Round 3: Johan Franzen

Part 3 of 7 looking at various home-grown (and growing) Red Wings by the round in which they were drafted...

Johan Franzen: Selected in 3rd round, 97th overall in 2004.

Born: 12/23/79. 6’3, 220 lbs.

The Mule fell just six goals shy of Marian Hossa’s team high last (40) season. But he made up for that by scoring 12 in the play-offs to Hossa’s 6. So, actually he and Hossa both scored 46 goals total in all of last year. Guess what? We have Franzen for eleven more years and Chicago signed Hossa and his bum shoulder for twelve. Franzen has 41 points in his last two play-off runs and his star seems to be continually rising. Without Hossa hogging up all of those passes from Valteri Filppula, I would not be surprised to Franzen top the 40 goal marker for the first time in the 2009-2010 regular season. He’s turning into one of the best power-forwards in the world. He has a great shot, could stick handle inside of a phone booth, and never shies away from the corners or the front of the net. And we have him for 11 more years. Sorry for repeating myself, I’m just excited is all.

The competition better get used to seeing all 3 of these images.