Official Hockey discussion thread
- Thread starter IronDuke
- Start date
True, but they're still the Leafs. They're still wasting over 7 mil on McCabe and another 6 on Kaberle. It's not a good team. And don't forget they signed Jason Blake, who is 34 and has one good season.
Onhell
Infinite Dreamer
I KNOW!!! Man do I hate when people make such big hoople over shit like that. One good look at Blake and frankly last season he got lucky. Had he been doing that for the past 3 season, well, then it's a different story (like Heatly having TWO 50 goal seasons or Ovechkin having a 100 + season and a 90+ the next). Fucking analyst look more like celebrity papparazzi than, well, analysts.
Genghis Khan
Ancient Mariner
I wish Blake well on his road to recovery. This article makes it seem like the leukemia is not that big of a deal -- at least from his perspective. He will apparently miss no games, though I wish he would ONLY to screw up the Maple Leafs whom I do not love.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iCUSy27hAJPDR3X7sY4U2-AfOavQD8S592500
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iCUSy27hAJPDR3X7sY4U2-AfOavQD8S592500
Once again, the Leafs sign a winner.
, how were they suppose to know about that? Cancer is a mutation so he could have had it for a while, or it could be as recent as the piece of news....
They got a backup, a cancer patient, and a criminal over the summer. Come *on*!
Mark Bell. He has to serve his next 6 months of offseason time in California prison - supposed to be split over 2 summers - drunken driving and I believe reckless endangerment.
Of course, considering he's going to get 4 full months offseason time with the Leafs, and they usually let you out after serving 2/3rds of your sentence, he should be done in one offseason
Of course, considering he's going to get 4 full months offseason time with the Leafs, and they usually let you out after serving 2/3rds of your sentence, he should be done in one offseason
Onhell
Infinite Dreamer
Another fellow Goalie!!! I played in my younger years (12-17 lol) but I don't have much time anymore. I still skate, but I do want to get back into it. I played Roller Hockey, because there wasn't much ice in Mexico (and now Arizona lol) and rinks are expensive! So is the equipment... Hockey is definitely a rich person's sport 
Onhell
Infinite Dreamer
Lemieux took on all opponents, even cancer, and won
Rocky Bonanno | NHL.com Staff Writer
Oct 23, 2007, 11:45 AM EDT
On the final day of his radiation treatments, Mario Lemieux scored a goal and an assist.
In a season when he was at his most dominating, seemingly nothing could stop Mario Lemieux. Not the toughest defensemen, not the best checking lines, not the swiftest forecheckers, not the most innovative head coach. Nothing…not even cancer.
In 1992-93, Lemieux was in his ninth season and already one of the most popular athletes in Pittsburgh sports history. He was captain, and the Penguins were the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion. Lemieux, who was leading the League in scoring, was making a run at Wayne Gretzky’s single-season records for goals and points when the shocking news came on Jan. 12 -- Lemieux was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease.
He was forced to leave the Penguins for nearly two months and undergo radiation treatments that would rob him of his strength. Hockey fans worldwide wondered if they would ever again enjoy the artistry and skill of “Super Mario.”
“I certainly got a lot of support from the community, especially my teammates. We were all very close in the early ‘90s, especially when we were winning Stanley Cups together,” said Lemieux. “Of course my family was there for me always, many friends and players from around the League, during my battle with cancer. They were certainly an important part in me beating this terrible disease.”
Cancer fared no better in stopping Lemieux than any opponent placed in his way. In one of the most amazing feats of his mind-boggling career, Lemieux underwent his final radiation treatment on the morning of March 2, flew to Philadelphia later that day to join his teammates and scored a goal and an assist in a 5-4 loss to the Flyers, receiving a standing ovation from the Spectrum audience.
Hockey Fights Cancer Guide:
* Purchase 'Relections'
* 'Reflections' NHL Connect page
* NHL, NHLPA celebrate 10th anniversary of Hockey Fights Cancer
* More info on Hockey Fights Cancer
As if that wasn’t enough, the Penguins and Lemieux caught fire the remainder of the season. From March 9 through April 10, Pittsburgh won an NHL-record 17 consecutive games en route to finishing first overall with 119 points.
