Johan Marcus Gunnar Franzén (; born 23 December 1979) is a Swedish former professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
winger who played 11 seasons for the
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL). His career ended early in the 2015–16 season due to post-concussion syndrome. He also played for
Linköpings HC Linköpings may refer to:
*Linköpings ASS, Linköpings Allmänna Simsällskap is a Swedish swim team
*Linköpings FC, an association football club
*Linköpings FF, premier men's football team
*Linköpings HC, Linköpings Hockey Club
See also< ...
in the
Elitserien (later Swedish Hockey League).
Franzén was drafted by the Red Wings in the third round, 97th overall, of the
2004 NHL Entry Draft and won the
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup () is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, and the International Ic ...
with the team in
2008
2008 was designated as:
*International Year of Languages
*International Year of Planet Earth
*International Year of the Potato
*International Year of Sanitation
The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...
.
Playing career
Linköpings HC
Franzén began playing ice hockey in Boro/Vetlanda HC,
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
Allsvenskan (; ), also known as Fotbollsallsvenskan (, ) is a professional association football league in Sweden and the highest level of the Swedish football league system.
Founded in 1924, it operates on a system of promotion and relegatio ...
in 1999. After one season with the club, he moved to
Linköpings HC Linköpings may refer to:
*Linköpings ASS, Linköpings Allmänna Simsällskap is a Swedish swim team
*Linköpings FC, an association football club
*Linköpings FF, premier men's football team
*Linköpings HC, Linköpings Hockey Club
See also< ...
, where he stayed for five seasons, helping the club win the promotion for play in the Swedish top-level
Elitserien in 2001. Recommended by European scout
Håkan Andersson, Franzén was drafted by the Red Wings in
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
in the third round, 97th overall.
Detroit Red Wings
For the
2005–06 season, Franzén played in the NHL with Detroit, totaling 80 games for 16 points (12 goals and four assists) in his rookie season.
His workmanlike service was lauded by former teammate and
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
Steve Yzerman
Stephen Gregory Yzerman ( ; born May 9, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player currently serving as executive vice president and general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, with whom he spent all 22 seasons of his NHL playing ...
, who gave him the nickname "The
Mule
The mule is a domestic equine hybrid between a donkey, and a horse. It is the offspring of a male donkey (a jack) and a female horse (a mare). The horse and the donkey are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes; of the two ...
" because "he carries the load." (Franzen's rookie season was also Yzerman's final NHL season) Franzén was named "Detroit Red Wings Rookie of the Year" by the Detroit Sports Broadcasters' Association for his play during the season.
In August 2006, Franzén re-signed with Detroit on a three-year,
$2.825 million contract.
On 21 April 2007, during a
Stanley Cup playoff
The season structure of the National Hockey League (NHL) is divided into the pre-season, regular season, and the Stanley Cup playoffs. In the pre-season, which is generally held during the last two weeks of September, each team plays several not-fo ...
game against the
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
, Flames goaltender
Jamie McLennan slashed Franzén twice in the leg. McLennan was due to be assessed a minor penalty. However, after play was stopped, McLennan again violently slashed Franzén in the stomach, resulting in a game misconduct for McLennan.
In the following game, Game 6, Franzén scored the winning goal in double-overtime to advance the Red Wings past the Flames.
On 30 March 2008, Franzén scored his sixth game-winning goal for the month of March, against the
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators (colloquially referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Predators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Divisio ...
. This goal broke the Red Wings team record for most game-winning goals in one month (5) set by
Gordie Howe
Gordon Howe (March 31, 1928 – June 10, 2016) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. From 1946 to 1980, he played 26 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) and six seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA); his first 25 seaso ...
in February 1952, and duplicated in January 1956. (Howe's feat was matched by Franzén's teammate
Henrik Zetterberg
Henrik Zetterberg (; born 9 October 1980) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey forward. He played his entire National Hockey League career, from 2002 to 2018, with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.
