Franson - Is it Sustainable????

[Hocks95*]

Honestly Franson has been amazing so far this year on the top pairing and isn't getting enough credit. He's played a good physical style of hockey stayed on his man in his own zone, pinched / decided not to very smartly, and predictably been a beast on the powerplay. He's playing top pairing with Phaneuf giving us some big defensemen eating up a lot of minutes. Going into the season I am sure no one would predict it to work out like this.

Franson so far has 10 points in 14 games and a +6.

Question is do you think his play on the top pairing is sustainable or will he go back to playing a 2nd pairing role as the season rolls along??

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[TheLeafsBro]

I've argued before on these boards that it's not sustainable but I agree with your assessment of him so far. You have to give credit where it is due and he's played great. I guess another question is: If he falters, who do you replace him with? And whoever it is are they going to be anymore sustainable long-term?

Morgan Rielly has been one of our best defenceman this season. Will he at some point deserve a shot at that role on the top pairing? Would he be able to handle that role? He would have to play on his off-side but he's played there before.

Would Polak provide decent stability with Phaneuf? He's dependable in his own zone and can skate much better than Franson.

Those are the only two alternative options I think we realistically have for the top pairing.

For now I guess we see where Phaneuf-Franson take us.

 

[Hocks95*]

I've argued before on these boards that it's not sustainable but I agree with your assessment of him so far. You have to give credit where it is due and he's played great. I guess another question is: If he falters, who do you replace him with? And whoever it is are they going to be anymore sustainable long-term?

Morgan Rielly has been one of our best defenceman this season. Will he at some point deserve a shot at that role on the top pairing? He would have to play on his off-side but he's played there with Jake before.

Would Polak provide decent stability with Phaneuf? He's dependable in his own zone and can skate much better than Franson.

Those are the only two alternative options I think we realistically have for the top pairing.

with all due respect to Polak I honestly would not want him on the first pairing. He's proving me wrong and how angry I was at this trade. I still however think we got wrecked in this trade, a swap would have been debatable in itself but we choke up a pick AND keep some of gunnars salary?? This and multiple other things lead me to believe Nonis is a very incompetent gm that has no negotiation skills. You learn this in university, first year business that you don't act like a thirst desperate fish out of water or you get chinced hard in trades, Nonis obviously must have been sleeping in class.

Anyways not to derail this thread I had to vent a little lol but Polak has been playing well surprisingly. Most expected a bottom pairing guy but he's shaping up well into a top 4 for us but I think him on the top pairing will just be too much. Some of his deficiencies will just get super exposed imo.

Rielly is an option but it's the same offwing thing but as you said he's done it before. However Rielly is in his sophomore but if he plays well it's still an option.

I think a third option is Stuart Percy. May seem a little optimistic but it can't hurt to try him there and see how it goes.

 

[Hocks95*]

with all due respect to Polak I honestly would not want him on the first pairing. He's proving me wrong and how angry I was at this trade. I still however think we got wrecked in this trade, a swap would have been debatable in itself but we choke up a pick AND keep some of gunnars salary?? This and multiple other things lead me to believe Nonis is a very incompetent gm that has no negotiation skills. You learn this in university, first year business that you don't act like a thirsty desperate fish out of water or you get chinced hard in trades, Nonis obviously must have been sleeping in class that day.

Anyways not to derail this thread I had to vent a little lol but Polak has been playing well surprisingly. Most expected a bottom pairing guy but he's shaping up well into a top 4 for us but I think him on the top pairing will just be too much. Some of his deficiencies will just get super exposed imo.

Rielly is an option but it's the same offwing thing but as you said he's done it before. However Rielly is in his sophomore but if he plays well it's still an option.

I think a third option is Stuart Percy. May seem a little optimistic but it can't hurt to try him there and see how it goes.

 

[BreakingGood]

his on-ice shooting percentage is 12.7%, so no, he can't sustain it, but y'know, over the last three seasons, among D-men with 2000 minutes or more, Franson is tenth in points/60 at even strength, behind just Kalsson, Letang, Hedman, Byfuglien, Duncan, Yandle, Streit, Chara, and Pietrangelo, and Buff has played some games at forward in that time. If he keeps playing on the top pair, and gets powerplay time, he could hit 40-50 points.

