd have his towel up to his nipples pretty much, and he'd walk in, he had this, like, strut, and he also had a torn ac, so his one like this. But he'd have those monster, like a rock star drinks. I'm talking like eight in the morning, right?

"And then he'd go in the cold tub and he'd chug this thing, and then he would sit there and we call it the ‘birdbath’ because he just splashed a ton of cold water. And just like, it was like he had to wake himself up from whatever he was doing the night before."

Despite his off-ice behavior, Foligno said Heatley was a great player, especially known for his powerful shot. Drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers, Heatley also played for the Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, Minnesota Wild and Anaheim Ducks.

His career included high points, like scoring 50 goals in 2005-06 and 2006-07. Although his performance later declined, he is remembered as a top NHL scorer and a lasting figure in hockey culture.

Analyst Brooke LoFurno suggests Nick Foligno as new Blackhawks captain

Brooke LoFurno of The Hockey Writers suggests Nick Foligno as a potential captain for the Blackhawks in the 2024-25 season. The team is looking for someone to fill in the role after Jonathan Toews left in April 2023.

One candidate is Foligno. He joined the Blackhawks from the Boston Bruins in June 2023, along with Taylor Hall. Despite the team's rebuilding phase, Foligno had a strong season, scoring 37 points in 74 games. His performance earned him a two-year contract extension worth $4.5 million per year.

Foligno has been an alternate captain and was a captain with the Blue Jackets before. He is also known for mentoring younger players like Connor Bedard and Philipp Kurashev. He also helped recruit new players like Tyler Bertuzzi.

While Foligno’s age and potential short-term tenure are some concerns, his leadership could benefit the team's younger players' development.