hckypete96 3 Report post Posted July 22, 2008 Mule had a great end of the season along with the 08 playoffs, but will he be able to keep it up? Playing on a line w/ Hossa and Flip (most likely) should only help him produce more points. My question is do you guys think Franzen was just hot for a few months and will go back to his usual grinding or will he become a bonafied 2nd liner and score another 25-30 goals this season? IMO I think he can, I'm just not sure. It seems to me that he and Cleary have switched positions on the depth chart, because Cleary is now solid on the thrid line and it appears that Franzen has earned his 2nd line spot. Also, what was up with that injury in the playoffs last season? Could it happen again? I think it was a blood clot but I'm not sure and I really dont know much about it. Last question and I'm sure this one will start some debates.... let's say Franzen puts up 30 goals this season.... who would you rather keep on your team... Mule or Hossa? I say Hossa, but I like Mule a lot and I feel he's very important to our team. Discuss. Edit: Sorry just started thinkin about the Wings and had a lot on my mind and am bored heh damn offseason! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Doc Holiday 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2008 Franzen has proven he can score and do it well. He's going to get much more ice time and will be looked to for his scoring touch. Franzen is just another one of those diamonds in the rough. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hckypete96 3 Report post Posted July 22, 2008 For 3 months, yes Franzen has proven he can score. For 2 1/2 years, he has not. I wanna believe Franzen will continue to score a lot of goals, however who's to say he won't go back to just simply being a grinder? Not that theres anything wrong with that... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BeeRYCE 2 Report post Posted July 22, 2008 He found a way to use his body effectively to create more scoring opportunities, and showed that he has a great set of hands. Kind of reminds me of an 02/03 Bertuzzi. Now if he doesn't hurt his back, break someone's neck, and lose a bunch of weight by next season... I don't see a reason why he wouldn't be able to keep it up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Doc Holiday 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2008 For 3 months, yes Franzen has proven he can score. For 2 1/2 years, he has not. I wanna believe Franzen will continue to score a lot of goals, however who's to say he won't go back to just simply being a grinder? Not that theres anything wrong with that... I don't see why Mike would want to put Franzen back into the simple grinding job when he has proven that when put in an offensive job he can score consistently. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Dump-N-Thump Report post Posted July 22, 2008 I sure hope so. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
egroen 384 Report post Posted July 22, 2008 Last question and I'm sure this one will start some debates.... let's say Franzen puts up 30 goals this season.... who would you rather keep on your team... Mule or Hossa? If money was not an object, of course. However, what if Hossa is demanding a long term contract of around $7 million and Franzen is looking for slightly less than $4 million per year? With Zetterberg at around $7 1/2 million after next year the team will have $42 million signed. Add $2 million for Filppula to come to $44 million. You now have at least $12 million to sign our UFAs and RFAs: Hossa ($7+ million) Franzen ($4 million if he has a great season) ----------------------------------------- You could keep these two probably Which means you let go: Hudler ($2 million is what he will probably be looking for) Samuelsson (probably close to $2 million as well) Kopecky ($1 million or slightly under) Those three guys would need to be replaced with prospects or league minimum players... unless the cap takes a very large jump. I dunno.... but it will be very interesting what Holland ends up doing. IMO, if you hold onto Hossa, it becomes more important to retain Hudler than Filppula. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DaKineMaui 8 Report post Posted July 22, 2008 Anybody got a highlight reel? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Echolalia 2,961 Report post Posted July 22, 2008 For two and a half years his main responsibility was to be a defensive forward. He didn't start scoring until the opportunity came up where both Homer and Cleary were out, and he was the one that was left to play the gritty forward on the top line. And he produced. And from that he gained confidence. And he continued to produce. Then Cleary and Homer came back. But he was still producing. In fact, if anything, his numbers got even better once Cleary and Homer came back, because he was back on the second line, and all the focus was on Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Homer. All of a sudden the Wings top line comes off; you get your top D off the ice to rest up for the next time they're out there. But wait! Franzen's on the ice! No time to relax now, cuz he's about to score! But in all honesty I kind of hope he levels off a bit, because I can't possibly see how both he and Zetterberg will be here next year if he pops 600 goals this year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GSBrooks13 204 Report post Posted July 22, 2008 Anybody got a highlight reel? This one is not bad.. I think its all from the playoffs.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwEJ93FO-9U Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GMRwings1983 8,804 Report post Posted July 22, 2008 He won't score a goal a game like he did to end the season, but he'll definitely have his best all-around year next season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
po-GoWings 1 Report post Posted July 22, 2008 obviously sammy is gone, but i hate to get rid of huddles. hopefully something happens between now and next season so we can keep all 3 (hossa, franzen, hudler). Hopefully the salary cap just goes up 15 million and we keep everyone for our 3rd straight cup run Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wingman 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2008 I think his 3 month of offence flurry is a bit too long to be just a "streak", but still a bit too crazy to be a new standard for him. I'll be happy if he lands somewhere in between, a grinder with an above average scoring knack. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dabura 12,232 Report post Posted July 22, 2008 He ended last season as the hottest goal-scorer in the league. Had he not had those head problems, he might have won the Conn Smythe. He'll be going into this season with (in all likelihood) Hossa on his line. It's good to be Mule right now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YoungGuns1340 1 Report post Posted July 22, 2008 He'll be playing net-front to a 2nd unit PP that is going to feature one of Zetterberg, Datsyuk or Hossa, and an ever-improving Niklas Kronwall. I'd bank on him nabbing 25-30 goals a year, but I don't expect him to be a big point producer year to year. 50-60 points, half or more of which I'd expect to be goals, sans maybe this season if he centers Hossa. Feeding Hossa could bulk up his stats in the assist column. