Red Wings ink RW Franzen to 11-year deal

Apr 11, 2009 - 5:40 PM DETROIT (Ticker) -- "The Mule" will be carrying the load for the Detroit Red Wings for quite a long time.

The Red Wings on Saturday locked up Johan Franzen until the 2019-2020 season, signing the right wing to an 11-year contract.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Selected in the third round of the 2004 draft, Franzen emerged as a force for Detroit last March, recording 14 goals - six game-winners - and four assists in 13 games. He finished the campaign with 15 tallies over the last 16 contests.

The 29-year-old Swede continued his torrid pace in the playoffs, netting 13 goals in 16 games in helping the Red Wings to the Stanley Cup championship. The 6-3, 218-pounder set franchise postseason records for most goals in one playoff series (nine), most game-winners in one postseason (five), the longest goal-scoring streak (five games) and most hat tricks in one series (two) while joining Henrik Zetterberg to tie the club mark of 13 goals in one playoff year.

"We are thrilled that Johan will remain a member of the Detroit Red Wings," general manager Ken Holland said. "His production over the past year and a half, both regular season and playoffs, has been remarkable, and we feel, at 29 years old, that he is just now entering the prime of his career. We look forward to having him as a part of our core unit in Detroit moving forward."

Entering Saturday, Franzen has collected 34 goals and 25 assists in 69 games this season. He has notched 83 tallies and 143 points in 290 career contests over four campaigns.