More Franzen Thoughts
Franzen's going to practice Friday, but doesn't sound like he's going to do everything. Just going to skate harder -- the full physical contact is another step after that. And remember, it's when guys recovering from concussions really push it that they often have setbacks -- a recurrence of symptoms that essentially re-sets the whole process back to square one. That's why the Wings have been really cautious with this one, and why the coach sounds just a wee bit impatient.
"We're going to see how it goes each day," GM Ken Holland said this afternoon. "As we go along each day we'll ramp it up, and if he doesn't have any setbacks, certainly the possibility that he's going to be in our lineup before the end of the series is going to be good. Now, if he starts to ramp it up and push and he gets some setbacks, that's going to be another story.
"But we got good news. He went to see a doctor today and the doctor gave him clearance to start practicing and ramping up his workouts. No physical play right now, but we've got our fingers crossed; we're hopeful."
Assuming he's out for Game 1, I think we'll see the same lineup as Game 6, and the same line combos as well. Hudler up with Filppula, Sammy with Draper and Drake, and Maltby on the fourth line. When Franzen comes back, McCarty goes out. Cheli basically announced today on Stoney & Wojo's show what we'd guessed -- he's probably out for Game 1. He says he'll be a healthy scratch, too, by the way. He's not being entirely honest there -- the knee's not right -- but if it were up to him, obviously, he'd be playing.