Bursting onto the ...
in January 2007.) Coincidentally, Franzén broke Howe's record while Howe was attending the game and celebrating his 80th birthday.
Franzén scored his first career NHL
hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick is the achievement of a generally positive feat three times in a match, or another achievement based on the number three.
Origin
The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three Wick ...
against the
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals of the
2008 playoffs. It was the Red Wings' first playoff hat-trick since
Darren McCarty scored three goals on 18 May
2002
The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...
, also against the Avalanche. During Game 4, on 1 May 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.
[Game Recap](_blank)
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 ten by
Petr Klíma,
Sergei Fedorov
Sergei Viktorovich Fyodorov (; born December 13, 1969) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player and the former head coach of HC CSKA Moscow, CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) from 2021 to 2024. During his playing care ...
and
Brett Hull
Brett Andrew Hull (born August 9, 1964) is a Canadians, Canadian–Americans, American former ice hockey player and general manager, and currently an executive vice president of the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played f ...
. Zetterberg tied his mark of 13 goals after scoring the Cup winning goal in Game 6 of the
2008 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2008 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2007–08 season, and the culmination of the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested between the Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings a ...
.
On 24 May 2009, in a Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against the
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...
, Franzén was involved in a minor scrum behind the net after the whistle. Franzén was exchanging words with
Patrick Kane
Patrick Timothy Kane II (born November 19, 1988) is an American professional ice hockey winger (ice hockey), right winger for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks with the List of ...
when Kane began chewing on his mouth guard. Franzén reached down and ripped the mouth guard out of Kane's mouth and threw it down to the ice.
On 11 April 2009, Franzén signed a contract extension with the Red Wings for 11 years. The contract runs through the 2019–20 season, worth a total of $43.5 million. The contract has an annual cap hit of $3,954,545, although it is front loaded. The contract by year pays as follows: 2009–10, $5.5 million; 2010–11, $5 million; 2011–13, $5.25 million; 2013–16, $5 million; 2016–17, $3.5 million; 2017–18, $2 million; and finally from 2018 to 2020, $1 million.
On 8 October 2009, Franzén suffered a torn
anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of a pair of cruciate ligaments (the other being the posterior cruciate ligament) in the human knee. The two ligaments are called "cruciform" ligaments, as they are arranged in a crossed formation. In ...
(ACL) in a 3–2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, forcing him to miss 55 games before he was able to return to Detroit's lineup in a game against the
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...
on 9 February 2010, where he recorded an assist on a
Pavel Datsyuk
Pavel Valeryevich Datsyuk (, ; born 20 July 1978) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player, who played for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL) from 2001 to 2016. Nicknamed the "Magic Man", Datsyuk was named one ...
goal as the Red Wings lost 4-3. Following Detroit's next game, he recorded his first goal since returning from injury. On 6 May, Franzén scored three goals in a span of 3:26 (two seconds shy of the NHL record for fastest playoff hat-trick) in the first period of Detroit's
Western Conference Semifinal game against the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...
. He had been initially credited with another goal, scored two minutes before his first credited goal of the night, but this was later corrected to an assist on a
Todd Bertuzzi
Todd Bertuzzi (born February 2, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger of the National Hockey League (NHL). Known as a power forward, he has played in the NHL for the New York Islanders, Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, ...
redirect. While this goal would not have grabbed him the NHL record fastest hat-trick, he did eventually reclaim his tally by scoring a fourth goal later on in the game.
On 2 February 2011, Franzén became only the second player in 14 years, joining
Marián Gáborík
Marián Gáborík (; born 14 February 1982) is a Slovak former professional ice hockey right winger. He began his playing career in the Slovak Extraliga with Dukla Trenčín for two seasons before being drafted third overall in the 2000 NHL E ...
, to score
five goals in one game. He tallied two even strength goals, two
power play
"Power play" is a sporting term used to describe a period of play where one team has a numerical advantage in players, usually due to a rule violation by the opposing team.
