Avalanche report: Trying to keep tabs on a 'Mule'

Rick Sadowsky

Published April 25, 2008 at 9:51 p.m.

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Photo by Carlos Osorio / Associated Press

Red Wings forward Johan "Mule" Franzen tries knocking the puck past Avs goalie Peter Budaj in the second period Thursday in Game 1. Franzen scored twice in the 4-3 victory.

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Hard to believe a player could be viewed as flying under the radar while producing 19 goals in a 23-game stretch, but it can happen when you skate for the Detroit Red Wings and your name isn't Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg or Nicklas Lidstrom.

Johan Franzen isn't complaining one bit.

"I don't mind staying out of the focus," he said after an optional practice Friday. "If the other team doesn't know too much about me, that's easier for me. I hope it can stay that way."

The Avalanche is certain to keep closer tabs on Franzen, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound power forward, today than it did Thursday, when he had two goals and an assist in the Red Wings' 4-3 win.

Asked if the Avalanche paid enough attention to him, Franzen smiled and said: "Didn't seem like it. They let me hang around. Probably, they see the goals I've been scoring, so I think they maybe are talking about it a little bit."

Avalanche defenseman Adam Foote said Franzen is just one more talented Red Wings forward to keep an eye on.

"They've got a lot of them," Foote said. "He's a big, strong player. He's tough, underrated. He's a smart player who is always in the right spot."

Franzen, who is from Vetlanda, Sweden, is in his third season with the Red Wings and said he considered himself to be a defensive center until coach Mike Babcock gave him more offensive responsibility fairly late in the season when injuries hit the team.

"This is a new thing for me," said Franzen, who had 27 goals in 72 games after totaling 22 in 149 games his first two NHL seasons. "It started turning for me when I got to play a little more on the power play. I got a ton of ice time, and when you have good players around you, you're going to get some goals."

Franzen had 15 goals and five assists in the final 16 regular- season games and has four goals and three assists in seven playoff games.

"As soon as you start scoring, your confidence builds," he said. "The puck keeps coming to you in the front of the net and you seem to have a little extra poise with the puck. When you score before, you feel you can do it. So, of course, that helps."

Franzen might not be the league's flashiest skater - former Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman tabbed him with the nickname "Mule" a few years ago at training camp - but he moves well for a big man and has a goal-scorer's touch.

"I was skating past him and he thought I looked like a funny skater - skates like a mule or something," Franzen said. "That's how it started."

Babcock said he isn't surprised by Franzen's scoring prowess.

"We thought coming into this year that he would score," Babcock said. "He has a rocket for a shot; he's a big, big man, and we just think he'll get better and better. He was our best player (Thursday) night. The depth we have, the situation makes our team better than it's been in the past."

FRIENDLY BATTLE

Avalanche coach Joel Quenneville and Babcock became friends after being named coaches for Team Canada in the 2004 World Championships. Quenneville was head coach but became ill and was replaced by Babcock.

"I got to know him real well at the world championships in '04 and have maintained a friendship," Babcock said. "(But) he wants to win bad and I want to win bad and only one of us is going to get to (do it)."

Quenneville said personal relationships are put aside during the playoffs.

"As coaches, you're more worried about your own team," he said. "Coaching against Scotty Bowman, he really kept you on your toes. 'Babber' is an excellent bench manager. We just went against (Minnesota's) Jacques Lemaire, who's very efficient.

"I don't worry about the personal matter at the time. It's more our team and trying to get the best out of everybody."

SELKE FINALISTS

Datsyuk and Zetterberg are among the best two-way players in the NHL and Friday were announced as finalists for the Selke Trophy, which is awarded to the league's top defensive player. New Jersey's John Madden is the other finalist.

"I like when our best players are good defensively because you can play them against anyone," Babcock said.

NUMBERS GAME

33-19 advantage on average for shots by the Red Wings in five games against the Avalanche this season.

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