Ron Francis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ron Francis
Hockey Hall of Fame, 2007
Francis in 2006
Born	(1963-03-01) March 1, 1963 (age 62) 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

Ron Francis (born March 1, 1963) is a famous Canadian ice hockey player and executive. He is currently the general manager for the Seattle Kraken hockey team. Ron spent a lot of his career, 23 years in total, with the Hartford Whalers and Carolina Hurricanes teams. He played for them for 16 years and worked as an executive for 7 years.

Ron was picked fourth overall in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. He played for 23 seasons in the NHL. His teams included the Hartford Whalers (1981–1991), Pittsburgh Penguins (1991-1998), Carolina Hurricanes (1998–2004), and Toronto Maple Leafs (2004). When he stopped playing in 2004, Ron was second in career assists (1,249), only behind Wayne Gretzky. He was also fifth in career points (1,798) and third in games played (1,731). He scored 549 goals in his career.

In 2011, Ron became the director of hockey operations for the Hurricanes. He was promoted to general manager in 2014. He also became a part-owner of the team in 2012. In 2018, he was moved to president of hockey operations, then left the team. On July 18, 2019, he became the very first general manager for the new Seattle Kraken team.

In 2017, Ron Francis was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in the league's first 100 years.

Playing Hockey: Ron's Amazing Career

As a young player, Ron Francis played in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament in 1975 and 1976. He played for a team from his hometown, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Starting with the Whalers

The Hartford Whalers picked Ron in the first round of the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. He was the fourth player chosen overall. Ron was known for being very consistent and playing almost every game. He usually scored more than one point per game over his 23 seasons. He also won three Lady Byng Trophies. This award is given to the player who shows the best sportsmanship and plays fairly.

Ron played almost ten seasons with the Whalers. He was the team's captain for nearly six years. He set many team records for scoring points, goals, and assists.

Winning Cups with the Penguins

On March 4, 1991, Ron was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. This trade also included Ulf Samuelsson and Grant Jennings. In return, the Whalers received Jeff Parker, Zarley Zalapski, and John Cullen. This trade was a huge win for Pittsburgh. Ron became a key player, centering a strong second line behind superstar Mario Lemieux.

Less than three months after Ron joined, the Penguins won their first Stanley Cup. Ron's line was so good that other teams had to use their best defenders against both his line and Lemieux's line. This created more scoring chances for everyone. Ron was also excellent at winning face-offs, which helped the Penguins score many goals.

The next year, Pittsburgh won the Stanley Cup again! Ron was super important, especially when Mario Lemieux was out with an injury. Ron even scored the goal that won the Cup against the Chicago Blackhawks. Many people think the trade that brought Ron to Pittsburgh was one of the best trades in NHL history.

Ron played seven seasons in Pittsburgh. He was the team captain twice. In 1995, he became the first Penguin to win the Frank J. Selke Trophy. This award goes to the best defensive forward.

Returning to Carolina

In 1998, Ron came back to his original team, which was now called the Carolina Hurricanes. The team had moved from Hartford the season before. He spent another five and a half seasons with them, adding to his team records. He is still the all-time leader for the Whalers/Hurricanes in points, goals, assists, and games played.

Ron was the captain when the Hurricanes made a surprise run to the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals. He scored the winning goal in overtime in Game 1. However, the Hurricanes eventually lost to the Detroit Red Wings in five games.

Ron finished his playing career with a short time with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2004. He retired from the NHL before the 2005–06 season.

Ron's Management Career

After retiring as a player, Ron Francis moved into management. In June 2011, he became the director of hockey operations for the Carolina Hurricanes. He was then named the team's general manager in 2014.

In March 2018, Ron was named president of hockey operations. However, his contract with the Hurricanes ended in April 2018. On July 18, 2019, Ron Francis was chosen to be the very first general manager of the new Seattle Kraken team.

Ron's Life Outside of Hockey

Ron Francis was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. He is married to Mary Lou Robie, whom he met in Hartford. They got married in 1986 and have three children: Kaitlyn, Michael, and Connor.

Ron is very popular in Hartford, Pittsburgh, and Raleigh. He is also known for his charity work. He was the first ice hockey player to be put into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.

Awards and Achievements

Ron Francis won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 and 1992. His best season for scoring points was 1995–96, when he had 119 points. That season, he led the NHL in assists with 92. The season before, in 1994–95, he led the league in assists with 48 in a shorter season. He also became the first player to win both the Frank J. Selke Trophy and the Lady Byng Trophy in the same season!

Ron's number 10 jersey was honored by the Hartford Whalers on January 6, 2006. His number 10 jersey was also retired by the Carolina Hurricanes on January 28, 2006.

On June 28, 2007, Ron Francis was chosen to enter the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He was officially inducted on November 12, 2007.

• NHL All-Star Game – 1983, 1985, 1990, 1996
• Stanley Cup champion – 1991, 1992
• NHL Plus-Minus Award – 1995
• Frank J. Selke Trophy – 1995
• Lady Byng Trophy – 1995, 1998, 2002
• King Clancy Memorial Trophy – 2002
• Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007
• 5th all-time in regular season NHL points (1,798 points)
• 28th all-time in regular season NHL goals (549 goals)
• 2nd all-time in regular season NHL assists (1,249 assists)
• 4th all-time in NHL regular season games played (1,731 games)

Important Career Moves

• June 10, 1981: Drafted 4th overall by the Hartford Whalers in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft.
• March 4, 1991: Traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins with Grant Jennings and Ulf Samuelsson. The Whalers received John Cullen, Jeff Parker, and Zarley Zalapski.
• July 13, 1998: Signed a four-year contract as a free agent with the Carolina Hurricanes.
• July 29, 2002: Signed a new two-year contract with Carolina.
• March 9, 2004: Traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Hurricanes received a 4th round pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.
• September 14, 2005: Announced his retirement from the NHL after 22 seasons.

See also

• List of NHL statistical leaders
• List of NHL players with 1,000 points
• Notable families in the NHL
• List of NHL players with 500 goals
• List of NHL players with 100 point seasons
• List of NHL career assists leaders
• List of NHL players with 1,000 games played