Ron Francis

Ron Francis was a Hall of Fame Canadian centre who won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins and finished his career second all-time in NHL assists.

Ronald Michael Francis was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario in 1963. Hartford Whalers selected him fourth overall in the 1981 NHL Draft. His 23-season career produced 549 goals and 1,249 assists for 1,798 career points — the fourth-highest total in NHL history. He won two Stanley Cup championships with the Pittsburgh Penguins (1991, 1992). He won four Lady Byng Trophies for sportsmanship and gentlemanly play. He won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward in 1995. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007 and named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in 2017. He was traded from Hartford to Pittsburgh in March 1991 — a trade that directly contributed to Pittsburgh's first championship that same year. His consistency — never missing significant time to injury, always producing at 90+ points per season for a decade — makes him one of the most quietly excellent players in NHL history. He became general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes after retirement and built the team that won the Stanley Cup in 2006.

Francis was renowned for his exceptional vision and playmaking ability, consistently setting up teammates with precise passes. He possessed outstanding hockey intelligence and was known for his ability to control the pace of the game from the center position. Francis was also respected for his two-way play and leadership qualities throughout his career.

Francis is remembered as one of the greatest playmakers in NHL history and set the standard for consistency and longevity at the center position.

• 2x Stanley Cup (1991, 1992)
• Selke Trophy
• 3x Lady Byng Trophy
• Hockey Hall of Fame 2007