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3 possible destinations for Cody Franson

Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports / USA TODAY Sports

The excitement of free agency has died down considerably since July 1, but there are still some big fish in the sea. Among them is defenseman Cody Franson.

After speculation ahead of the July 1 frenzy that as many as five teams were interested in the 27-year-old, most of them have found other options to fill out their back ends. However, that doesn't mean no club would benefit from Franson's services.

Here are three possible destinations that could use Cody Franson.

New Jersey Devils

For a team that was the poster child for defensive play in the league for so long, a simple look at the New Jersey Devils' roster makes it clear the team's D-corps is not what it once was.

Andy Greene is the only player in the Devils' defense core that has notable experience. After to the 32-year-old Greene, the team has no defensemen over the age of 25.

John Moore (24), Eric Gelinas (24), Adam Larsson (22), Jon Merrill (23), and Damon Severson (20) are all that stand in front of netminder Cory Schneider.

Franson could realistically jump right into the team's top pairing. He has six years of experience and could also help mentor some of the younger members of the Devils' blue line. He'd also prove the best offensive option for New Jersey at the defense position.

Buffalo Sabres

Having finished just slightly ahead of the Edmonton Oilers in goals against this season, giving up 3.28 per game, it's obvious that the Buffalo Sabres need some help on defense.

The biggest names on the Sabres' defensive depth chart are Zach Bogosian and Josh Gorges, suggesting there's much room for improvement. Gorges battled injuries last season, suiting up in just 46 contests, but still managing a disastrous minus-28 rating.

The Sabres lack a blue-liner who can contribute any considerable amount of offense, with Bogosian's career high of 10 goals coming back during the 2009-10 season and no defender doing any better.

Enter Franson: the 6-foot-5, 213-pounder would bring size, strength, and skill to a defense core lacking all three. Franson can be a stabilizing body on the back end, and with an upgraded forward contingent including the likes of Ryan O'Reilly, Evander Kane, and Jack Eichel, he's a defenseman capable of making breakout passes. The Sabres and Franson could be a perfect match.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins were pretty thin on defense even before veteran blue-liner Paul Martin decided to take his talents to San Jose.

With Martin out of the mix and Christian Ehrhoff not re-signed, the Penguins' back end lacks many reliable names.

Next to Kris Letang, the Penguins have Rob Scuderi, Ian Cole, Ben Lovejoy, Olli Maatta, and Tim Erixon to man the blue line. Letang and Lovejoy are the only right-handed shots among the Penguins' defenders, so adding Franson would give the team another look from the right side.

The Penguins were reportedly among the teams who kicked the tires on Franson prior to free agency. With Martin's departure, one would expect they're still interested, especially as the number of available defensemen is now much lower.

Franson could add to a team whose biggest strength is their offense, but he can also help clear the crease in front of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.

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