Type R Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Hey guys, just spotted this and it actually echoes my thoughts on Franson, and the possibility of him becoming a Canuck. Depth of Canucks Blue Line Still Lacking One of the question marks for the Canucks’ roster heading into this summer was how their defense would shape up, and despite a flurry of recent transactions, there’s work that still needs to be done on Vancouver’s blue line. It became clear heading into the offseason that trading longtime Canuck Kevin Bieksa was probable, as the 34-year old carried a $4.6 million cap hit with one year left on his contract. A deal was finally made on June 30th after much speculation, sending Bieksa to the Anaheim Ducks for a 2016 second round draft pick. Moving Bieksa cleared a good deal of cap space for Vancouver and opens the door for young players such as Adam Clendening, Frank Corrado and newly signed Matt Bartkowski to step in and play a role next season. But granting any variables in the lineup during the regular season, the Canucks don’t appear to have the depth of players on their back end that will help Vancouver be competitive in 2015-16. While Clendening, Corrado and Bartkowski all deserve cracks at the lineup, the Canucks can’t expect much for next season if they don’t have six NHL ready defenseman, and unrestricted free agent Cody Franson would be the perfect addition to their plans. Great Timing for Canucks to Land Franson Cody Franson has totaled 35 goals and 169 points in 400 career games. He could be a big contributor in Vancouver’s top-four defense if the Canucks acquire him. (John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports) The Sicamous, BC native Franson will turn 28 this summer and is coming off a lackluster finish to the 2014-15 season. He was traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs in February to the Nashville Predators, the team that drafted him 79th overall in 2005. In a multi player deal that sent Franson and center Mike Santorelli to the Predators, many believed they had the finishing touches to make a Stanley Cup run. However, neither player lived up to expectations en route to Nashville’s first round playoff loss to the eventual cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. Franson tallied a goal and three assists in 23 regular season games for the Preds, as well as two assists in five playoff games. Franson should, however, bounce back and play a large role on the team he signs with. <ins class="adsbygoogle"style="display:inline-block;width:300px;height:250px"data-ad-client="ca-pub-7730044449230156"data-ad-slot="5332206576"></ins>" apd-campid="130" apd-clickurl="http://cdn.firstimpression.io/delivery/ck.php?oaparams=2__bannerid=1123__zoneid=98905__cb=17f66d0f89__oadest="apd-contenttype="html" apd-event="load" apd-filename="http://thehockeywriterscom.c.presscdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/1000paleo.jpg" apd-height="250" apd-id="apdel989051" apd-logurl="http://cdn.firstimpression.io/delivery/lg.php?bannerid=1123&campaignid=130&zoneid=98905&loc=%2Fcanucks-need-to-target-free-agent-franson%2F&cb=17f66d0f89" apd-options="{"event":"load","position":"top-right","paddingtop":"0","paddingleft":"10","paddingright":"0","paddingbottom":"5","node":"div","morestyles":"","mocss":"","wraphtml":""}" apd-shown="1" apd-type="static" apd-width="300" apd-zoneid="98905" appendedad="true" campaignid="130"> In the back half of 2014-15 with the Predators, he averaged just 15:25 in ice time per game, and certainly is capable of playing a top-four role. With the departure of Bieksa, the Canucks could use an extra right handed shot on their blue line. Franson would most likely be paired with Dan Hamhuis in Vancouver, who he played alongside with in Nashville earlier in his career. Bieksa brought a great deal of toughness to the Canucks’ back end, but the 6-foot-5, 213 pound Franson holds his own, and physicality has become a large part of his game. While he has been criticized defensively at times in his career, analytic stats show Franson ranks among the NHL’s best in a number of important categories. He also is very potent offensively, and would fit as a cog in the Canucks unit quarterbacking their powerplay. Franson’s best offensive campaign came in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, when he posted 29 points in 45 games for the Leafs – good for a .64 PPG average, which would translate to 53 points in a full season. Vancouver hasn’t had a 50-point defenseman since Christian Ehrhoff (50 – 2010-11). What’s Holding Vancouver Back? The Leafs handed Franson one-year contracts for three straight years, topping out at $3.3 million during the 2013-14 season. Based on Franson’s skillset and UFA defensemen such as Andrej Sekera, Paul Martin, Mike Green and Francois Beauchemin being handed large contracts with new teams already this summer, it’s fair to predict Franson is due for a big payout. What may hurt Franson’s value is the lack of production he had with Nashville at the end of last season, despite being stuck in a lesser role than what he’s capable of. Jim Benning and the Canucks only have about $4.2 million in cap space remaining, and are all but guaranteed to resign RFA’s Sven Baertschi and Adam Clendening. However, with the possibility of still trading some long time Canucks, there could be additional cap space which would make signing Franson much easier. The Pacific division should shape up to be a tough place to play for Vancouver, and when considering the blue line depth of fellow division rivals and major acquisitions this offseason by several of them, the Canucks will get burned if they continue to stand and watch. The likes of their young defensemen may pan out, but hoping on that could make for a long year in Vancouver. And barring any injuries, these potential defensive holes could be craters during the season. What Franson brings to the table is an experienced defenseman who can match up with the best players on any team. The BC native Franson, who played three full seasons with the Vancouver Giants in the WHL, would be open to a homecoming with the Canucks this summer. He previously stated his interest in potentially playing in Vancouver: “It would be a very intriguing spot, three years with the Giants, Vancouver is a very interesting place to play… I want to play in roles that make me earn the money [Franson and his agent, Gerry Johannson] are going to be asking for, the power-play role is huge for me”. One thing that’s clear is the Canucks still are missing a key piece in their defensive unit, and adding Franson would likely be the easiest and most sensible player to fit into this spot. If the price is right for both the Canucks and Franson, then he very well could end up in Canucks jersey come next season. What are your thoughts? Think he could grow into being a top tier blueliner for us? