Franklin invites neophyte player Skunk to join his side in a neighborhood hockey game, but he soon regrets it. Skunk can't skate fast, or pass the puck, or shoot on net. Because of Skunk, Franklin's team loses the game--an unacceptable result for Franklin, who is used to winning.

When Franklin and Bear and their fathers go on a canoe trip, they must swallow their disappointment and search for a less crowded place to explore.

Franklin, attending his first meeting of the Woodland Trailblazers, is dismayed to learn it is going to take some time to earn badges, but by the end of the evening, he has had so much fun, he is glad to have a reason to keep coming back.

Franklin has difficulty adjusting to his old friend Otter because they have grown older and don't share the same interests. Can they be friends again?