Ron Francis
[edit] BiographyRonald "Ron" Francis (born March 1, 1963 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada), is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centerman who played 23 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Hartford Whalers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs. He now serves as the Hurricanes' Director of Player Development, a role that he assumed in November 2006. In 2007, Francis became the first player in Hurricanes history to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame [edit] Playing careerDrafted in the 1st Round, 4th overall by the Hartford Whalers in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. Francis was a model of consistency, averaging more than a point a game in over 1700 games in 23 seasons. 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, fourth in career points (1,798), third in games played (1,731), and twenty-first in career goals (549). Francis was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 with Ulf Samuelsson for Zarley Zalapski and John Cullen; his trade from the Whalers to the Penguins was considered a coup for Pittsburgh, where he centred a formidable second line behind Mario Lemieux's first line. Francis returned to his original organization as a free agent for 1998-99, signing with the Carolina Hurricanes, and captained the Hurricanes to the 2002 Stanley Cup final where they lost to the Detroit Red Wings. 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 [1]. He won 2 Stanley Cups, the first in 1990-91 and the following season in 1991-92 with Pittsburgh. His best season was 1995-96 when he had 119 points; that season, he led the league in assists with 92. The previous season, he also led the league in assists with 48 over the strike-shortened half-season schedule. His Whalers number #10 was raised at the Hartford Civic Center on January 6, 2006 (though not officially retired, the Whalers organization no longer existing to retire it), along with Ulf Samuelsson's #5 and Kevin Dineen's #11. Additionally his Hurricanes #10 jersey was retired by the Carolina organization on January 28, 2006. [edit] Achievements
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[edit] References[edit] Related Articles[edit] Recent Ron Francis ArmchairGM Stories
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