Detroit — Nine months after a body check caused another concussion and forced him from the game he plainly still loves, Johan Franzen is back.
He is also happy. His presence and energy are, once again, welcomed by his teammates.
A new coach, Jeff Blashill, who is clearly one element of Franzen's upbeat sensibility, says his scoring and defense are a welcome ingredient, in what the organization hopes is a successful rookie season for a young coach who replaces one of the best in the game.
Despite Franzen's series of concussions and concerns across sports about the cumulative effect on the brain of repeated, violent contact, he said he had no fear of hits.