TSN’s Bob McKenzie has Tweeted that the Buffalo Sabres are on the verge of signing free agent defenseman Cody Franson to a two-year deal worth around $3.3 million per season.
UFA D Cody Franson is currently in BUF and expected to finalize on Thursday a two-year contract. AAV is expected to be around $3.3M.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) September 10, 2015
Franson enjoyed another fine season in 2014-15, split between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Nashville Predators. In 78 games he scored seven goals and 36 points. He sputtered a bit in Nashville, scoring only four points in 23 games, but that’s more of a blip than a sign of his decline. Throughout the season he was dominate on the power play and drove possession, despite logging a majority of his minutes with Dion Phaneuf.
It’s been a long offseason for Franson, who was one of the best d-men on the free agent market, but for whatever reason the market that was thought to be there for him, wasn’t, and he didn’t sign a deal until more than two months after July 1st. He’s been connected to many teams this summer, including Boston, Toronto and Vancouver, but Buffalo is a great fit for the 28-year-old.
The cost – $3.3 million per for the next two seasons – is a bargain for the Sabres. Buffalo has improved their roster considerably this offseason, but the defense hadn’t been revamped prior to this signing. With Franson in the fold, things look much more promising in the back end, as the Sabres get the top-four pairing defenseman they desperately needed.
