Red Wings' Franzen on shelf once again; will miss Olympic games

The Detroit Red Wings have been perhaps the NHL's most injury-prone team this season - and even when one of them returns to the lineup, it seems that they aren't there for very long.

Take Johan Franzen for example.  The oft-injured centerman returned last Sunday from a six week absence since taking a knuckle sandwich from Tampa Bay's Radko Gudas left him concussed, the night before his return stating "It's been three days now I haven't had any issues.  Hopefully I wake up tomorrow the same way - I hope to play."

Well, he woke up the same way, and he did play on Sunday against the Florida Panthers, logging nearly 17 minutes of ice time in the Red Wings' 5-4 loss to the Panthers, logging one helper and putting one shot on net - but that may be the last time HockeyTown's faithful see the rugged Franzen for a while.

"Any time it's a head injury - we've been through it a number of times, they're hard things," Red Wings bench boss Mike Babcock said on Tuesday while announcing Franzen's return to the IR. "Obviously thought he was ready and then found out he wasn't."

Adding insult to his injury, he won't be ready for the Sochi Olympics either, as Swedish National Team coach Par Mats announced on Thursday that Franzen will be left off the team due to the recurrence of his concussion symptoms.

There is no time table set for his return, but his sudden regression should compel the team to be cautious with their veteran forward, something that Babcock hinted at on Tuesday.

"He'll be out a few for sure, anyways, and he continues to work with doctors at U-M (University of Michigan); they'll figure out when he’s available."

In the interim, his spot in the lineup will be held down by forward Joakim Andersson, whom the team activated from injured reserve Tuesday.

 http://www.sportsinjuryalert.com/2014/01/red-wings-franzen-on-shelf-once-again.html