Cody Franson

Cody Franson was picked in the third round (79th overall) by Nashville in 2005. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

Mark Malinowski
2013-01-27 10:10:00

Status: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman.

DOB: Aug. 8, 1987  In: Salmon Arm, B.C.
 
Ht: 6-foot-5  Wt: 213 pounds
 
First Hockey Memory: "Hockey school when I was a kid."
 
Hockey Inspirations: "My dad. My dad played my whole life and still plays. That was always who I looked up to as a kid."

Last Book Read: "The Outsiders. Was in grade nine. English project (smiles)."

Current Car: "An Escalade."
 
Greatest Sports Moment: "Memorial Cup."

Most Painful Moment: "Probably losing the Memorial Cup. Second year of junior."

Favorite Uniforms: "This one (Toronto)."

Favorite Arena To Play: "Chicago."

Embarrassing Hockey Memory: "Haven't got one."
 
First Famous Hockey Player You Met Or Encountered: "That would have been Ron Flockhart. He was friends with my family, my dad, when he was growing up. When he got hurt playing with Philly, he came back to town, I met him then. He taught me at hockey school."

Funniest Player(s) Encountered: "Wade Belak."
 
Closest NHL Friend(s): "Shea Weber."
 
Fiercest Competitors Encountered: "Probably Milan Lucic. He's just a solid player all the way around, he works hard, physical. He tries to keep you on your heels all game and he could put the puck in the net."
 
Most Memorable Goal: "Let's see...I don't know...I don't really have a...nothing really huge to win a Memorial Cup or gold medal game or anything like that. I don't have any of those in my hockey career."
 
Strangest Game: "I was part of the big shootout, Canada and the U.S. in world juniors. That was probably the most odd thing that I've been a part of."

Favorite Sport Outside Hockey: "Golf."
 
Hockey Hero: "Wendel Clark."
 
Funny Hockey Memory: "One of the guys on our team skated out for the start of the game with his skateguards on."
 
Personality Qualities Most Admired: "Just friendly. Kind of easy to talk to, easy to have a conversation with. That's my big thing, I'm an easy going guy so I like people who are that way."

Mark 'Scoop' Malinowski's second book "Marcelo Rios: The Man We Barely Knew" is available on www.amazon.com. Malinowski is the creator of two websites: www.thebiofile.com and www.tennis-prose.com