Wow, i can't believe players like Fransson gets NHL contacts these days. Great skater, but he is horrible defensively and has no hockey sense. I would be very surprised if he gets more then 5-10 games in the NHL.
The LA Kings were in dire need of more puck-rushers against the VCanucks. That and another solid D-man. If the Kings pair him with MGreene it will offset his defensive shortcomings. Besides something happens to SEL players when they come over at age 24-25,they actually play well! Most of them anyways. Hope Johan Fransson is the answer to some of LA's problems! Good Luck to Johan!
Well... He won't be wearing #8 I will tell ya that much..
He wore #10 this season with Luleå, and #5 in his first stint with the team - including the 04/05 lockout season, when one of his team mates was a certain #11...
DL did mention a couple of weeks ago that adding a highly skilled forward was not necessarily the best way to boost the club's 5-on-5 scoring. He offered Nashville and as an example; defensemen who can get the puck onto the forwards' sticks quickly can provide that boost, too.
We'll find out of Fransson is one of those. If he is (or if somebody else is), then DL only needs a shut down defenseman to spell/replace O'Donnell.
Up front, who knows? The club probably needs to add at least one top six, to replace Frolov, but a couple of off-ice considerations -- the cap and the marketing -- complicate the decision-making.
I like this signing, but hat's just based on what I know/read on Fransson ver the years. I remember when we got him, scouts said we effectively got a first-round prospects, because that was how well he was playing, just that his value was low since no one thought he'd ever come over.
And now he has.
He may fall on his face when he gets here, but for now great signing in my books.
It does beg the question on if we are going to do anything to our blueline come July 1st however, as likely Fransson is pencilled in to make the top 6/7 (25 years old and just a one year deal). If so, we are likely set, body-wise, and I assume any additions would involve a trade, or signing a UFA and trading another body out.
It's an interesting signing. From reading, he sounds like he could be what we need. Does this mean that one of Voinov/Hickey/44DD may get traded? I think it does.
Well good bye Hamhuis,Volchenkov, and whoever other defenseman we thought could've possibly landed here! The cheap d-man is making cap space for Kovy! Don't expect many trades but one major signing...
EDIT: for all you NHL 10 lovers, he is an 80 overall in the game.
Well good bye Hamhuis,Volchenkov, and whoever other defenseman we thought could've possibly landed here! The cheap d-man is making cap space for Kovy! Don't expect many trades but one major signing...
EDIT: for all you NHL 10 lovers, he is an 80 overall in the game.
Well good bye Hamhuis,Volchenkov, and whoever other defenseman we thought could've possibly landed here! The cheap d-man is making cap space for Kovy! Don't expect many trades but one major signing...
EDIT: for all you NHL 10 lovers, he is an 80 overall in the game.
Well good bye Hamhuis,Volchenkov, and whoever other defenseman we thought could've possibly landed here! The cheap d-man is making cap space for Kovy! Don't expect many trades but one major signing...
EDIT: for all you NHL 10 lovers, he is an 80 overall in the game.
This is a good thing with all the young Dmen knocking on the door let them come to camp and battle it out and if no one steps up then make a deal near the end of camp.
Per CapGeek.com:
Note: not official yet
1 year, entry level contract, two-way, NHL salary = $690,000, AHL salary = $67,500
$90,000 signing bonus, apparently included in NHL salary, but not considered a performance bonus
Don't expect many trades but one major signing...
