CHRIS
FRANK
Western Michigan
So. | D | Lynnwood, Wash.
Frank's size comes in handy in clearing out the
slot in front of the Broncos' net.
Key Statistics: Of Frank’s
numbers, one stands out because of its grandeur and
one stands out because of its modesty. He amassed a
monstrous 127 penalty minutes as a freshman, averaging
nearly one and a half calls against him per game. All
the while, he totaled just four points on two goals
and two assists. But Frank the Tank, as he’s hailed
by the “Old School”-ish Lawson Lunatics,
wasn’t lured to Kalamazoo for his scoring touch.
What He Does: In a sentence, he punishes
people. Frank is every bit the hitter that Michigan's
Jack Johnson is, just without the offensive success.
And while Johnson has developed a reputation as a nasty
player, Frank plays a clean, physical game. He said
he could count his elbowing and slashing penalties –
i.e. malicious infractions – from last season
on one hand. Where he gets in trouble is with holding
and hooking in the whistle-happy CCHA. If you’re
wearing an opposing sweater, just remember that big
No. 2 isn’t trying to hurt you, but he is trying
to hit you at all times.
The Bigger Picture: Entering
his sophomore season, Frank wants to cut down on his
penalties and improve upon his plus/minus number, which
he considers his most important stat. Last year, it
was an ugly minus-23 as Western Michigan as a team wallowed
near the bottom of the conference standings. Frank,
drafted this summer by the Phoenix Coyotes, has dropped
10 pounds since he stepped on campus, bringing him down
to a svelte 230 pounds on his 6-foot-1 frame. He hopes
that will help his quickness and agility, and allow
him to stay in position more often. He also hopes that
the Broncos can move up into the middle tier of the
standings despite the loss of star forward Brent Walton.
Frank on his penchant for penalties:
"A lot of the calls against me seem to come when
I hit a guy, and maybe the ref sees it out of the corner
of his eye and feels obligated to make a call because
the guy is on the ice. The coaches have told me that
if I get a penalty for hammering somebody under the
chin, that’s OK. If I can take advantage of a
guy looking the other way on the ice, I’m going
to do it. I play the body at every point I can.”
