Emile Francis
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1982 (Builder)
Francis with the New York Rangers, 1973
Born (1926-09-13)September 13, 1926
North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died February 19, 2022(2022-02-19) (aged 95)
West Palm Beach, Florida, United States
Height 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Weight 155 lb (70 kg; 11 st 1 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for Chicago Black Hawks
New York Rangers
Playing career 1943–1960

Emile Percival Francis[1] (September 13, 1926 – February 19, 2022), nicknamed "The Cat",[2] was a Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and general manager in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Chicago Black Hawks and New York Rangers from 1946 to 1952. After playing minor league hockey until 1960, he became the Rangers assistant general manager in 1962 and later general manager of the Rangers, St. Louis Blues and Hartford Whalers from 1964 to 1989. Francis led the Rangers to nine consecutive playoffs appearances (1967-75), but could not help deliver a Stanley Cup championship in five decades as a player, coach and executive.

Early life

Francis was born in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, on September 13, 1926.[3] He was raised by his mother, Yvonne Francis, after his father died when he was eight years old. One of his uncles taught him how to play ice hockey.[4] Francis enlisted in the Canadian military when he was 16, and enrolled in non-commissioned officers' school, with the option to attend the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario. However as the Second World War just ended he decided to return to hockey, and went to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan instead.[5] Francis also played baseball as a youth, and would manage a team in North Battleford. He later recalled he accepted the position as he felt it "would give [him] more experience as far as handling people went, and all that."[6]

Playing career

Francis began his professional career in 1943–44 with the Philadelphia Falcons of the Eastern Hockey League.[7] He later acquired his nickname "the Cat" while playing for the Moose Jaw Canucks of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League during the 1945–46 season, when a sportswriter described him as "quick as a cat".[4] During the autumn of 1946, he was given an invitation to participate in the training camp of the Chicago Black Hawks – the sponsor club of the Canucks – held in Regina.[8] In the middle of the 1946–47 season, he was called up to play in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Black Hawks.[4] He led the league in losses (30) and goals against (183) the following year.[9] He ultimately played 73 games with the franchise over those two seasons.[4] His unique use of a catching mitt based upon the design of a baseball first baseman's glove drew the attention of league officials. Francis argued that the popular gloves of the time put too much strain on the hand of goalkeepers, and, after gaining executive approval, equipment based on Francis's glove became commonplace.[4][8]

In October 1948, Francis was traded with Alex Kaleta to the New York Rangers in exchange for Jim Henry.[9] Over the next four years, he would play sparingly in a relief role for the Rangers,[9] while playing mostly on New York's American Hockey League affiliate.[7] He finished his career in the Western Hockey League, including stints with the Vancouver Canucks, Saskatoon Quakers, and Seattle Americans.[7][10] Francis retired from playing at the conclusion of the 1959–60 season.[4]

Coaching and executive career

Upon retirement in 1960, Francis initially was asked to coach in Moose Jaw, but without a firm agreement in place he declined the offer.[11] Sought after for his leadership skills,[8] he instead joined the Rangers organization; offered a choice to coach their senior affiliate in Trois Rivieres, Quebec or junior team in Guelph, Ontario, he chose Guelph and became the coach of the Ontario Hockey Association's Guelph Royals.[12] Two years later, he was summoned to the Rangers and became assistant general manager, and in 1964, he took over as general manager, and then a year later assumed the coaching position as well.[13] Although he coached a struggling team during his first season, Francis would remain behind the bench for ten seasons (except for brief moves to a solely front office position in 1968 and 1973), making the playoffs in each year and leading his team to a loss in the 1972 Stanley Cup Finals.[4][8] However, his decision on October 31, 1975, to release Eddie Giacomin – who was popular with Rangers fans – drew their ire. When Giacomin returned to Madison Square Garden two days later as a Detroit Red Wings player, some fans chanted "Kill the Cat".[4]

After being fired by the Rangers in January 1976, Francis joined the St. Louis Blues as general manager and executive vice president, and accepted a 10% ownership stake in the team.[14] When NHL president Clarence Campbell announced he would retire in the mid-1970s, Francis was touted as a potential successor (John Ziegler ultimately replaced Campbell in 1977).[15] He was instrumental in finding a local owner for the financially troubled franchise in the early 1980s, and he also returned to the bench for two separate head coaching stints. In 1983 Francis took a position with the Hartford Whalers, serving as general manager until 1988 and team president from 1988 until 1993.[4][8]

Later life

In retirement, Francis supported junior hockey in the New York and St. Louis markets.[16] He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982 under the builders category. He was conferred the Lester Patrick Trophy that same year, in recognition of his contributions to hockey in the United States.[4] He later received the Wayne Gretzky International Award in 2015.[17][18]

Personal life

Francis met his wife Emma while in Saskatchewan, where she was studying to become a nurse. They were married for 68 years, until her death in 2020.[3] Together, they had two sons: Bobby and Rick.[4] Bobby was head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes and won the Jack Adams Award in 2002.[4][10] Rick was the vice president of marketing and sales for the Whalers.[4] In September 2007, Emma was reported missing after dropping Emile off at the Palm Beach International Airport for a flight to New Jersey. Neighbors reported not seeing Emma return home after driving to the airport. She was later found safe in a local hotel several days later.[19]