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Shoreline Report post Posted July 22, 2008 We'll see. We'll see. Hoping he is. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest LivingtheDream Report post Posted July 23, 2008 You may be a nice person and all, but do you really need to write "discuss" at the end of your post? Do you think those around here need the prompt? The real issue here is I worked with a total wanker, a completely useless MBA who would send out emails with "discuss" and it drove everyone nuts. We soon all realized his emails were utterly useless and contributed nothing to anything resembling progress or productivity. Finally the loser was fired, but was replaced with yet another inept jargon spewing poseur who also sent out countless emails with "discuss." Guess what, he was fired too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RedWingedKitten 9 Report post Posted July 23, 2008 In my eyes he's a wild card. But don't forget, he's going to be playing with a sniper, (Z or the Hoss) and if he's infront of that goalie... well lets just say you don't want to be that goalie. I think a major factor will be if people understimate him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cern 0 Report post Posted July 23, 2008 I'm in wait-and-see mode concerning Franzen. Everybody this postseason has been going on about the cap space Zetterberg's and Franzen's contract extensions will take up before we've even found out if Franzen is going to maintain the point-a-game kind of output he produced during the tail end of the season. Yeah, he had a sudden offensive streak, but before that he wasn't producing any stand-out kind of numbers. I want to see if what he was pulling off was just an extended flash in the pan or not before I start saying that his contract is going to be extended, let alone that he'll be the 'real deal'. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RedWingedKitten 9 Report post Posted July 23, 2008 Just a thought but, what if Franzen only turns into gretsky in the post season... thus we would have to give him a small contract... talk about a loop hole through the cap. For some reason I feel dirty thinking that. Did I just hope for something bad or mean? Am I bashing Franzen right now? (honest questions) I feel imoral. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Echolalia 2,961 Report post Posted July 23, 2008 You may be a nice person and all, but do you really need to write "discuss" at the end of your post? Do you think those around here need the prompt? The real issue here is I worked with a total wanker, a completely useless MBA who would send out emails with "discuss" and it drove everyone nuts. We soon all realized his emails were utterly useless and contributed nothing to anything resembling progress or productivity. Finally the loser was fired, but was replaced with yet another inept jargon spewing poseur who also sent out countless emails with "discuss." Guess what, he was fired too. Would you like to discuss this? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest LivingtheDream Report post Posted July 23, 2008 Look out, someone put a box outside your office door! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcom007 1,465 Report post Posted July 23, 2008 If he keeps it up like he was, he'll be a bonafide first line scorer with at least 50 goals. He was nearly unstoppable through the end of the season and the playoffs when he wasn't out with blood on the brain...so for the love, I hope we sign him long and cheap ASAP!!! He's been a favorite of mine for awhile and I knew this was coming. Once again, I'll chime in and say that at the trade deadline when everyone was flipping out about second line scoring I said wait for Franzen to turn it on soon. There's just too much potential there for him not to get it going. I don't think it was a fluke. I think a freak run-in with the boards a couple years ago, a bit of confidence and the right moment to break were the only things holding him back. He's clear on all 3 points now and some. He'll be a menace. I just hope we can find a way to keep him and Hossa in the fold after this year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drake_Marcus 890 Report post Posted July 23, 2008 He found a way to use his body effectively to create more scoring opportunities, and showed that he has a great set of hands. Kind of reminds me of an 02/03 Bertuzzi. Agreed! Right now I'm hoping against hope that 07/08 Franzen pulls a 06/07 Zetterberg. In otherwords- that he steps on the ice in October and picks right up where he left off. Remember how Z had a fantastic 06/07 campaign that started off really slow but sped up right until his back issues after the allstar break? Many of us were skeptical but still hopeful about his ability to maintain his momentum through the summer and carry it through the start of this past season. Obviously he proved his doubters wrong by leading the league in scoring for a period early on and putting up that record tying scoring streak to start the year. I really hope Franzen's able to do the same thing this year. I should point out, however, that he did have a phenomenal preseason last year that gave people a reason to think he was ready to leap forward in his development. His injury slowed that down, but after recovering and getting 2nd line minutes thanks to Sammy's shot to Cleary's head, Franzen picked up where he left off in the preseason. Based on that last observation I'm pretty confident that Franzen will keep producing- if not at a slightly diminished pace (hopefully he doesn't become a superstar before resigning!). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stud_defenseman 1 Report post Posted July 24, 2008 I think Franzen will have an excellent year next year. By bringing in Hossa Franzen will have more oppurtunities to play with elite players. Holland himself even said that he would expect Hossa to be playing with Datsyuk or Zetterberg, so that likely means that Franzen will be a winger with one of those guys as well. Simply playing with one of these guys for the whole season rather than part of the time will be great for him. I am thinking it will be Holmstrom - Datsyuk - Hossa Franzen - Zetterberg - Filppula For those of you who think it would be stupid to break up the chemistry of the top line, Dats and Z have shown they are quite capable of producing on different lines and an elite winger like Hossa needs an elite center to be the most effective. Franzen also plays great with Zetterberg. Sorry if I have turned this into a Hossa thread, but it seems silly to me to have our two best centres playing on a line together, and our two best wingers playing on another. There is definetly an easy solution! In summary, Franzen will play a full season with Z, score 40 goals and add 20 helpers atleast. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