When Lemieux returned to action, he found himself trailing Pat LaFontaine of Buffalo by 12 points in the race for the scoring crown. He eventually pulled into first place to capture his second consecutive Art Ross Trophy with 160 points (69 goals, 91 assists) in only 60 games. Lemieux’s points-per-game average of 2.67 is third-best in NHL history, trailing only Gretzky of 1983-84 (2.77) and 1985-86 (2.69).
Lemieux’s successful battle with Hodgkin’s disease changed his life forever. Not long after his triumphant return to the ice, he founded the Mario Lemieux Foundation to fund medical research in the cure for cancer.
The Foundation awarded a $5 million gift to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to establish the Mario Lemieux Centers for Patient Care and Research in 2001, and a $2 million gift to the Children’s Home of Pittsburgh in 2005.
The Mario Lemieux Foundation has also established the Austin Lemieux Neonatal Research Project, in honor of Mario and Nathalie Lemieux’s son, who was born prematurely, but is now healthy. This grant supports research at Pittsburgh’s Magee-Womens Hospital in their division of Neonatology and Developmental Biology.
The Mario Lemieux Foundation also supports organizations such as the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the Leukemia Society, the Lupus Foundation, and the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
After successfully beating Hodgkin's disease, Mario Lemieux created the Mario Lemieux Foundation to help raise funds and awareness for cancer.
“Raising money is vital to everything we do,” said Lemieux. “It’s always difficult to go out and raise money, but we need to do it to give the researchers the best possible tools to find the cure, and I know they’ll find that cure one day.”
Lemieux, who is now Chairman of the team, and the Penguins will host a Hockey Fights Cancer Awareness Night on Tuesday, Oct. 23 at Mellon Arena against the New York Rangers. That same day, Chicago will also hold cancer awareness initiatives at its home game against Columbus.
Hockey Fights Cancer is a joint charitable initiative founded in December 1998 by the National Hockey League and NHL Players’ Association and supported by NHL member clubs, NHL Alumni, the NHL Officials’ Association, Professional Hockey Athletic Trainers and Equipment Managers, corporate marketing partners, broadcast partners and fans throughout North America. Hockey Fights Cancer is committed to raising money and awareness for hockey’s most important fight. To date, more than $9 million has been raised to support cancer research.
Lemieux’s inspirational message is just one of many found in the dedication to “Reflections on a Hockey Season – the 2007 NHL Year in Photographs.” The NHL and the NHL Players’ Association, together with Getty Images and Greystone Books, teamed to publish “Reflections,” the first of an annual visual celebration. The book chronicles the highlights and candid, behind-the-scenes images from the 2006-07 NHL season. Dedications from Wayne Gretzky, Saku Koivu, Bob Gainey, Phil Kessel and Paul Stewart are also included, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Hockey Fights Cancer. The book is now available on shop.nhl.com and in NHL Club stores. “Reflections” can also be found in retail stores beginning Oct. 22. Copies autographed by team captains will be auctioned at auction.nhl.com.
“The most important thing to do is stay positive,” said Lemieux. “You need the support of friends and family to remain positive and look to the future and not dwell on the present. It is difficult to fight this terrible disease, but you can get through this.”
***
His nickname ("Super Mario") is so appropriate it's scary...
Rocky Bonanno | NHL.com Staff Writer
Oct 23, 2007, 11:45 AM EDT
On the final day of his radiation treatments, Mario Lemieux scored a goal and an assist.
In a season when he was at his most dominating, seemingly nothing could stop Mario Lemieux. Not the toughest defensemen, not the best checking lines, not the swiftest forecheckers, not the most innovative head coach. Nothing…not even cancer.
In 1992-93, Lemieux was in his ninth season and already one of the most popular athletes in Pittsburgh sports history. He was captain, and the Penguins were the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion. Lemieux, who was leading the League in scoring, was making a run at Wayne Gretzky’s single-season records for goals and points when the shocking news came on Jan. 12 -- Lemieux was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease.
He was forced to leave the Penguins for nearly two months and undergo radiation treatments that would rob him of his strength. Hockey fans worldwide wondered if they would ever again enjoy the artistry and skill of “Super Mario.”
“I certainly got a lot of support from the community, especially my teammates. We were all very close in the early ‘90s, especially when we were winning Stanley Cups together,” said Lemieux. “Of course my family was there for me always, many friends and players from around the League, during my battle with cancer. They were certainly an important part in me beating this terrible disease.”