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejazz97 Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 4 is historically a number for overpaid and/or mediocre Canucks defensemen, so why not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crackers Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 It's definitely an intriguing idea, but the term he would be asking wouldn't be one I think we should offer. He is a better fit for a team closer to contending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rounoush Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 We still need a righty so why not. Edler - Tanev Hamhuis - ______ Sbisa/Bartkowski - Weber There is still no need to rush Corrado. Let him keep playing with Utica and getting a lot of minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BanTSN Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 If Benning says Corrado and Clendening are ready, then that means they are ready. I'm sure Franson will find an opportunity elsewhere, and it's only a matter of time. CSE needs to keep an eye on the situation if it comes to a situation where Franson is not able to secure a job before season start, but for now the priority should be to make sure that Corrado and Clendening get started. Franson might be pricing himself a bit too high for the time being, but there are still plenty of openings for him around the NHL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ossi Vaananen Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Clendening and Corrado are waiver eligible. We have 8D as of right now. Elder - Tanev Hamhuis - Weber Sbisa - Corrado Bartokowksi, Clendening Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Type R Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 To me signing Weber was a mistake, he was one of the biggest liabilities against the Flames in the post season. Franson is a big boy and can stack up here in the west. He is great on the PP and isn't afraid to shoot the puck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUndaCanuck Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 I've said this from the beginning of free agency, Franson would fit here PERFECTLY for the following reasons: 1) He's a big framed puck moving defenceman. The Canucks defence last season was one of the lowest scoring defences in the NHL, with Edler the only one putting up over 30 points, and of them, 6 came in the last couple of games against bottom feeders. Essentially, our highest scoring defenceman put up 25-30 points. Pathetic. Franson has had several 40+ point seasons. 2) Franson's a right handed defenceman. We just traded away Bieksa, leaving a nice hole there on the right side. 3) Franson and Hamhuis would have undeniable chemistry. Both are BC boys, they played in Nashville together, Hamhuis is a shutdown defenceman while Franson is a risky puck mover. They would be a very solid 2nd pairing. 4) Franson is a powerplay specialist, and the Canucks had a woeful powerplay with AHL-defenceman-caliber Weber on the first unit right side. 5) Franson is used to playing in a Candian market, and in fact had far more success in Toronto under pressure than he did in Nashville. 6) He's coming off a pretty terrible stint with Nashville where he clearly didn't fit in and because of their depth, he was playing 3rd pairing minutes and not producing. This is a poor indication of what he'd be like in Vancouver, where he'd receive Toronto-like responsibilities and minutes. The poor production in Nashville gives us some leverige for making a deal. 7) He's still only 28, and no teams have made a solid offer for him yet. We've got some cap space available now and while it may be a bit late (thanks to the Prust deal), we may still be able to offer him 4-5M for a season or two. Sure, Franson would be asking for a long term, high price deal, but as the days tick by he's getting more and more desperate. Hopefully JB can swindle a 1 or 2 year deal for 4-5M, ideally 1 year. I consider this move to be very similar to the Del Zotto signing a while back where he went to Nashville, bombed out and was desperate for a deal after having success in New York. Cap-wise, the Canucks have 4.8M in cap space right now with some RFAs caps not counting to it yet. We could ship off Sbisa to free up another 3M to sign Franson which is something I'd do in a blink of an eye. For example, Sbisa to Pittsburgh for a 2nd round pick (they need defence). Sign Franson to a 1 year, 5M deal. Edler - Tanev Hamhuis - Franson Bartowski - Clendening Weber Corrado There's a defence with far more balance already. Franson is a huge upgrade on Weber, Bartowski is better statistically than Sbisa and Clendening will hopefully do better than Bieksa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertburelinden Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Personally I would pass on Franson We are not going to be a contender next season and need to let the young guys get quality minutes to develop properly if there going to become key contributors in the future We already have a couple veteran d men to help the young guys along and Franson isn't a upgrade over the veterans in my opinion and kinda backed up by the fact he is still on the market Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 I remember hearing on TSN the morning free agency started that the Canucks had not