 

[Hocks95*]

his on-ice shooting percentage is 12.7%, so no, he can't sustain it, but y'know, over the last three seasons, among D-men with 2000 minutes or more, Franson is tenth in points/60 at even strength, behind just Kalsson, Letang, Hedman, Byfuglien, Duncan, Yandle, Streit, Chara, and Pietrangelo, and Buff has played some games at forward in that time. If he keeps playing on the top pair, and gets powerplay time, he could hit 40-50 points.

well no one questions fransons ability to get points and never will.

It's his overall play and more so his work when he's not in the other teams zone or at their blue line.

 

[BreakingGood]

well no one questions fransons ability to get points and never will.

It's his overall play and more so his work when he's not in the other teams zone or at their blue line.

Well, Cody Franson is a great possession player, so he's done fine at keeping the puck out of his own team's zone.

 

[shelf]

with all due respect to Polak I honestly would not want him on the first pairing. He's proving me wrong and how angry I was at this trade. I still however think we got wrecked in this trade, a swap would have been debatable in itself but we choke up a pick AND keep some of gunnars salary?? This and multiple other things lead me to believe Nonis is a very incompetent gm that has no negotiation skills. You learn this in university, first year business that you don't act like a thirst desperate fish out of water or you get chinced hard in trades, Nonis obviously must have been sleeping in class.

Anyways not to derail this thread I had to vent a little lol but Polak has been playing well surprisingly. Most expected a bottom pairing guy but he's shaping up well into a top 4 for us but I think him on the top pairing will just be too much. Some of his deficiencies will just get super exposed imo.

Rielly is an option but it's the same offwing thing but as you said he's done it before. However Rielly is in his sophomore but if he plays well it's still an option.

I think a third option is Stuart Percy. May seem a little optimistic but it can't hurt to try him there and see how it goes.

Polak is averaging the most amount of Even Strenght TOI and 2nd most amount of ice-time and getting tougher d-zone minutes than Franson. Polak might not officially be on the "top pair" but he has been more of a top pairing defenceman than Franson.

 

[Hocks95*]

Polak is averaging the most amount of Even Strenght TOI and 2nd most amount of ice-time and getting tougher d-zone minutes than Franson. Polak might not officially be on the "top pair" but he has been more of a top pairing defenceman than Franson.

mostly because of PKing and last few minutes of games. His production still doesn't and can't make him into a top 2 option. 5 on 5 I'm sure Phaneuf and Franson are getting as tough minutes as Polak. I just don't like the idea of Phaneuf and Polak together.

 

[thewave]

Sell high. He has great value right now and will be looking the bucks. He can help a team like Boston if they aren't flirting with blowing it up.

 

[darrylsittler27]

Only until he gets the big buck$$$$$

How ironic, we didn't get Gorges because he hated us. Franson's value is all time high.

But can we really afford him?

 

[thewave]

How ironic, we didn't get Gorges because he hated us. Franson's value is all time high.

But can we really afford him?

No we can't going forward. It doesn't work out so we have to trade sooner or later. He may command a late 1st or good prospect+ ATM

 

[darrylsittler27]

At TD easily.

No we can't going forward. It doesn't work out so we have to trade sooner or later. He may command a late 1st or good prospect+ ATM

We ride his high value straight into a desperate GM at TD. The other GM can rent him, making more valuable at TD. He will easily be worth a mid round first. And by TD Reilly will be on fire, Van Halen style...

 

[Mess]

Fanson is in a contract year and so its in his best interest that his play is sustainable to earn the biggest reward at the end.

He has built in motivation financially to perform at his peak at present.

Many players have performance surges in contract years.

 

[SprDaVE]

He's playing pretty well, I'll admit. He's still proned to some really bad passes and being caught completely in no mans land but overall he's been solid.

I just don't know how long he can play top 2 before he really shows his weaknesses. But for now, he's playing well and that's good.

With that said, I'd still trade him for any kind of future package. I don't think he's a long-term option and I don't want to lose him for nothing.

 

[thewave]

He's playing pretty well, I'll admit. He's still proned to some really bad passes and being caught completely in no mans land but overall he's been solid.

