Franzen believes he’s playing well.

[The Secret 304]

This guy drives me nuts!! He has everything it takes to be a legit Power forward except for the heart... Have a read:

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2013/10/red_wings_henrik_zetterberg_sa_2.html

Despite the lack of production, Franzen believes he’s playing well.

“I feel really effective, actually,’’ he said. “I had two good chances and scored on both of them this year, so it feels pretty good, actually.’’

What a joke

[Opie 308]

I am glad he feels happy with TWO good chances.

[VM1138 1,921]

Wow, two good chances in 13 games. Let's give him an extension right now.

I'm not even a Franzen hater but this guy is delusional lately.

[amato 3,210]

Funny that he thinks 2 good chances is good.... Funnier that he's surprised he's doing "good"

"I feel really effective, actually." -mule

Edited November 1, 2013 by amato

[Dabura 12,228]

Maybe's he's not lazy. Maybe he's just dumb.

[SDavis35 140]

Well, 2 for 2 is fairly effective...

[toby91_ca 620]

This has been bothering me for a long time, is it just me? Everytime I come on here I look at his face amongst all the other Wings' greats. I'm okay with Datsyuk and Zetterberg being there, they are the current faces of the frachise and are worthy....but Franzen, to me, just looks so out of place.

[Guest fat guy in a maltby jersey]

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

This has been bothering me for a long time, is it just me? Everytime I come on here I look at his face amongst all the other Wings' greats. I'm okay with Datsyuk and Zetterberg being there, they are the current faces of the frachise and are worthy....but Franzen, to me, just looks so out of place.

Agreed. Should be Kronwall, may not be great, but a hell of a lot more deserving then happy go lucky Franzen.

[pucktividi 472]

Hard working,power forward like,Playoffs performer Franzen was way too injured Franzen.Maybe he's just prevented to play that type of game anymore due to all sort of injuries or he's just plain and simple lazy...who knows?

[StormJH1 231]

The criticisms of Franzen are totally fair, so I get it. But the reality is that while his contract isn't a good contract, it also a manageable enough cap hit to avoid it being a total disaster.

The other thing about Franzen is that he's going to have knee problems because he already has and because of how he's built. If he played like Ryan Kesler, would he be capable of banging his way to a 30-goal pace every year? Very possibly. But I also think he'd average about 25-40 games missed from injury every year.

The thing that irks Wings fans about Franzen is what people call "work rate" in soccer. But there are some good strikers in soccer that have notoriously poor work rates, yet still put the ball in the net. That's what Franzen is, or at least what he's supposed to be, in a streaky fashion. He sticks out like sore thumb on a team on a team full of defensive minded forwards, but as great as 13 and 40 are, you will see them disappear for weeks at a time from the scoresheet. That was made Marian Hossa (IMO) such a great Red Wing during the '09 season, he carried that team for weeks in the regular season when nobody else was scoring. Then his shoulder tore apart in the Playoffs and he skated in circles. But Franzen was never as good as Hossa, nor was he ever as expensive. He literally cost almost half the price from a cap standpoint, so the comparison is ridiculous.

Also, if he just has a TERRIBLE year (which I don't think he will), isn't compliance buyout still an option after 2014? Provided of course he isn't on the IR. My opinion remains that I'm not going to dwell on him until that window has closed. I think fans are right to worry about what's ahead, but the contract is what it is, and it's not killing us right now.

Edited November 1, 2013 by StormJH1

[Dabura 12,228]

Could've had Hossa.

[kook_10 1,705]

If he played like Ryan Kesler, would he be capable of banging his way to a 30-goal pace every year? Very possibly. But I also think he'd average about 25-40 games missed from injury every year.

Sounds like a fantastic bargain. Sign me up.

