(Photo: David Guralnick, Detroit News)
Sunrise, Florida — Justin Abdelkader was asked about Anthony Mantha after Friday’s loss in Carolina, and was talking about all the things Mantha brings to the lineup.
Abdelkader came to an interesting comparison, one that hasn’t been brought up often before.
And it does fit.
“He kind of reminds me of Johan Franzen,” Abdelkader said, harkening to the big power forward whose career was derailed by concussions.
Franzen, too, was a large forward who could shoot the puck hard, was a fine skater, and had deft hands.
“He was big and strong and could skate and shoot,” Abdekader said.