Franzen

[Gnredwing 10]

Everytime I see Franzen play I have to laugh at just how good he is. Whenever I watch any hockey show or nhl of the fly I always hear people talking about Crosby, Ovenchkin, Datsyuk etc, etc but I never ever hear any mention of the mule. I think Franzen does not nearly get the respect and praise he deserves. After carrying the team for part of the playoffs last year, and now having another great season I think its time the hockey world start talking seriously about the skills of the mule. At this point I would rather have Franzen stay and see Hossa walk, I just think Franzen is only going to get better.

[titanium2 867]

[Doc Holiday 0]

My favorite Wings player.

I kinda hope he signs with a team like Pittsburgh where he can tear it up with two of the best offensive centers in the game. That would be awesome.

[Yzerfan1999 81]

Next to Datsyuk, he was the best player on the ice last night. I was really impressed with him, and have been for the last year or so.

Not to derail the thread too much, but I think it might be in Hollands best interest to hang on to this guy and let Hossa walk. Hossa is still the better player, but with the cap expected to shrink, keeping Franzen at 4-5 million and saving the extra 2 million from Hossa sounds alright to me. I feel like Franzen has really worked his way up through the ranks of this team, and deserves the first shot at a long term contract with the Wings. There is something inside me that says keeping Franzen is the right thing to do...can't really explain that, but I trust Holland to make the right decision.

Just my thoughts.

[Echolalia 2,961]

I definitely can appreciate that, but I still think Datsyuk is severely underrated, even though people are starting to whisper his name here and there. It's not that he's the absolute best in a single category, its that his name comes up for a candidate for the best in every category

[ComradeWasabi 109]

I definitely can appreciate that, but I still think Datsyuk is severely underrated, even though people are starting to whisper his name here and there. It's not that he's the absolute best in a single category, its that his name comes up for a candidate for the best in every category

Stickhandling. Takeaways. Little things, I know, but I think those two categories are ones he's got undisputedly.

[Jocke 53]

Franzen is great at the moment and he is still getting better and better

[elriqo28 2]

why can't everyone just stay! stupid cap!

[CenterIce 83]

why can't everyone just stay! stupid cap!

They can, but the player's association wouldn't like what it would take to get that to work.

[Guest mindfly]

If just he would be more physical and could take a fight and not lose awkwardly he would be so much better imo.. he's still a great scorer though.

[MidMichSteve 1,115]

Everytime I see Franzen play I have to laugh at just how good he is. Whenever I watch any hockey show or nhl of the fly I always hear people talking about Crosby, Ovenchkin, Datsyuk etc, etc but I never ever hear any mention of the mule. I think Franzen does not nearly get the respect and praise he deserves. After carrying the team for part of the playoffs last year, and now having another great season I think its time the hockey world start talking seriously about the skills of the mule. At this point I would rather have Franzen stay and see Hossa walk, I just think Franzen is only going to get better.

Shhhhush We want to keep him.

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

Next to Datsyuk, he was the best player on the ice last night. I was really impressed with him, and have been for the last year or so.

Not to derail the thread too much, but I think it might be in Hollands best interest to hang on to this guy and let Hossa walk. Hossa is still the better player, but with the cap expected to shrink, keeping Franzen at 4-5 million and saving the extra 2 million from Hossa sounds alright to me. I feel like Franzen has really worked his way up through the ranks of this team, and deserves the first shot at a long term contract with the Wings. There is something inside me that says keeping Franzen is the right thing to do...can't really explain that, but I trust Holland to make the right decision.

Just my thoughts.

we had a game last night?

[Doogs 0]

why can't everyone just stay! stupid cap!

This actually quoted the wrong part of this, but...

I never understood the whole, "The players union wouldn't like it, so a top tier player cannot take league minimum". Mind you, especially with the cap, it would defeat the purpose of having a cap, but isn't the players paycheck just that...His?

And what exactly would the union do if someone, say Hossa, took 1.5 mil for 6 years with the Wings? Would he be blacklisted from union events?

I never got this...

[RusDRW 155]

If just he would be more physical and could take a fight and not lose awkwardly he would be so much better imo.. he's still a great scorer though.

fights do not win games. Moreover, I do not want to see something happening to our best goal scorer in a fight. I really hope he is staying and Hossa leaving.