[amato 3,210]

This has been bothering me for a long time, is it just me? Everytime I come on here I look at his face amongst all the other Wings' greats. I'm okay with Datsyuk and Zetterberg being there, they are the current faces of the frachise and are worthy....but Franzen, to me, just looks so out of place.

should just be this....

edit: he'd have to be in grey though since he's no longer with the wings

Edited November 1, 2013 by amato

[Dabura 12,228]

Our offense has dried up so much that I actually kinda sorta miss Hudler.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

If Franzen really thinks he's only had two good chances then he truly isn't a goal scorer because he doesn't understand what a good chance actually is.

Which would be all fine and good except his contract is terrible and it was given to him in great part because of his goal scoring. And yes, I know the cap hit is low but that's like buying a $100,000 car and saying the payments are low because you financed it for 11 years. They didn't give him $43 million because he's a solid two way forward who can chip in a few goals. They gave it to the guy who put up 59 points and had 23 points in the postseason.

Kenny Holland at the time of the contract:

"His production over the past year and a half, both regular season and playoffs, has been remarkable and we feel, at 29 years old, that he is just now entering the prime of his career," said general manager Ken Holland.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=4061069

The reality is Franzen's best years were apparently all ready behind him.

[BadgerBob 297]

This guy is freakin' 10 ply and makes me sick watching him. Nothing worse than wasted potential.

[puckloo39 5,686]

Useless...

[under_par_00 45]

I believe Franzen was scratched last game because of his play. It was kept quiet in the media, claimed as an injury. But this was a move by Babcock and company to get the Mule going. Now Zetterberg said he is expecting a better Mule.

[Dabura 12,228]

This has been bothering me for a long time, is it just me? Everytime I come on here I look at his face amongst all the other Wings' greats. I'm okay with Datsyuk and Zetterberg being there, they are the current faces of the frachise and are worthy....but Franzen, to me, just looks so out of place.

Should be Fedorov or Kronwall or Hasek or Ozzie or Howard. Or Hudler.

[amato 3,210]

Should be Fedorov or Kronwall or Hasek or Ozzie or Howard. Or Hudler.

"Liked" for the or Hudler

Maybe if we take mule down he'll hear about it and start playing better.... LGW has that kind of influence on the wings right?

[Dabura 12,228]

I believe Franzen was scratched last game because of his play. It was kept quiet in the media, claimed as an injury. But this was a move by Babcock and company to get the Mule going. Now Zetterberg said he is expecting a better Mule.

I like this idea, but I think if we're going to go the it-wasn't-an-injury route, "personal matters" might be a slightly more plausible explanation. Why? Because, as far we know, he didn't travel with the team to Vancouver and wasn't at the game. Isn't it sort of expected that healthy scratches will be there at the game, hanging around the team? Unless they just really wanted to keep this hush-hush and therefore didn't want a healthy-looking Franzen roaming around Rogers Arena, or something like that.

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

This guy drives me nuts!! He has everything it takes to be a legit Power forward except for the heart... Have a read:

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2013/10/red_wings_henrik_zetterberg_sa_2.html

Despite the lack of production, Franzen believes he’s playing well.

“I feel really effective, actually,’’ he said. “I had two good chances and scored on both of them this year, so it feels pretty good, actually.’’

What a joke

2 good scoring chances in 13 games? WTF Franzen? You're right that is a joke.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I believe Franzen was scratched last game because of his play. It was kept quiet in the media, claimed as an injury. But this was a move by Babcock and company to get the Mule going. Now Zetterberg said he is expecting a better Mule.

It's an interesting theory and his play certainly warranted it at times.

But why would they protect Franzen's feelings like that when Babcock doesn't hesitate to bench and call out anyone? Unless it's more to protect Holland and management from the ire of fans because Babs is benching a guy they have signed for 6 more seasons?

I hope he was benched. And I hope it happens more when he decides not to show up for games.

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

This has been bothering me for a long time, is it just me? Everytime I come on here I look at his face amongst all the other Wings' greats. I'm okay with Datsyuk and Zetterberg being there, they are the current faces of the frachise and are worthy....but Franzen, to me, just looks so out of place.

Yeah that needs to go and Kronwall needs to be represented on Mount Wingmore.