On the Wings

Update (7:17 PM): DetroitRedWings.com has the official take on Franzen. - Matt

Update (2:56 PM): An interesting claim from Helene St. James:

I just found out Johan Franzen has been cleared to practice and will do so tomorrow, indicating he’ll play Saturday when the Red Wings host the Penguins in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals.

She’s going off Mike Babcock’s comments from earlier this week and assuming the team will put Johan in as long as he has a couple practices under his belt. It’s certainly possible, though it’s probably safer to operate under the assumption that he’ll be out at least one more game. - Matt

Update (1:43 PM): On an update to the post from below, Ansar Khan has more on Franzen from Mike Babcock:

“He’s going to be available. I don’t know at what point. I don’t think in Game 1, but at (some point) after that. He’s ready to go. … He’s just got to get the OK (from doctors (sic)).”

Great news. Bruce MacLeod confirms, writing that Franzen has been cleared to practice tomorrow. Babcock made sure to tell the media that the delay is due to the doctors, not him. - Matt

Update (1:29 PM): Bruce MacLeod reports that Franzen hit the ice after practice. He skated with the Grand Rapids call-ups (Jonathan Ericsson, Kyle Quincey, Jimmy Howard, Cory Emmerton, Jakub Kindl, and Mattias Ritola). He promises an update later if Franzen speaks with the media.

Also, IwoCPO questions the media on their coverage of Franzen’s situation. - Matt

Update (12:29 PM): Helene St. James has just a little more, including the news that Johan has been without headaches for a few days. That’s news to me. Based on the reports, I thought he was just having mild headaches rather than the earlier bad ones over the past couple days. - Matt

Update (12:25 PM): Ansar Khan reports that Johan Franzen worked out off the ice today. Khan has no comments from Franzen himself, but he did speak with Ken Holland, who told him that Johan saw a doctor again today. He also confirmed that he is doubtful for Game 1, though he remains day-to-day.

As for the rest of the Finals?

“The hope is he’s going to be ready sometime in the series. No one has said to me he’ll be ready to go. He’s working out, no setbacks.”

It is odd that Franzen has not been cleared, despite the fact that Holland says earlier in his statement to Khan that he has no headaches. - Matt

Ted Kulfan reports that Johan Franzen took to the ice yesterday for a light skate. It was the first time he’s been out there since being sidelined by what the team is calling “concussion-like symptoms.” He has not yet been cleared to go all out, but he appears to be making progress. Ken Holland described him as “feeling better.”

He remains doubtful for Game 1, however. Apparently, that’s mostly due to the fact that he has not practiced in almost two weeks. Mike Babcock said earlier this week that Franzen would “play the day he’s cleared,” but that was obviously a bit of a stretch. He’s only done off-ice exercises since Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals and will have to get back into game shape.

Now to the issue of that rumor that’s going around town. If you haven’t heard it, it says that Franzen has played his last game because of some serious brain problem and that the Wings are waiting to announce it until after the playoffs. To me, that seems to be just a little bit alarmist. Sure, there seems to be something strange about this whole thing, but I don’t see any reason to believe the worst until more comes out.

If Franzen’s career really is over, I see no reason for the team to keep up the illusion that he’s going to return for the Finals. Why not just say he’s done for the season and tell the full truth later? It’d be much easier to keep the secret that way.

For now, I’m just going to assume that the Wings are just being extremely cautious with Franzen, who has a head injury no matter which story is true. Whether it’s a career-ending deal or a run-of-the-mill concussion, head injuries are not something you screw around with. The Wings can afford to be cautious and it looks to me like they are taking the opportunity to be so.