Ex-Leafs D Franson named AHL Wild assistant coach
Published
Cody Franson has entered the coaching ranks.
The American Hockey League's Iowa Wild announced the former Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman had joined the team as an assistant coach.
“Coaching is something I have wanted to do for a long time and I am excited to get started,” Franson said in a statement. “I am looking forward to contributing to player development and working with Coach [Brett¸McLean.”
Franson, 36, appeared in 550 NHL games over nine NHL seasons with the Leafs, Nashville Predators, Buffalo Sabres and Chicago Blackhawks from 2009 to 2018.
A native of Sicamous, BC, Franson was the 79th overall pick of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft out of the Western Hockey League's Vancouver Giants. He was also a member of Canada's gold medal-winning entry at the 2007 World Junior Hockey Championships in Sweden.
For his career, Franson notched 43 goals and 169 assists and averaged 17:32 of ice time a night.