Ron Francis

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Ronald Michael Francis Jr. (born March 1, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current executive in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played 23 seasons for the Hartford Whalers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes, and Toronto Maple Leafs. He currently serves as a special advisor in hockey operations for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Drafted fourth overall in the 1981 NHL entry draft, Francis quickly became a star for the Whalers, where he served as captain from 1985 to 1990 before he was part of a blockbuster trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He would play the next seven years with the team and served as a key part of consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992 while being awarded the Frank J. Selke Trophy in 1995 and winning the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for his sportsmanship in 1995, 1998, and 2003. He signed as a free agent with the Carolina Hurricanes prior to the 1998–99 season and became team captain in 1999, which saw him awarded the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for his leadership in 2002, the same year when he became only the fifth player in NHL history with both 500 goals and 1,000 assists. He was traded late in the 2003–04 season to the Maple Leafs, where he played his final games. A few months after the end of the 2004–05 NHL lockout, he announced his retirement as a player. A consistent playmaker, Francis retired at the time as second in career assists (1,249), behind only Wayne Gretzky; fourth in career points (1,798); third in games played (1,731); and 19th in career goals (549). Carolina retired his number 10 jersey in 2006, the first Hurricane to receive the honor in franchise history. In 2006, Francis was hired by the Carolina Hurricanes as director of player development...