Ron Francis

Ronald Michael Francis Jr. (born March 1, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He is the general manager of the upcoming Seattle Kraken franchise that plans to play its first season in 2021. Drafted fourth overall in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, Francis played 23 seasons in the NHL for the Hartford Whalers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs. Upon retiring from professional ice hockey in 2004, Francis stood second all-time in career assists (1,249), behind only Wayne Gretzky; fifth in career points (1,798); third in games played (1,731); and 27th in career goals (549).

For other people named Ron Francis, see Ron Francis (disambiguation).

Ron Francis
Hockey Hall of Fame, 2007
Francis in 2006
Born (1963-03-01) March 1, 1963
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for Hartford Whalers
Pittsburgh Penguins
Carolina Hurricanes
Toronto Maple Leafs
National team  Canada
NHL Draft 4th overall, 1981
Hartford Whalers
Playing career 1981–2004

In 2014, Francis was named as the general manager for the Hurricanes, replacing Jim Rutherford, who had been with the franchise ever since the team's move to Raleigh, North Carolina. Two years before, Francis had become a minority owner of the team as part of the five-man investor group, Playmakers Management.[1][2] In March 2018, he was promoted to the president of hockey operations role.[3] His Hurricanes contract was terminated on April 30, 2018.[4] On July 18, 2019, he was hired as the first general manager of the Seattle Kraken.[5]

In 2017, Francis was named one of the hundred greatest NHL players in history.[6]

Playing career

As a youth, Francis played in the 1975 and 1976 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with a minor ice hockey team from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.[7]

Francis was drafted by the Hartford Whalers in the first round, fourth overall, of the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. He was a model of consistency and durability, averaging more than a point a game in over 1,700 games in 23 seasons, and (not counting the lockout-shortened 1994–95 season) averaging just under 77 games played a season. His three Lady Byng Trophies attest to his gentlemanly conduct on and off the ice. Francis stands second all-time in career assists behind Wayne Gretzky with 1,249, fifth in career points (1,798), third in games played (1,731), and twenty-sixth in career goals (549).

Francis played almost ten seasons with the Whalers, serving as captain for almost six and setting nearly every offensive record in franchise history. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 4, 1991 with Ulf Samuelsson and Grant Jennings, in exchange for Jeff Parker, Zarley Zalapski, and John Cullen. The trade became a coup for Pittsburgh, where he centred a formidable second line behind Mario Lemieux, as the Penguins won their first Stanley Cup less than three months later. The threat posed by the Francis-centered second line, formidable in its own right, often required opposing teams to throw their best defenseman against two lines, instead of zeroing in on Lemieux's line, thus creating more opportunities for both top lines. Francis was also known as one of the best face-off men in the NHL in this period, in both the offensive and defensive ends. In power-play and empty-net situations, his key face-off wins often led to Penguin goals.

Francis was indispensable the following year, as Pittsburgh repeated as champions, in leading the team during the absence of Lemieux in the 1992 playoffs – and in scoring the Cup-clinching goal against the Chicago Blackhawks. At the same time, the trade that brought him to Pittsburgh is considered to be one of the most one-sided trades in NHL history (though The Hockey News suggested that Hartford had gotten the better end of the trade at the time);[8] the players Hartford acquired never approached the numbers or impact Francis produced there or with Pittsburgh. Francis would spend seven seasons in Pittsburgh, captaining the team twice, and becoming the first Penguin to win the Selke Trophy in 1995.

Francis returned to his original organization as a free agent for 1998–99, signing with the Carolina Hurricanes (who had moved from Hartford the previous season). He spent the next 5.5 seasons padding his franchise records. He still ranks first all-time in Whalers/Hurricanes history in points, goals, assists and games played. At the time of his retirement, his 1,175 points were more than double those of then-runner up Kevin Dineen. He captained the Hurricanes to a surprise appearance in the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals and scored the winning goal for the Hurricanes in overtime of Game 1, before losing to the Detroit Red Wings in five games.

Francis finished his career with a brief stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs, traded there by the Hurricanes in March 2004 to allow him one last run at the Stanley Cup. He retired from the NHL before the 2005–06 season and assumed a position with the Raleigh Youth Hockey Association.