Francis died on February 19, 2022, at the age of 95.[4][16][20]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPWLTMinGASOGAA GPWLTMinGASOGAA
1941–42 North Battleford Beavers SJHL-N 40402403408.50 ————————
1942–43 North Battleford Beavers SJHL-N ———————— ————————
1943–44 Philadelphia Falcons EAHL 14———8407805.57 ————————
1944–45 Washington Lions EAHL 36———216024306.75 81614795707.12
1945–46 Moose Jaw Canucks SJHL-S 18180010805503.06 4400240812.00
1945–46 Regina Capitals WCSHL 1———60505.00 ————————
1945–46 Moose Jaw Canucks M-Cup ———————— 84404803804.75
1946–47 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 196121114010405.47 ————————
1946–47 Regina Capitals WCSHL 32———192014804.63 ————————
1947–48 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 5419305324018313.39 ————————
1947–48 Kansas City Pla-Mors USHL 73224202413.42 ————————
1948–49 New York Rangers NHL 2200120402.00 ————————
1948–49 New Haven Ramblers AHL 4915277294020344.14 ————————
1949–50 New York Rangers NHL 101060808.00 ————————
1949–50 New Haven Ramblers AHL 68223610408024613.62 ————————
1950–51 New York Rangers NHL 51212601403.23 ————————
1950–51 Cincinnati Mohawks AHL 5320267328016723.05 633—3601803.00
1951–52 New York Rangers NHL 144738404102.93 ————————
1951–52 Cincinnati Mohawks AHL 5124225316016243.08 ————————
1952–53 Vancouver Canucks WHL 70322810420021653.08 945—5503003.27
1953–54 Cleveland Barons AHL 6537280390020453.14 972—5402803.11
1954–55 Cleveland Barons AHL 5728263342020423.58 312—1581204.56
1955–56 Saskatoon Quakers WHL 6827338418523953.43 303—1801705.67
1956–57 Seattle Americans WHL 6835276416721443.08 624—3582003.35
1957–58 Vancouver Canucks WHL 6718472404029424.37 ————————
1958–59 Spokane Spokes WHL 6825376415026913.89 413—2401604.00
1959–60 Spokane Comets WHL 6819463408030004.41 ————————
1959–60 Seattle Totems WHL 110060202.00 ————————
NHL totals 95325210566035413.75 ————————
  • Source: Total Hockey[21]

Coaching record

TeamYearRegular seasonPost season
GWLTPtsFinishResult
New York Rangers1965–66 5013316326th in NHLMissed playoffs
New York Rangers1966–67 70302812724th in NHLLost in semi-finals
New York Rangers1967–68 74392312902nd in EastLost in Quarter-finals
New York Rangers1968–69 331986423rd in EastLost in quarter-finals
New York Rangers1969–70 76382216924th in EastLost in quarter-finals
New York Rangers1970–71 784918111092nd in EastLost in semi-finals
New York Rangers1971–72 784817131092nd in EastLost in Cup Final
New York Rangers1972–73 78472381023rd in EastLost in semi-finals
New York Rangers1973–74 3722105493rd in EastLost in semi-finals
New York Rangers1974–75 80372914882nd in PatrickLost in preliminary round
St. Louis Blues1976–77 8032399731st in SmytheLost in quarter-finals
St. Louis Blues1981–82 12462103rd in NorrisLost in Division Finals
St. Louis Blues1982–83 3210193234th in Norris(returned to GM's position)
Total778388273117
  • Source: Total Hockey[22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ National Hockey League Guide and Record Book 1974-75 pg. 233
  2. ↑ "Emile Francis New York Rangers - 2014-2015 Stats - New York Rangers - All Time Roster". Rangers.nhl.com. Archived from the original on July 23, 2015. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  3. 1 2 Stubbs 2022
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Goldstein 2022
  5. ↑ Irvin 1993, p. 50
  6. ↑ Irvin 1993, p. 51
  7. 1 2 3 "Emile Francis Hockey Stats and Profile". HockeyDB. The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "Spotlight – One on One with Emile Francis". Hockey Hall of Fame. December 4, 2009. Archived from the original on April 12, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  9. 1 2 3 "Emile Francis Stats". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  10. 1 2 "Francis, Emile - Biography - Honoured Builder". Legends of Hockey. June 30, 1993. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  11. ↑ Irvin 1993, p. 52
  12. ↑ Irvin 1993, p. 53
  13. ↑ Irvin 1993, p. 55
  14. ↑ Irvin 1993, pp. 64–65
  15. ↑ Jenish 2013, p. 247
  16. 1 2 National Hockey League 2022
  17. ↑ Saracini, Dustin (January 4, 2016). "Emile Francis receives prestigious award". Battleford News-Optimist. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  18. ↑ Morreale 2015
  19. ↑ "Wife Of NHL Hall Of Famer Missing - West Palm Beach News Story - WPBF West Palm Beach". Archived from the original on July 9, 2011. Retrieved October 3, 2007.
  20. ↑ "Hockey Hall of Famer Emile Francis dies at 95". Associated Press. February 20, 2022. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  21. ↑ Diamond 2002, p. 1827
  22. ↑ Diamond 2002, p. 1925

Bibliography

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