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Former Red Wings Player Chooses a Life of Seclusion
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- Former Red Wings Player Chooses a Life of Seclusion
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The post Former Red Wings Player Chooses a Life of Seclusion appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now .
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectIMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The last time the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup, winger Johan Franzen was front and center. The spotlight shone brightly on him, and rightfully so.
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That spring, Franzen shared the club lead, scoring 13 playoff goals. He set Red Wings single-series playoff records by tallying nine goals in the second round against the Colorado Avalanche , including a pair of hat-tricks. He'd finish the postseason with five game-winning goals, another team mark.
For Franzen, life in the limelight was never a choice he sought out or found welcoming. His preference was for a life of quiet solitude. It's how he's choosing to live in retirement in his home of Östergötland in his native Sweden.
Franzen is seldom seen and heard from even less.
"If I hear from you once a year, that's really good," Franzen explained to Swedish website Vetlanda-Posten . "Many have taken it personally, but it's the same for everyone around me.
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"I think it's because I don't see myself as that interesting."
Franzen Suffered While With the Red Wings
Post-concussion syndrome served to waylay his NHL career in 2015-16. Franzen was also suffering endless bullying during his Detroit days at the hands of coach Mike Babcock .
It led to a battle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for the former Detroit player, one that extended well into his post-playing days.
"Today I have gotten rid of my PTSD, which I didn't even know I had for seven years," Franzen said . "All of that was caused by a coach.
"He woke up one day and decided to hate me and to do everything to put me down. To this day, I don't understand why."
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Through it all, the spotlight is suddenly shining again on this reclusive former Red Wings star.
His No. 6 jersey has been retired in the KFK Mekan Arena in Landsbro. During this year's annual Vetlanda Festival in his hometown, he will be immortalized with a star at the Vetlanda Square of Honor.
"I've barely met a person in four years and then there are two such uprisings in a short time," Franzen said. "It's a bit shocking."
The post Former Red Wings Player Chooses a Life of Seclusion appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now .
