Johan Franzen

Johan Franzen is a right winger on the Detroit Red Wings.
Drafted with the 97th overall pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Johan Franzen has become one of the premier power forwards in the NHL. Franzen spent over seven years playing in the Swedish Elite Leagues, including five years with Linkoping, where he set the Elitserien League record for plus/minus with a season rating of +24. Franzen has also represented Sweden at the World Hockey Championships, where he won a gold medal in 2006.

Franzen began his career with the Red Wings in the 2005-06 season, recording 16 points over 80 games. Despite playing fewer games in his sophomore campaign, Franzen nearly doubled his point total, scoring 10 goals and tallying 20 assists.

2008 was Franzen's breakout year. He scored 27 goals over 72 games, finishing with 38 points. In March, Franzen broke the NHL record for most game-winning goals in one month with 6. The record had previously been held by former Red Wings great Gordie Howe and current superstar Henrik Zetterberg, both of whom had scored 5 in a single month. Franzen scored his sixth gamewinner on Howe's 80th birthday, while Howe was in attendance at the game.

Franzen's postseason performance has been what has brought him into the limelight. Before being injured in the Western Conference Finals against Dallas, Franzen led all postseason goal scorers with 12, including two hat tricks against the Colorado Avalanche in the Conference Semi-Finals. Franzen totaled 9 goals in the series, breaking another of Howe's records (most goals in a playoff series).

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