2010-11 Nashville Predators Report Card: Cody Franson

With the season now over, it's time to take a look back and examine each player's individual performance. We'll briefly break it down, and then offer a letter grade for the year. It's report cards, Nashville Predators-style, from Blum to Wilson. Next up: Cody Franson.

Cody Franson

#4 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-5

Weight: 213

Born: Aug 08, 1987

The Skinny: Cody Franson burst onto the scene last season, assuming a minor role at even strength but a very important one on the power play. Expected to progress this year, Franson did so, finishing 49th in the NHL in scoring by a defenseman, which for a player who is highly protected at even strength, is impressive, particularly when paired with Shane O`Brien for most of the year. A 5th defenseman any team would covet, Cody Franson is only going to improve.

The Performance: Franson put up 29 points while skating just 15:10 per game on the third pairing with O'Brien, so in a sense, he had an excellent year, and one that continued in the playoffs. That said, Nashville's power play was consistently awful, so Franson must take a small measure of responsibility for that, and there's a reason Barry Trotz feels the need to protect him during 5-on-5 play - Franson's not yet someone you feel comfortable trusting defensively in crucial situations. 

The Grade: In all, you'd have to consider Cody Franson's 2010-11 season a success. The offensive contributions alone would make the grade, but Franson upped his game during the postseason, and provided one of the year's most memorable moments with a Bobby Orr-esque tally against Dan Ellis and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Franson earns a solid B here, with an eye towards a promising future.