Johan Franzen (hip flexor) won't play in Thursday's exhibition game. The Red Wings also won't have Daniel Alfredsson in the lineup due to a groin injury, so two thirds of their second line will be missing. Stephen Weiss is projected t =o play between Daniel Cleary and Tomas Tatar with Franzen and Alfredsson sidelined.

Johan Franzen won't be available for Tuesday's preseason game due to a hip flexor injury. Franzen is day-to-day, according to Red Wings GM Ken Holland. Detroit will also play on Thursday, but Franzen probably won't return before this weekend.

Johan Franzen doesn't like being labelled simply as a "goal-scorer." "I am not a goal scorer," he said. "I am a hockey player. I never look for goals. I look to play good and then people score or I do." Franzen has been a bit of a streaky player throughout his career, but the arrivals of Daniel Alfredsson and Stephen Weiss could help out his production if they end up playing on the same line. Franzen has played with Alfredsson before in international competitions and Weiss is capable of putting up good numbers offensively if he stays healthy.

The Red Wings believe their off-season additions of Daniel Alfredsson and Stephen Weiss will increase production from right winger Johan Franzen. Weiss should enable the Wings to unite as linemates Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, who will draw any opponent's top defenders. That likely will create a second line of Franzen, Weiss and Alfredsson, a trio that will have more room to roam against lesser defenders.

There's no doubt the Red Wings are keeping forward Johan Franzen and not using an amnesty buyout. Franzen had 14 goals in 41 regular-season games, but it's his contract through 2019-20 at a cap hit of $3.95 million that infuriates many Detroit fans. "It's crazy for me," Wings general manager Ken Holland said of the talk of buying out Franzen, who projected to 28 goals over a full season. "I don't know where you find 30-goal scorers. There's no hockey store." Holland wasn't sure if he'd use the buyout on anyone. From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130601/SPORTS0103/306010302#ixzz2UwvZaFei

Johan Franzen scored his fourth goal of the playoffs Saturday. Franzen broke out of scoring slump with his third period goal as he had gone the previous six games without a goal and the last three games without a point. The Red Wings are looking for the talented Franzen to be a difference maker in their series against the Blackhawks and Saturday's game could be the starting point.

Johan Franzen has cooled down again. Franzen has one goal in Detroit's last six games and no points in their last three contests. That's not a horrible stretch, but Detroit needs all of their best players if they're going to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round. When Franzen gets hot, he can be a difference maker and the Red Wings just have to hope that happens.

Johan Franzen scored a power-play goal in Detroit's 3-2 overtime loss on Wednesday. Franzen has three goals in five playoff games. All of those goals have come with the man advantage, but he hasn't been able to get a point when the team's are at even strength.

Johan Franzen had an eventful game on Thursday. Franzen scored a goal before he was struck in the groin by the puck and had to temporally leave the game. He returned for the third period and scores his second goal of the contest, but then received a blow near his head and had to leave again, this time to take a concussion test. He passed the test and was about to return to the game when Detroit scored the game-winning goal at 1:21 of the overtime period. "I had to check my head," Franzen said. "It takes time. I have a pretty big head."

Johan Franzen registered seven goals and 13 points in his final 13 regular-season games this season. Franzen has been playing his best hockey of the year since being placed on a line with Valtteri Filppula and Daniel Cleary. Coach Mike Babcock was raving about Franzen at the end of the season and he's always been a player that took his game up a level during the postseason. If the Mule is on his game against Anaheim, the Ducks could have some difficulty ousting the Red Wings in the first round.