Ron Francis
| Ron Francis | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hockey Hall of Fame, 2007 | |||
 |
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| Born |
March 1, 1963 Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada |
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| 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 |
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| National team |
 Canada
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| NHL Draft | 4th overall, 1981 Hartford Whalers |
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| Playing career | 1981–2004 | ||
Ronald Michael Francis Jr. (born March 1, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre and the current general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). 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).
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.
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, fourth in career points (1,798), third in games played (1,731), and twenty-sixth in career goals (549). On January 27, 2017, in a ceremony during the All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, Francis was part of the second group of players to be named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.
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