I just don't know how long he can play top 2 before he really shows his weaknesses. But for now, he's playing well and that's good.

With that said, I'd still trade him for any kind of future package. I don't think he's a long-term option and I don't want to lose him for nothing.

Around game 60 top teams expose D like him during the push. Sell @ game 50 or the moment he start slipping.

 

[seanlinden]

Fanson is in a contract year and so its in his best interest that his play is sustainable to earn the biggest reward at the end.

He has built in motivation financially to perform at his peak at present.

Many players have performance surges in contract years.

Franson has been in a contract year the past 3 seasons.

It might be time for the fans on this board to eat some crow and admit that the biggest problem with Franson's game the last few years has been the people he's played with (Jake Gardiner, for the most part).

Sure, asking him to continue the same level of play through an 82 game season is probably ambitious, but put him on a 2nd pair with a reliable defenceman, and he'll be great.

 

[91Stammer*]

I will just say so far so good. He had a shaky start, in fact everyone did but has been decent after being paired with Phaneuf.

 

[613Leafer]

It's hard to say. This is probably the first time we've seen him perform decently well when given tough minutes. In the past, he's only excelled when given a bottom pairing role + PP time.

I feel like there will be a decision to be made between him and Gardiner. I cant see us being able to keep both under the cap. The cap isnt expected to go up, and Bernier, Kadri, and Santorelli will all be getting raises as well (if we're to keep them).

So there's the RHD with size vs the younger less experienced smooth skater. Franson is playing better right now, but Gardiner should have more room to grow given age/experience.

 

[4evaBlue]

It's hard to say. This is probably the first time we've seen him perform decently well when given tough minutes. In the past, he's only excelled when given a bottom pairing role + PP time.

I feel like there will be a decision to be made between him and Gardiner. I cant see us being able to keep both under the cap. The cap isnt expected to go up, and Bernier, Kadri, and Santorelli will all be getting raises as well (if we're to keep them).

So there's the RHD with size vs the younger less experienced smooth skater. Franson is playing better right now, but Gardiner should have more room to grow given age/experience.

That decision should be a no-brainer given the development of Rielly and Percy.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Please trade him while his value is high

 

[MapleLeaf4ever]

I still stand by my assessment of Franson, he's a great 4-5 Dman that can greatly improve any PP. However at 5v5 or situations where he needs to be mobile he's one of the last guys you want out there. Foot speed too slow to win races for the puck and gets walked around all to often off the rush. He will command about $4 mil as a UFA this summer and he will get it but not from us. We are already tight against the cap with meh players such as Clarkson and Lupul on big contracts. We don't need another making $4 mil from a sluggish Dman regardless of how much points he gets on the PP. Plus the back en is so slow right now with Phanuef Polak and Robidas also spinning like tops in there own end.

 

[Legion34]

Please trade him while his value is high

They should but they won't. This has been by far the biggest flaw in the Burke/nonis regime. I have no problem giving up picks for young proven talent like Kessel Bernie holland. But then we have to replenish those picks by trading off non core players.

The fact that we got nothing for kulemin grabo mac and now soon to be Cody is ridiculous

 

[Delicious Dangles*]

He has been MUCH better this year. It really makes no sense.

He went from barely being able to make any team, to a good 3rd pairing defenseman to a horrific defenseman of any kind, almost single-handedly destroying our season, and now is respectable on the top pairing? In such a short time frame.

The problem with Franson is that we have no idea what he is or what he will be in any given year, and he doesn't really fit with any of our defensemen. He has no consistency, is already incredibly slow at a young age, and he is going to want a multi-year deal. And if history is any indication, he is going to want to get paid. That is scary.

Reality is, we probably shouldn't keep him. It's just, there isn't really a guy that can take his place, unless we are moving Phaneuf back to the right side. Might be our only option.

Signing Franson could be a crippling move. He is not the long-term top-pairing solution. At this point, we don't even know if he's long term anything.

What Nonis does with Franson is probably the thing that scares me most this year.

 

[Once]

Based on the Franny's play, i'd keep him over Gards. One of them needs to be moved before or at the TD. We can't go into the summer losing Franson or someone else for nothing (similar to Kulemin).