even contacted Franson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUndaCanuck Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 To me signing Weber was a mistake, he was one of the biggest liabilities against the Flames in the post season. Franson is a big boy and can stack up here in the west. He is great on the PP and isn't afraid to shoot the puck. Exactly, I just hope that Weber will become BoSang's replacement in Utica rather than a top-4 defenceman here in Vancouver. The Swiss were brutal on our blueline defensively last season, to be honest I'd be perfectly happy if Benning swallowed his pride and traded Sbisa for a pick, then left Weber in Utica. Bartowski has pretty decent advanced statistics, far better than Sbisa's, and for his price he's the perfect 5th defenceman. Edler - Tanev Hamhuis - ? Bartowski - Clendening We could slot Weber into that top-4 position and suck terribly all season long, or make a gutsy move and sign Franson for a season. Benning would never do this, but a Sbisa trade for a prospect/pick (Pittsburgh looks like an ideal spot for him, they need a defenceman badly) and signing Franson for a season or two until Corrado and Clendening are truly ready would be what I would do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Surfer Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 For $4.2, IF our rfa's are already accounted for? Sure... But not for 5.2 or 6.2 mill. Ant that is a bit of a conflict. He will & can probably get that? It's what u pay ufa's. But over paying mid calibre players, see Philly, or Wash last year, does not get u over the hump. Bringing in a game breaker like Scott Niedermyer while he still had it, or world class physical beasts such as Chara or Pronger in his prime for an overpayment has however paid off in the past. Next year there will be some of these options. Save the cap for then and deal with the best draft pick we can get this year. Unless Franson takes a true value deal because he wants to help build something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nave Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 I'm not sure about Franson. On one hand, I like that he's a big puck moving defenceman with a right-handed shot; and on the other hand, I don't know if it's the right time. With him, we probably won't go far in the playoffs anyway. People need to stop focusing on the fact he's a hometown kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tas Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 bringing in franson would be like bringing in garrison; overpaying for a piece that isn't actually good enough to be a difference maker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mll Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 His agent said that he is looking for a deal like Petry's (33M/6yrs). He turned down just under 5M from the Leafs before the TDL. One of the reasons Franson was demoted in Nashville is that he couldn't keep up with the pace - they play an up-tempo style of hockey and he was just always a step behind and couldn't really join the rush because of his lack of foot speed. Benning has repeatedly said that he believes that the game is now more and more about speed and wants the team to get faster...signing him would be a step back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
combover Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Big, puck moving, pp shot/qb. Huh isn't that all the thing this club has been searching for. trade hamhuis the giveaway machine who was atrocious on the pp last season rarely threw a hit and had I forget what 2 goals. That doesn't even get into how the 18 year old Bennett walked around him regularly in the playoffs. Franson would be the only improvement/ upgrade benning could make after getting fleeced on every deal he's made so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Realtor Rod Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 I like Franson, but I think it's term or price with him. He likely wants 3 years or more and I think Benning has a plan. If he would sign for 1 year at 4 million I would do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5nothincanucksohno Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 I like Franson, but I think it's term or price with him. He likely wants 3 years or more and I think Benning has a plan. If he would sign for 1 year at 4 million I would do it. ^^ this. Franson is not worth breaking the bank for or tying up cap space for multiple years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUndaCanuck Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 ^^ this. Franson is not worth breaking the bank for or tying up cap space for multiple years. Definately not worth a roster spot for more than 2 years I'd say, but with Hamhuis' contract expiring next season, we've got a lot of wiggle room. I'd give Franson 2 years 5M at the very most, but ideally try to get him at 1 year 5M or 2 years 4.5M. Personally, I don't think Clendening, Corrado or Weber should be in our top-4 just yet. Bartowski would be a nice lock for the 5th spot, leaving the 6th place wide open for IMO Clendening. That leaves Corrado as our first call up, and keep Weber down in Utica to help them out replacing BoSang. Injuries are bound to mount during the season, and when 2 defencemen are injured we will have Clendening and Corrado playing big minutes, but when the lineup is perfectly healthy I'd only want to ever see one of them playing full-time minutes. Over the course of the season, that leaves Clendening at say 17 minutes a night for 82 games, and Corrado as injury fill-in with about 40 games, 15 minutes a night. Sounds like a nice way to be eased into the NHL. Then in 2016-2017, Clendening moves up to replace Franson in our top-4 and Corrado steps up to the 3rd pairing role full-time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd. Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 I'll pass only because of the cap issue. Otherwise, I would love to have him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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