http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/4991 Recent articles about Johan Franzen en-us The Doctors have cleared resident Mule, Johan Franzen to begin workouts off the ice. He has been given the ok to ride the bike but is being monitored closely due to his concussion like symptoms that have kept him out of play. It doesn't seem like the Red Wings even missed a beat without him after they crushed the Dallas Stars 5-2 in game 3. But they will need him when they go up against an equally impressive Penguin force in the Stanley Cup Finals. Wed, 14 May 2008 14:05:04 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266893 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/266893 A media conference call with Red Wings Chris Osgood, Nicklas Lidstrom and Johan Franzen Wed, 07 May 2008 16:37:22 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/264459 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/264459 Maybe I'm not as hockey-smart as I thought I was. After going 7 for 8 with my first round predictions (although I didn't get any of the series lengths correct), I took a nosedive with my second round predictions, going 2 for 4. Of course, since I picked against the Flyers in the second round, it's a 2 for 4 that I can live with. Still, after failing to correctly predict the length of any playoff series so far, I am not sure how much credibility I really have, but here are my predictions for the next round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs: Click the link for the complete rundown on both series. Here is a preview of my Flyers pick: Eastern Conference Finals Pittsburgh (2) vs. Philadelphia (6) Pittsburgh in Seven Believe me, I want the Flyers to win, and part of me really wants to pick them. The series will be a classic match-up between two rivals who clearly can't stand each other. The problem is, the Penguins are just too deep. They have their two big guns, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Since they play on different lines, it will be up to Flyers coach John Stevens to figure out which one will play against the Flyers shut down unit of Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn. The problem is, the Penguins go so much deeper than that. They have Petr Sykora, who scored 28 goals this season. Ryan Malone added another 27. Then, you have Marian Hossa and Jordan Staal to worry about. Does anyone really think Jason Smith or Randy Jones is going to be able to slow down Hossa or Malone? Couple all that scoring with a goaltender who has been just as good as Martin Biron, and the Flyers have a big challenge ahead of them. Tue, 06 May 2008 21:04:31 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/264089 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/264089 Back in the days when not all television programs were broadcast in "living color", and before remote controls were grafted onto the hands of 90% of the male population in this country, there was a TV show called Francis The Talking Mule. You can probably guess by the title that it wasn't exactly an Emmy Award candidate. But it had a cult following. The Red Wings have Franzen The Scoring Mule. And he may not be an award winner, either, unless you count the Conn Smythe Trophy that he may pick up in about a month from now. I'm right so rarely, it seems, when it comes to soothsaying, so allow me to indulge myself and remind you all that before the playoffs began, Johan Franzen was depicted in this space as being one of the Red Wing players (Henrik Zetterberg being the other) whose prowess would be needed the most in the post-season. I don't blame you for not believing me, so you can read it for yourself HERE. Franzen, aka The Mule, has been kicking the Colorado Avalanche in the lower body area ever since this conference semi-final series began. He did it to them again last night in Game 3, scoring the go-ahead goal some 58 seconds after Pavel Datsyuk tied the game at 1-1. This after Franzen roughed up the Nashville Predators in Round 1. He has a mind-boggling eight goals in the playoffs. He has Smythe (given to the MVP of the playoffs) written all over him. No team, so far, has had an answer for Franzen, who's Tomas Holmstrom with hands. He's a player built for post-season hockey. He reminds me of the great Tim Kerr, or Cam Neely. Power forwards who pitched camp in front of the net and ate the other team's picnic basket. Goalie Chris Osgood won't win the Smythe, but he's playing like he's on a mission, which of course he is. He's ten years removed from his last Stanley Cup, and if you think it wouldn't be sweeter for him this time around -- having begun the regular season and the playoffs as the backup only to emerge as the go-to guy in goal -- then you're delusional. He's 35 now, and would be a remarkable story if the Red Wings pick up nine more wins. He's supremely confident, and watching him in post-game interviews, I can't help but notice that he's extremely focused. He made an outstanding stop late in last night's win, stoning David Jones after the Avs forward used his speed to split the Red Wings defense. And Osgood made the stop look so easy, just as he's made all his stops look. Speaking of missions, the one in Denver was simple for the Wings: place skate on throat and press firmly. Deny the Avs any of that thin, mile-high air. Erase any thoughts of momentum and getting back into the series. Come home 3-1, if not with brooms in hand. Mission accomplished. The Avs are done like dinner -- injured, deflated, and helpless. They're a parody of a horror movie villain, like in one of those Scary Movie deals. They may wear the Colorado Avalanche cloak, but they're to be laughed at and pitied, not feared. What a way to end a rivalry, eh? Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:32:03 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/261786 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/261786 Johan Franzen has been unstoppable in this years playoffs for the Red Wings. He has 7 goals in 8 postseason games and 5 goals in the last 2 games against Colorado. The Avs have a lot to deal with going against a team that looks like they are playing great hockey top to bottom. Since the goalie goalie change for the Red Wings in Game 5 of the Nashville series, Detroit has played possessed hockey. They have out shot their opponents 173 to 82 in Chris Osgood's 4 wins and Colorado is praying for things to change when the series heads back to Denver Tuesday night. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:28:54 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/260348 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/260348 The Colorado Avalanche players are falling faster than an Avalanche. First Peter Forsberg re-injured his groin during Thursday's morning skate and was unable to play that night. It looks as though he will be out of game 2 as well as he is listed as questionable. Next on the list is Wojtek Wolski, he had to leave game 1 after a collision with Detroit center Johan Franzen and may not be able to return at all in this series due to an upper body injury. Lastly it looks like the flu bug that hit goalie Jose Theodore before game one is gone as he was back practicing with the team Friday. Theodore was sick enough to leave game one after he was pulled and head straight to the team's hotel to get some much needed rest. As for Detroit they get a player back for today's game, Brad Stuart will be back on the blue line after he missed the first game because he flew back to San Jose to be with his wife and newly born son. Sat, 26 Apr 2008 12:29:04 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/259532 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/259532 Johan Franzen scores in overtime to lift the Wings to a 3-2 series lead over the Predators... Sat, 19 Apr 2008 10:34:31 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/243417 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/243417 Detroit out played Nashville in both ends of the ice. The Predators played strong for about the first half of the first period and then started turning over the puck. The Predators were having trouble getting the puck out of their zone and when they did manage to gain the Detroit zone cycled very well but only managed 20 shots for three periods of action. Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:27:35 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/234825 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/234825 AccuScore NHL analyst Tim Williams breaks down today's games, detailing: -Players to watch in each game. -Top fantasy goalies for each game. -Simulated outcomes for each game, including "AccuScore Upset Watch" contests. Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:20:42 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/234505 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/234505 The best of the best at each position in the NHL for the month of March. Some of the numbers these guys put up will amaze you! Tue, 01 Apr 2008 22:15:57 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/226281 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/226281 One of FIO's weekly fantasy hockey columns, staff writer Tim Hays discusses those players on the IR, those that are Day-to-Day, and other mentionable scares in the world of fantasy hockey. Check this article each and every week on Wednesdays. Wed, 10 Oct 2007 20:30:02 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/30573 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/30573 One of FIO's weekly fantasy hockey columns, staff writer Rob Edwards clues you in on some possible fantasy free agents to lookout for in Week 1 - an early look to kickstart your fantasy hockey season. Tue, 02 Oct 2007 04:26:41 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/29283 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/29283 Jamie McLennan's slash makes a hockey fan cringe and gives the sport's critics a free pass on blasting away. If the players don't stop it, the resulting silence may be deafening. Mon, 23 Apr 2007 18:24:41 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/12786 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/12786