Johan Franzén

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
team = Detroit Red Wings
former_teams =
league = NHL
position = Centre/Left Wing
shoots = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 3
weight_lb = 220
nickname = The Mule, Franzenstein, Shrek
nationality = SWE
birth_date = birth date and age|1979|12|23
birth_place = Vetlanda, Sweden
draft = 97th overall
draft_year = 2004
draft_team = Detroit Red Wings
career_start = 2001


image_size = 220px

Johan Franzén (pronEng|jaʊ.ɑn fɹɑnzɛn, born birth date|1979|12|23, in Vetlanda, Sweden) is a Swedish professional ice hockey center playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.

Playing career

Franzén started playing ice hockey in Boro/VHC, Landsbro near Vetlanda in Sweden. He was suspended for a full year after knocking down a referee, but was then moved to play with the Tranås AIF in the Swedish Allsvenskan in 1999. After one season with the club he moved to Linköping were he stayed for five seasons, helping the club win the promotion for play in the Swedish elite league Elitserien in 2001. Recommended by European scout Håkan Andersson, [cite web | title=Tough as a Mule | publisher=Detroit Free Press | url=http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080426/SPORTS05/804260385/1053 | accessdate=2007-05-25] Franzén was drafted by the Red Wings in 2004. For the 2005–06 NHL season, Franzén played in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings totalling 80 games for 16 points (12 goals, 4 assists) in his rookie season.cite web | title=Johan Franzén | publisher=Elite Prospects | url=http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=158 | accessdate=2006-08-08]

In August 2006, Franzén re-signed with the Detroit Red Wings to a three-year contract worth $2.825 million.Cite web | url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060825.wfranzen25/BNStory/Sports/Hockey/ | title=Wings lock up Franzen | accessdate=2006-08-25 | date=2006-08-25 | publisher=The Globe and Mail] [cite web | title=Franzen inks three-year deal | publisher=Detroit Red Wings | url=http://www.detroitredwings.com/wings/article.jsp?id=4543 | date=2006-08-28 | accessdate=2006-09-22] On April 21, 2007, during a playoff game versus the Calgary Flames, backup goaltender Jamie McLennan slashed Franzén in the stomach, resulting in a game misconduct for McLennan. [cite web | title=Red Wings grab four-goal win and 3-2 series lead | publisher=ESPN.com | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=270421005 | date=2007-04-21 | accessdate=2008-06-08] In the following game (Game 6), Franzén scored the double-overtime winning goal to advance the Red Wings past the Flames.

On March 30, 2008, Franzén scored his sixth game winning goal for the month of March, against the Nashville Predators. This goal broke the record for most game winning goals in one month (5) set by Gordie Howe in February, 1952, and duplicated in January, 1956. (Howe's feat was matched by Franzén's teammate Henrik Zetterberg in January, 2007.) Coincidentally, Franzén broke Howe's record while Howe was attending the game and celebrating his 80th birthday. [cite web | title=Franzen Breaks Howe's GWG Record | publisher=redwings.nhl.com | url=http://redwings.nhl.com/team/app?gameNumber=1180&gameType=2&page=Recap&season=20072008&service=page | date=2008-03-30 | accessdate=2008-04-29]

On April 18, 2008, Franzén scored the overtime winner in Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarterfinal series between the Detroit Red Wings and the Nashville Predators. The goal put the Red Wings up 3-2 in the series.

On April 26, 2008, Franzén scored his first career hat trick against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs. That was the Wings' first playoff hat trick since Darren McCarty did it six years prior (18 May 2002) — also against the Avalanche — in the 2002 Western Conference finals. During Game 4, on May 1, 2008, Franzén had another hat trick, scoring his ninth goal of the series, breaking the Detroit Red Wings franchise record for most goals in a playoff series: Gordie Howe had scored eight goals in a seven-game series in 1949. [http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?service=page&page=Recap&gameNumber=234&season=20072008&gameType=3 Game Recap] of Game 4 of the Detroit-Colorado Western Conference Semifinals.]

Franzén currently holds the franchise record (tied with Henrik Zetterberg) for most goals in a playoff year with 13, a record previously held at 10 by Petr Klima, Sergei Fedorov and Brett Hull. [cite web | title=Dallas 1, Detroit 4 | publisher=ESPN.com | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=280508005 | date=2008-05-08 | accessdate=2008-05-25] Zetterberg tied his mark of 13 goals after scoring the Cup winning goal in Game 6 of the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals.

Awards

* Gold medal at the 2006 World Championships.
* In 2006, Franzén was named "Detroit Red Wings Rookie of the Year" by the Detroit Sports Broadcasters' Association for his play during the 2005–06 season.
* Stanley Cup with Detroit Red Wings in 2008

Records

* Elitserien record for plus/minus, 2004 (+24)
* Detroit Red Wings record for most game winning goals in one month, March, 2008 (6)
* Detroit Red Wings record for most goals in a single playoff series (9)
* Detroit Red Wings record for consecutive playoff games with a goal (5, shared with Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay)
* NHL record for most goals in a 4 game playoff series (9)
* Detroit Red Wings record for most goals in a single playoff year (13 - tied w/ Henrik Zetterberg)

Career statistics

"Stats as of the end of the 2007–08 regular season"cite web | title=Johan Franzén - player profile and career stats | publisher=European Hockey.Net | url=http://www.eurohockey.net/players/show_player.cgi?serial=10158 | accessdate=2006-09-22]

International play

Franzén has played for Sweden in:

* 2005 World Championships
* 2006 World Championships (gold medal)

International statistics

"Statistics as of September 22, 2006"

References

External links

*hockeydb|62727
*nhlprofile|8471309
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsR9rlKZt8A Johan Franzén's goal in the playoffs]