Management career

In June 2011, Francis assumed the position of director of hockey operations with the Carolina Hurricanes before later being named general manager of the team in 2014. On March 7, 2018, Francis was named president of hockey operations by new Hurricanes' majority owner Thomas Dundon.[3] His Hurricanes contract was terminated on April 30, 2018.[4] On July 18, 2019, Francis was named the first general manager of the Seattle Kraken.

Personal life

Francis is married to the former Mary Lou Robie, a native of Stamford, Connecticut whom he met in Hartford during his tenure with the Whalers. They married in 1986 and have three children: Kaitlyn (b. 1991), Michael (b. 1993), and Connor (b. 1996). Francis is considered a popular sports figure in Hartford, Pittsburgh and Raleigh, and is also noted for his humanitarian and charity work. Francis also has the distinction of being the first ice hockey player inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. Francis was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. He is second cousin with Mike Liut.

Awards and achievements

Francis won two Stanley Cups, in 1990–91 and the following season, with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Statistically, his best season was 1995–96, when he recorded 119 points; that season, he led the NHL in assists, with 92. The previous season, he had not only led the League in assists with 48 over the lockout-shortened, half-season schedule, but became the first player to win both the Frank J. Selke Trophy and the Lady Byng Trophy in the same season.

Francis' Whalers number 10 jersey was raised at the Hartford Civic Center on January 6, 2006 (though not officially retired, the Whalers organization no longer existing in Hartford to retire it), along with Ulf Samuelsson's number 5 and Kevin Dineen's number 11. Additionally, his Hurricanes number 10 jersey was retired by the Carolina organization on January 28, 2006. He was also pictured in the Pittsburgh Penguins Ring of Honor that formerly circled the upper level of the Pittsburgh Civic Arena.

On June 28, 2007, Francis was selected to enter the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot. He was formally inducted on November 12, 2007.

Transactions

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1979–80 Sault Ste. Marie North Stars Midget 455792149— —111122—
1980–81 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds OHL 6426436933 19781534
1981–82 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds OHL 2518304846 —————
1981–82 Hartford Whalers NHL 5925436851 —————
1982–83 Hartford Whalers NHL 7931599060 —————
1983–84 Hartford Whalers NHL 7223608345 —————
1984–85 Hartford Whalers NHL 8024578166 —————
1985–86 Hartford Whalers NHL 5324537724 101234
1986–87 Hartford Whalers NHL 7530639345 62246
1987–88 Hartford Whalers NHL 8025507587 62572
1988–89 Hartford Whalers NHL 6929487736 40220
1989–90 Hartford Whalers NHL 80326910173 73368
1990–91 Hartford Whalers NHL 6721557651 —————
1990–91 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 14291121 247101724
1991–92 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 7021335430 21819276
1992–93 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 84247610068 126111719
1993–94 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 8227669362 60226
1994–95 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 4411485918 12613194
1995–96 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 77279211956 113694
1996–97 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 8127639020 51232
1997–98 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 8125628720 61562
1998–99 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 8221315234 30110
1999–00 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 7823507318 —————
2000–01 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 8215506532 30000
2001–02 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 8027507718 23610166
2002–03 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 8222355730 —————
2003–04 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 6810203014 —————
2003–04 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 1237100 120442
NHL totals 173154912491798979 171469714395

International
Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1985 Canada WC 10 2 5 7 2

See also

References
  1. Hurricanes Announce Five More Ownership Partners
  2. Ron Francis, Four Others Become Minority Owners Of Carolina Hurricanes
  3. Williams, Terrell (March 7, 2018). "Francis Named President of Hockey Operations". NHL.com. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  4. "Hurricanes fire former general manager Ron Francis". CBC Sports. The Associated Press. April 30, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  5. "NHL Seattle names Ron Francis as first general manager of hockey franchise". KOMO-TV. July 18, 2019.
  6. "100 Greatest NHL Players". NHL.com. January 27, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  7. "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
  8. Starkey, Joe. Tales From the Pittsburgh Penguins. p. 98. ISBN 1-58261-199-8.
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