Red Wings C Franzen improving

May 21, 2008 - 11:45 PM DETROIT (Ticker) -- "The Mule" is getting closer to returning to the ice.

According to a report by the Detroit Free Press on Wednesday, Franzen is improving from concussion-like symptoms and hopes to participate when his Detroit Red Wings face the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Franzen, who has been sidelined since Game One of the Western Conference finals against the Dallas Stars, has been free of headaches but is not likely to play in Saturday's opener of the Finals at Joe Louis Arena.

"I talked to his agent today, and he's going to get further tests later in the week," Red Wings general manager Ken Holland told the Free Press on Tuesday. "The agent told me Johan doesn't really have headaches right now, and that he's been working out on his own and hasn't had any setbacks.

"We'll see here in the coming days if he can push it a touch harder. But he hasn't been cleared to train like a world-class athlete would. I would say he's doubtful for Game One of the Finals, but his health is better than it was than two days ago."

Franzen was the front-runner for the Conn Smythe Trophy prior to being sidelined. The 28-year-old Swede, still maintains the league lead in goals (12) and game-winners (five) - both franchise records - this postseason and also set the club mark for most tallies in one series by scoring nine in the conference semifinals against the Colorado Avalanche.

A third-round pick in 2004, Franzen also matched the team playoff records for the longest goal-scoring streak (five games) and most hat tricks in a series and playoff year (two).

After entering the 2007-08 season with 22 goals in 149 career games, Franzen has scored 27 tallies in his last 27 contests dating to March 2. He also set a franchise regular-season record for most game-winning goals in a month with six in March.