[NEEDMOREGRIT 12]

Hes also the softest player in in the NHL

[DatsMyWings13 4]

I use to be leaning towards Hossa staying but after watching Franzen continue to play great hockey all season I'd be very happy to see him stay and Hossa walk.

He definitely does not get the credit he deserves but same thing goes for a lot of our players.

Edited March 26, 2009 by DatsMyWings13

[Rice 42]

My favorite Wings player.

I kinda hope he signs with a team like Pittsburgh where he can tear it up with two of the best offensive centers in the game. That would be awesome.

...or he could just stay with the Wings and tear it up with two of the best offensive centers in the game.

[Mors 201]

Hes also the softest player in in the NHL

Was this meant to be sarcasm? I can't really tell. If you're serious though, you've obviously never seen Filppula play. If Franzen is "The Mule", Filppula is "The Ragdoll".

[Guest mindfly]

I use to be leaning towards Hossa staying but after watching Franzen continue to play great hockey all season I'd be very happy to see him stay and Hossa walk.

He definitely does not get the credit he deserves but same thing goes for a lot of our players.

Or you keep BOTH, and if necessary trade filppula and replace with Leino and helm replace another.

[DMAC 25 18]

Everytime I see Franzen play I have to laugh at just how good he is. Whenever I watch any hockey show or nhl of the fly I always hear people talking about Crosby, Ovenchkin, Datsyuk etc, etc but I never ever hear any mention of the mule. I think Franzen does not nearly get the respect and praise he deserves. After carrying the team for part of the playoffs last year, and now having another great season I think its time the hockey world start talking seriously about the skills of the mule. At this point I would rather have Franzen stay and see Hossa walk, I just think Franzen is only going to get better.

your right he is really underated but i'm not sure i would like to see hossa and franzen stay, it would suck seeing either of them walk but it almost sounds like kenny might have something going on and possibly have both of them back next season. i'm sure both of them want to stay but who knows kenny has always done a great job and he'll do whats best for the team

[Yzerfan1999 81]

we had a game last night?

My post was yesterday - therefor referring to the Oil game.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

IMO, Hudler is the most underrated player on the Red Wings right now. Franzen is terrific, but last playoff run garnered him plenty of attention and rightfully so.

[Louisville 112]

Let me preface by saying I like Johan Franzen, strong net presence, good defensively, etc etc etc

But I gotta agree on the soft claim. Besides some good hits, the guy laughs in opposing players faces and just skates away. In the Calgary game, were he got "punched" ...he went down like a little *****. Not only was he asking for it, he went down like he was seriously hurt.

Please Johan, I've seen better acting in an elementary school play.

On top of that, I'm a bit worried about his long term health. John Buccigross brought this up in the playoffs that he is similar in style like Todd Bertuzzi of old, but that style of play comes with health consequences in the future.

Hossa, the pure sniper, all the way

Edited March 26, 2009 by Louisville

[Antilles328 0]

Let me preface by saying I like Johan Franzen, strong net presence, good defensively, etc etc etc

But I gotta agree on the soft claim. Besides some good hits, the guy laughs in opposing players faces and just skates away. In the Calgary game, were he got "punched" ...he went down like a little *****. Not only was he asking for it, he went down like he was seriously hurt.

Please Johan, I've seen better acting in an elementary school play.

On top of that, I'm a bit worried about his long term health. John Buccigross brought this up in the playoffs that he is similar in style like Todd Bertuzzi of old, but that style of play comes with health consequences in the future.

Hossa, the pure sniper, all the way

I think I would rather have Franzen. He's putting up similar numbers to Hossa (slightly less) for significantly less money. And he appears to have the legs to be a significant March/April/May contributor.

The choice isn't between Franzen and Hossa. It's between Franzen an 2/3 mil and Hossa.

[Ms_Hockey 0]

You know, just a few weeks ago people on these boards weren't even phased at the thought of letting him go.. and they certainly wouldn't have called him underrated. It just seems a bit odd to me.

In either case, I've always felt that Mule was a great asset to the team. After Homer is gone ( ), who better to place in front of the net than Franzen? I've said before that on the Red Wings - a team that isn't well known for their physical play - having a physically large player is always a plus.. even if it's just to make it that much harder to knock him off the puck.