Temporary numerical advantage in players during a team sport
In several ...
goals and added an
empty net goal
An empty net goal, abbreviated as EN or ENG and colloquially called an empty netter, occurs in several team sports when a team scores a goal into a net with no goaltender ''(goalie)'' present.
Ice hockey
Empty net goals usually occur on two occas ...
in a 7–5 victory over the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...
. He joins Sergei Fedorov and
Syd Howe as the only Red Wings to do so.
On 3 March 2014, Franzén was named NHL's
First Star of the Week. He recorded three goals and two assists in two games to help lead the Red Wings to consecutive road victories.
In 2015, Franzén missed the remainder of the season due to concussion symptoms after he was blindsided by a check late in a game at Edmonton by the Oilers'
Rob Klinkhammer on 6 January 2015. After being deemed medically fit to return in the 2015–2016 season, Franzén would play only two games before the return of concussion symptoms and was put on the team's long-term injury reserve list. Franzén's contract expired in 2020, when the NHL season was cut short by the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
.
International play
Franzén replaced
Tomas Holmström at the
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games () and also known as Vancouver 2010 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held from February 12 to 28, 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with ...
in
Vancouver
Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
.
Franzén was replaced by teammate
Gustav Nyquist at the
2014 Winter Olympics
The 2014 Winter Olympics, officially called the XXII Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Sochi 2014 (), were an international winter multi-sport event that was held from 7 to 23 February 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Opening ro ...
in
Sochi
Sochi ( rus, Сочи, p=ˈsotɕɪ, a=Ru-Сочи.ogg, from – ''seaside'') is the largest Resort town, resort city in Russia. The city is situated on the Sochi (river), Sochi River, along the Black Sea in the North Caucasus of Souther ...
due to a
concussion
A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include headache, dizziness, difficulty with thinking and concentration, sleep disturbances, a brief ...
.
Personal life
Franzén and his girlfriend Cecilia married in 2009. The couple had their first child, Eddie Bo Johan Franzén, in March 2011 On 13 May 2013, Cecilia gave birth to their second son, Oliver Gunnar Franzén, the day after the Red Wings won Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Quarterfinals against the
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confere ...
.
The couple quietly divorced in 2020 after their move back to Sweden.
Fans and the teammates alike often refer to Franzén as "The Mule," a nickname given to him by Steve Yzerman. "He's big and strong and he reminded me of a mule that day," Yzerman stated.
Records
* NHL record for most goals in a 4-game playoff series (9).
* 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 point (12, tied with Gordie Howe)
* Detroit Red Wings record for consecutive playoff games with a goal (5, tied with Gordie Howe and
Ted Lindsay
Robert Blake Theodore Lindsay (July 29, 1925 – March 4, 2019) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played as a forward for the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Lindsay scored over 800 ...
).
* Detroit Red Wings record for most goals in a single playoff year (13, tied with
Henrik Zetterberg
Henrik Zetterberg (; born 9 October 1980) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey forward. He played his entire National Hockey League career, from 2002 to 2018, with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.
Bursting onto the ...
).
* Detroit Red Wings record for most game-winning goals in one playoff year (5, 2008)
* Detroit Red Wings record for most points in a playoff game (6), 6 May 2010, vs. San Jose Sharks
* Detroit Red Wings record for most consecutive occasions where a Red Wings player scored 4 goals in a game (final game on that 5-game streak: 2 February 2011 at Ottawa Senators), the next one was by
Anthony Mantha vs. Dallas Stars on 6 October 2019.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
Bold indicates led league
International
Awards and honours
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Franzen, Johan
1979 births
Living people
Detroit Red Wings draft picks
Detroit Red Wings players
Ice hockey players at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Linköping HC players
Olympic ice hockey players for Sweden
People from Vetlanda
Stanley Cup champions
Swedish expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
Swedish ice hockey left wingers
Ice hockey people from Jönköping County