Johan Franzén

Johan "The Mule" Franzén Born december 12,1979, in Vetlanda, Jönköping County) is a Swedish professional ice hockey center currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL).

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, 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, totaling 80 games for 16 points (12 goals, four assists) in his rookie season. His workmanlike service was lauded by former teammate and Captain Steve Yzerman, who gave Johan the nickname "The Mule," because "he carries the load".

In August 2006, Franzén re-signed with the Detroit Red Wings to a three-year contract worth $2.825 million.

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. In the following game (Game 6), Franzen 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 Red Wings team 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.

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 (May 18, 2002) — also against the Avalanche — in the 2002. 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.

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.

On April 11, 2009, Franzén signed a contract extension with the Detroit Red Wings for 11 years.

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 with Henrik Zetterberg).

International play
Franzén has played for Sweden in:


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