Cancer fared no better in stopping Lemieux than any opponent placed in his way. In one of the most amazing feats of his mind-boggling career, Lemieux underwent his final radiation treatment on the morning of March 2, flew to Philadelphia later that day to join his teammates and scored a goal and an assist in a 5-4 loss to the Flyers, receiving a standing ovation from the Spectrum audience.
Hockey Fights Cancer Guide:
* Purchase 'Relections'
* 'Reflections' NHL Connect page
* NHL, NHLPA celebrate 10th anniversary of Hockey Fights Cancer
* More info on Hockey Fights Cancer
As if that wasn’t enough, the Penguins and Lemieux caught fire the remainder of the season. From March 9 through April 10, Pittsburgh won an NHL-record 17 consecutive games en route to finishing first overall with 119 points.
When Lemieux returned to action, he found himself trailing Pat LaFontaine of Buffalo by 12 points in the race for the scoring crown. He eventually pulled into first place to capture his second consecutive Art Ross Trophy with 160 points (69 goals, 91 assists) in only 60 games. Lemieux’s points-per-game average of 2.67 is third-best in NHL history, trailing only Gretzky of 1983-84 (2.77) and 1985-86 (2.69).
Lemieux’s successful battle with Hodgkin’s disease changed his life forever. Not long after his triumphant return to the ice, he founded the Mario Lemieux Foundation to fund medical research in the cure for cancer.
The Foundation awarded a $5 million gift to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to establish the Mario Lemieux Centers for Patient Care and Research in 2001, and a $2 million gift to the Children’s Home of Pittsburgh in 2005.
The Mario Lemieux Foundation has also established the Austin Lemieux Neonatal Research Project, in honor of Mario and Nathalie Lemieux’s son, who was born prematurely, but is now healthy. This grant supports research at Pittsburgh’s Magee-Womens Hospital in their division of Neonatology and Developmental Biology.
The Mario Lemieux Foundation also supports organizations such as the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the Leukemia Society, the Lupus Foundation, and the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
After successfully beating Hodgkin's disease, Mario Lemieux created the Mario Lemieux Foundation to help raise funds and awareness for cancer.
“Raising money is vital to everything we do,” said Lemieux. “It’s always difficult to go out and raise money, but we need to do it to give the researchers the best possible tools to find the cure, and I know they’ll find that cure one day.”
Lemieux, who is now Chairman of the team, and the Penguins will host a Hockey Fights Cancer Awareness Night on Tuesday, Oct. 23 at Mellon Arena against the New York Rangers. That same day, Chicago will also hold cancer awareness initiatives at its home game against Columbus.
Hockey Fights Cancer is a joint charitable initiative founded in December 1998 by the National Hockey League and NHL Players’ Association and supported by NHL member clubs, NHL Alumni, the NHL Officials’ Association, Professional Hockey Athletic Trainers and Equipment Managers, corporate marketing partners, broadcast partners and fans throughout North America. Hockey Fights Cancer is committed to raising money and awareness for hockey’s most important fight. To date, more than $9 million has been raised to support cancer research.
Lemieux’s inspirational message is just one of many found in the dedication to “Reflections on a Hockey Season – the 2007 NHL Year in Photographs.” The NHL and the NHL Players’ Association, together with Getty Images and Greystone Books, teamed to publish “Reflections,” the first of an annual visual celebration. The book chronicles the highlights and candid, behind-the-scenes images from the 2006-07 NHL season. Dedications from Wayne Gretzky, Saku Koivu, Bob Gainey, Phil Kessel and Paul Stewart are also included, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Hockey Fights Cancer. The book is now available on shop.nhl.com and in NHL Club stores. “Reflections” can also be found in retail stores beginning Oct. 22. Copies autographed by team captains will be auctioned at auction.nhl.com.
“The most important thing to do is stay positive,” said Lemieux. “You need the support of friends and family to remain positive and look to the future and not dwell on the present. It is difficult to fight this terrible disease, but you can get through this.”
***
His nickname ("Super Mario") is so appropriate it's scary...
Onhell
Infinite Dreamer
New Hockeytown, USA
By Ross McKeon, Yahoo! Sports
November 1, 2007
Ross McKeon
Yahoo! Sports
Also: Detroit's Hockeytown blues
If Detroit isn't Hockeytown anymore, then what is?
First off, let's make this perfectly clear: We're talking south of the Canadian border. The six most passionate NHL hockey markets include – in no particular order – Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.
