is franzen special?

[hossa8109 0]

Kopecky has proven he is a solid player when he plays on a good line combination. To say that he will never have numbers like Franzen (3 years older) is absolutely absurd. I think people forget how the Red Wings system works and in return mistake the level of talent some of the players have. Quincey who has 38 points in LA would be a perfect example of that.

[Dabura 12,232]

Kopecky has proven he is a solid player when he plays on a good line combination. To say that he will never have numbers like Franzen (3 years older) is absolutely absurd. I think people forget how the Red Wings system works and in return mistake the level of talent some of the players have. Quincey who has 38 points in LA would be a perfect example of that.

I don't know if I'd say people underrated Quincey. Bottom line, he didn't impress at training camp -- and even if he had, he wouldn't have gone on to produce with the Wings like he is in LA because he wouldn't have enjoyed nearly as much ice time. That's why he has those numbers - ice time.

I'm optimistic about Kopecky, but I don't see him ever becoming a Franzen-like force. His frame, his hands, and his overall offensive instincts are all concerns in that respect.

[TheOwl 77]

There have been probably 6-8 games this season where Kopecky was the team's best player. That's a pretty good number, and more than most of his teammates.

Every player in the NHL has the potential to have 6-8 good games in a 82 game season. But answer this, how many times has Kopetsky been among the worst players in games this season? 30-40? Him and the 4th line were horrible for the large portion of the season. How many games as Hossa been the worst player? 2-3? Zetterberg? 2-3? Franzen? 2-3? The big 4 guys are all pretty consistent , and put up similar numbers. Their not nearly as streaky with their good and bad games, or goals they score.

In all fairness, Kopetsky is a great young player, and has the potential to be a Cleary sort of player, and should be kept if he'll sign for around 1 million. But he's no Franzen, and won't be.

Edited March 21, 2009 by TheOwl

[eva unit zero 271]

Every player in the NHL has the potential to have 6-8 good games in a 82 game season. But answer this, how many times has Kopetsky been among the worst players in games this season? 30-40? Him and the 4th line were horrible for the large portion of the season. How many games as Hossa been the worst player? 2-3? Zetterberg? 2-3? Franzen? 2-3? The big 4 guys are all pretty consistent , and put up similar numbers. Their not nearly as streaky with their good and bad games, or goals they score.

In all fairness, Kopetsky is a great young player, and has the potential to be a Cleary sort of player, and should be kept if he'll sign for around 1 million. But he's no Franzen, and won't be.

During that season a couple years ago when Franzen scored 10 goals...how many games was he the team's best player? Any? I don't recall a single one.

[Doggy 130]

Can you name these 6-8 games please, eva?

[eva unit zero 271]

Can you name these 6-8 games please, eva?

Not offhand, no. I wasn't aware I had to keep track of these things. If it really matters that much to you, I'm sure if you look back through some of the GDTs you'll see it mentioned that Kopecky has been the team's best player.

[Doggy 130]

Not offhand, no. I wasn't aware I had to keep track of these things. If it really matters that much to you, I'm sure if you look back through some of the GDTs you'll see it mentioned that Kopecky has been the team's best player.

Difference of opinion I guess, but I can't imagine an alternate universe where Kopecky was our best player in 6-8 games.

Your logic is flawed, your claims are fallacious and conclusions most likely wrong. I'll leave it at that.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

He was probably tops on the team in the games against LA and St. Louis (least among skaters, Oz was also good in those games). Six-eight is pushing it, methinks.

[Doggy 130]

He was probably tops on the team in the games against LA and St. Louis (least among skaters, Oz was also good in those games). Six-eight is pushing it, methinks.

Agreed. I can think of a few where he was one of the best. But he was by no means streaks ahead and it wouldn't be any more than a few.

Eva, I'm not some ignorant fight slappie that hates Kopecky coz he isn't a fighter. I've supported him and never knocked him. But I think your view in this case is far from reality.

[eva unit zero 271]

Agreed. I can think of a few where he was one of the best. But he was by no means streaks ahead and it wouldn't be any more than a few.

Eva, I'm not some ignorant fight slappie that hates Kopecky coz he isn't a fighter. I've supported him and never knocked him. But I think your view in this case is far from reality.

I'm not saying Kopecky was some kind of all-star and the rest of the team was lazy nothings...but you can outplay your teammates and be the best player on your team without your team looking bad.

[chrisdetroit 189]

I will get castrated for this answer but NO!

No he is not special, and he is not a force to be reckoned with, YET!

He is a talented player, and shows moments of unbelievable hands. He also disappears for months at a time, either injury or slump.

I have said this on this board many times, taking one half of one season and adding to one half of another season, plus one playoff streak does not make for a great season and playoff run.

He is a 29 year old player who didn't break into the NHL until the age of 26, he is a late developer. He is big, he has shown great hands, he has also shown to be very inconsistent. He also is more often than not on a line with a top 20 player in the league. Now last year he flip and sammy were one of the Wings best lines in the post season, but again one sample of the season doesn't make him special.

Lots of people like to talk about mule like he is a ppg player, he is not. This is the closest he has ever been, but it is 48 points in 60 games, .8 ppg. (SO FAR)

Besides his first campaign of 80 games his other three seasons have been 69,72, 71 (if he finishes the rest of the season).

If he stays at the same pace he could hit 56 points, 8 points next 11 games.

Don't get me wrong he has shown flashes of brilliance, but what makes him special? What has he emerged as? (Please don't say power forward or elite anything)

You are ignoring his greatest strength which isn't racking up points, it is scoring goals. And as far as scoring goals he IS special. He has 30 goals in 61 games for 0.492 goals/game. How many guys in the league this year score almost 1/2 a goal per game? I count 9. This means that he is one of the top 10 goal scorers in the league this year. He is scoring at a 40 goal per season pace.

He has emerged as a top ten goal scorer in the NHL

[eva unit zero 271]

You are ignoring his greatest strength which isn't racking up points, it is scoring goals. And as far as scoring goals he IS special. He has 30 goals in 61 games for 0.492 goals/game. How many guys in the league this year score almost 1/2 a goal per game? I count 9. This means that he is one of the top 10 goal scorers in the league this year. He is scoring at a 40 goal per season pace.

He has emerged as a top ten goal scorer in the NHL

Here's a list of some other guys who were basically one-hit wonders as far as goal scoring who Franzen has yet to prove he is anything more than:

Jonathan Cheechoo, Jason Blake, Brian Gionta, Scott Young, Brad Boyes.

For Franzen to be considered a top-ten goal scorer, he would have to be in that range and have proven he is capable of doing it more than once. Like Hossa.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Here's a list of some other guys who were basically one-hit wonders as far as goal scoring who Franzen has yet to prove he is anything more than:

Jonathan Cheechoo, Jason Blake, Brian Gionta, Scott Young, Brad Boyes.

For Franzen to be considered a top-ten goal scorer, he would have to be in that range and have proven he is capable of doing it more than once. Like Hossa.

Eva, we dont agree on much, but you could never be more right. Franzen has been a great goal scorer for a year and half, Boyes, Cheechoo and Gionta especially scored more goals in a similar time frame, but are no way near considered top ten goal scorers. I just dont see how you can put Franzen on the same list as Kovalchuk, Ovechkin, Heatley, Nash, Iginla, or Lecavalier until he proves a consistent 30+ goal scorer for a couple more years.