Cody Franson Becomes Two-Time IceHogs Best Defenseman Award Winner

ROCKFORD, Ill. – The Rockford IceHogs, proud American Hockey League affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League, announced today that defenseman Cody Franson is the winner of the team’s Best Defenseman award for the 2021 season.

Franson, 33, earns his second career IceHogs Best Defenseman award after receiving the honor during the 2017-18 season. The Sicamous, British Columbia, native finished second among IceHogs skaters and tied for 13th among AHL blueliners with 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) and led the IceHogs with nine power-play points (one goal, eight assists) and 67 shots.

“It’s something I take pride in,” Franson said. “Every time you come into a season, you want to put your best foot forward. That’s one of my goals is be looked at and regarded as a guy that can still compete, play and produce and everything else that goes along with it.”

In addition to his point production, the 6-foot-5, 227-pound defenseman was counted on as a veteran presence on the ice and on the bench, playing in the second-most games for an IceHogs defenseman this season (one game less than Issak Phillips’ 27) and was one of only seven skaters to appear in 26 or more games during the team’s 32-game schedule. He led all IceHogs skaters with an average ice time of 23:07 per game.

With the IceHogs in 2017-18, Franson registered 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists) and placed second among team defenseman with 15 power-play points (six goals, nine assists) in 37 games, earning him his first Defenseman of the Year award honors.

During the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs, Franson helped the IceHogs reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time in team history, picking up 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in 13 games and finished second among AHL defensemen in postseason points and power-play points (four goals, five assists) behind teammate Adam Clendening (14 points overall, 11 power-play points).

Franson joins former IceHogs defensemen Lucas Carlsson (2018-19, 2019-20), Ryan Stanton (2011-12, 2012-13), Nathan Lutz (2003-04, 2004-05, 2006-07), and Jeff DaCosta (2000-01, 2001-02) as multi-season winners of the award.

IceHogs Best Defenseman Winners

1999-00 Derek Landmesser

2000-01 Jeff DaCosta

2001-02 Jeff DaCosta

2002-03 Jeremy Rebek

2003-04 Nathan Lutz

2004-05 Nathan Lutz

2005-06 Corey Hessler

2006-07 Nathan Lutz

2007-08 Not Awarded

2008-09 Tim Hambly

2009-10 Richard Petiot

2010-11 Brian Connelly

2011-12 Ryan Stanton

2012-13 Ryan Stanton

2013-14 Adam Clendening and Klas Dahlbeck

2014-15 Kyle Cumiskey

2015-16 Ville Pokka

2016-17 Erik Gustafsson

2017-18 Cody Franson

2018-19 Lucas Carlsson

2019-20 Lucas Carlsson

2020-21 Cody Franson