Hockey is a religion and then some in the Great White North, and there's nothing wrong with that in our book. We just wish there were more NHL outposts in Canada. If you've never taken in a game there, put it on your to-do list. All six markets are different, and a trip to any of them is worth every cent.
ADVERTISEMENT
But back to the task at hand: Choosing a new destination we can call Hockeytown, USA. Taking into consideration attendance, fan loyalty, a cozy relationship between the team and its region, a city that's just right for the NHL, and our choice is pretty clear. Saint Paul, Minn., home of the Minnesota Wild, fits the bill.
Buffalo, Long Island, Denver, Boston, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have all had their moments both recently and long ago, but the rejuvenated market in Minnesota gets our vote.
Since opening the doors of the well-appointed Xcel Energy Center (more on that later) in downtown Saint Paul on Sept. 29, 2000, the Wild have attracted 282 consecutive sellouts – that's every exhibition (21), regular-season (251) and playoff (10) match.
Every single game, through Tuesday night, has sold out for all of their six-plus seasons. Amazing.
Total attendance during that span is 5,214,206 for an average of 18,490 per game in a building that lists capacity at 18,064. The Wild have announced the attendance for their first six regular-season dates this year at 18,568 each.
Minnesota is a great example of getting a second chance and making the most of it.
As recently as 1993, the Minnesota North Stars played in Bloomington, which neighbors Minneapolis of the Twin Cities region bordered by the Mississippi, Minnesota and St. Croix rivers. Part of the 1967 expansion that doubled the league in size from the Original 6 to 12 teams, Minnesota struggled to carve a niche while competing for passionate fans of college, high school and youth hockey in the region.
Just four years after the franchise relocated to Dallas, the league made the wise choice in 1997 to grant St. Paul an expansion franchise that would begin play in 2000. The State of Hockey is once again complete, from youth through the pros.
The lodge-like feel of the Wild's home rink combines everything that is important to Minnesota hockey. Hockey sweaters of approximately 200 high school teams hang from the interior concourse that rings the building – all of the boys' programs and about one-third of the girls'.
The aura inside is pure hockey, with appropriate references to the history of the game during pre-game festivities. One never gets tired of the game presentation, which often feels forced or over-the-top at many of the other newer U.S. venues.
Fans know they can often find players from visiting teams making the short walk from the arena to the stately Saint Paul Hotel just across the street. Fourteen of 19 teams that visit the Wild this season plan at least one stay there, including all but one of the 14 opponents in the Western Conference.
Many of the downtown shops, restaurants and bars in St. Paul recognize the Wild with strong support, and two newspapers travel with the team during a time in which print outlets are cutting costs.
St. Paul is the best, and here's the rest:
Runner-up: Buffalo. Unfortunate timing for Buffalo, which had a 45-game regular-season sellout streak snapped Oct. 15 when 18,217 (475 under capacity) turned out for rival Toronto's appearance. Ravenous Sabres fans came as a group of 18,690 for 62 straight games including the playoffs. The recent streak fell well short of Buffalo's franchise mark of 358 straight sellouts (including playoffs) from Oct. 15, 1972-Nov. 12, 1980 at the Memorial Auditorium. When there's not enough seating during the playoffs, large video screens are erected outdoors where thousands of fans watch in front of the 11-year-old, state-of-the-art HSBC Arena in downtown Buffalo.
Dethroned champ: Detroit. A revived economy, new marketing strategies and a schedule that features more Eastern Conference visits will turn things around.
Will always have our respect: Colorado, Long Island, Philadelphia. Knowledgeable fans who care and good surroundings. We don't care that the building is old on The Island, it has a certain charm and character lost with all the newer ones.
Pretty darn good, in their own way: Boston, Dallas, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, San Jose. Good support from fans and media when things are going good, but have to compete for attention with popular nearby pro sports franchises (i.e. football, baseball) much of the time.
Jury is still out: Anaheim, Chicago, Nashville. One is on top, one is on the outs and the other might be movin' on. And there doesn't seem to be much of a fuss with any of the three scenarios.
They are what they are: Los Angeles, New Jersey, New York City, Washington. All big metro centers where there's strong competition for disposable income. Hard to carve out a niche and claim to be No. 1 compared to everything else that's going on.
