Cody Franson 'shapes up' for a potential big pay day

Call Cody Franson ‘Mr. One Year Deal.’

The Maple Leafs blueliner has basically been on season-long contracts for the last three NHL years. Granted, he has been bumped up from $1.2 million to $2 million to $3.3 million this year.

But it has created a strange and unique situation for Franson – who may end up being the biggest unrestricted free agent defenseman on the market this offseason. In slow UFA markets, blueliners have broken the bank, and Franson has been no different.

“It shapes up to look good,” Franson said. “It’s definitely nice to have that in your back pocket. But I would really like to stay here in Toronto, and I’m hopeful that something gets done through the course of the season. But I’m coming into one of those situations where I potentially have some options, which is nice. Hopefully it won’t come to the point where I have to explore them.”

It’s funny that Franson will finally likely cash in at age 27, only because he has almost always found himself on the short end of the contract-length stick.

Whether it was because he shot too high on his worth in negotiations (this Globe and Mail article from Franson’s 2013 deal says he wanted $4 million per-year) or other reasons, Franson has found himself dealing with the NHL’s business arm a little too much.

Says James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail in a different story:

“Even so, he has never felt particularly appreciated by management or coaches…”

“What works in the Leafs favour is Franson wants to stay, and he has the type of personality to be able to weather the ups and downs and all arounds of the last few years. You can easily envision him putting the past in the past and signing long term, in the right circumstance.”

This past offseason, he and the Maple Leafs settled on a new deal shortly before his arbitration hearing.

“It hasn’t been the ideal way to have things done. It has just been one of those situations where the salary cap went down (after the 2012-13 lockout), things got tight and we’re not the only team that’s had to play some hardball,” Franson said. “But with the salary cap coming down, it becomes a big numbers game, and they had a number they wanted to sign and it’s a matter of trying to fit everybody in. Sometimes, that’s just the way it goes.”

This year, Franson is having arguably the best year of his career. He’s on pace for 52 points and 12 goals, both of which would be career highs.

What could this bring him in the offseason? Matt Niskanen’s seven-year, $40.25 million contract from last year is a good starting point for the Salmon Arm, British Columbia native.

Though one could say his increased production is because contract year for him – but that’s pretty much the case for him all the time. This adds some extra pressure on top of the Toronto fishbowl mentality, where even kind gestures are taken in a different context.

“It makes you try to earn your worth and play your best hockey in order to try and secure a longer term contract and be part of a team for a long time,” Franson said That’s all I’ve been trying to do, is earn that right to get a long contract and hopefully that’s what comes next.”

But Franson can handle such atmosphere. It stems from cutting his teeth in junior (your Pierre McGuire moment) with the Vancouver Giants. And since the 2004-05 lockout occurred during Franson’s time in Vancouver, the media crush was abnormally large around the team.

This enabled him to thrive, in a place like Toronto.

“It was the first time I had dealt with stuff like that,” Franson said of his time in Van. “Being able to do that my first year of junior definitely helps the media in Toronto and a number of different things.”

After this summer, it’s likely we’ll have a different nickname for Franson … ‘moneybags’ comes to mind.

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