Nice try, but this doesn't really work: Florida, Phoenix, Tampa Bay. Non-traditional markets that might join the endangered list after attention is diverted from Nashville.
Why, exactly?: Atlanta, Carolina, Columbus. NASCAR and college athletics dominate. Not sure the NHL really fits long-term.
Ross McKeon is the NHL editor for Yahoo! Sports. Send Ross a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=rm-saintpaul110107&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
By Ross McKeon, Yahoo! Sports
November 1, 2007
Ross McKeon
Yahoo! Sports
Also: Detroit's Hockeytown blues
If Detroit isn't Hockeytown anymore, then what is?
First off, let's make this perfectly clear: We're talking south of the Canadian border. The six most passionate NHL hockey markets include – in no particular order – Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.
Hockey is a religion and then some in the Great White North, and there's nothing wrong with that in our book. We just wish there were more NHL outposts in Canada. If you've never taken in a game there, put it on your to-do list. All six markets are different, and a trip to any of them is worth every cent.
ADVERTISEMENT
But back to the task at hand: Choosing a new destination we can call Hockeytown, USA. Taking into consideration attendance, fan loyalty, a cozy relationship between the team and its region, a city that's just right for the NHL, and our choice is pretty clear. Saint Paul, Minn., home of the Minnesota Wild, fits the bill.
Buffalo, Long Island, Denver, Boston, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have all had their moments both recently and long ago, but the rejuvenated market in Minnesota gets our vote.
Since opening the doors of the well-appointed Xcel Energy Center (more on that later) in downtown Saint Paul on Sept. 29, 2000, the Wild have attracted 282 consecutive sellouts – that's every exhibition (21), regular-season (251) and playoff (10) match.
Every single game, through Tuesday night, has sold out for all of their six-plus seasons. Amazing.
Total attendance during that span is 5,214,206 for an average of 18,490 per game in a building that lists capacity at 18,064. The Wild have announced the attendance for their first six regular-season dates this year at 18,568 each.
Minnesota is a great example of getting a second chance and making the most of it.
As recently as 1993, the Minnesota North Stars played in Bloomington, which neighbors Minneapolis of the Twin Cities region bordered by the Mississippi, Minnesota and St. Croix rivers. Part of the 1967 expansion that doubled the league in size from the Original 6 to 12 teams, Minnesota struggled to carve a niche while competing for passionate fans of college, high school and youth hockey in the region.
Just four years after the franchise relocated to Dallas, the league made the wise choice in 1997 to grant St. Paul an expansion franchise that would begin play in 2000. The State of Hockey is once again complete, from youth through the pros.
The lodge-like feel of the Wild's home rink combines everything that is important to Minnesota hockey. Hockey sweaters of approximately 200 high school teams hang from the interior concourse that rings the building – all of the boys' programs and about one-third of the girls'.
The aura inside is pure hockey, with appropriate references to the history of the game during pre-game festivities. One never gets tired of the game presentation, which often feels forced or over-the-top at many of the other newer U.S. venues.
Fans know they can often find players from visiting teams making the short walk from the arena to the stately Saint Paul Hotel just across the street. Fourteen of 19 teams that visit the Wild this season plan at least one stay there, including all but one of the 14 opponents in the Western Conference.
Many of the downtown shops, restaurants and bars in St. Paul recognize the Wild with strong support, and two newspapers travel with the team during a time in which print outlets are cutting costs.
St. Paul is the best, and here's the rest:
Runner-up: Buffalo. Unfortunate timing for Buffalo, which had a 45-game regular-season sellout streak snapped Oct. 15 when 18,217 (475 under capacity) turned out for rival Toronto's appearance. Ravenous Sabres fans came as a group of 18,690 for 62 straight games including the playoffs. The recent streak fell well short of Buffalo's franchise mark of 358 straight sellouts (including playoffs) from Oct. 15, 1972-Nov. 12, 1980 at the Memorial Auditorium. When there's not enough seating during the playoffs, large video screens are erected outdoors where thousands of fans watch in front of the 11-year-old, state-of-the-art HSBC Arena in downtown Buffalo.
Dethroned champ: Detroit. A revived economy, new marketing strategies and a schedule that features more Eastern Conference visits will turn things around.
Will always have our respect: Colorado, Long Island, Philadelphia. Knowledgeable fans who care and good surroundings. We don't care that the building is old on The Island, it has a certain charm and character lost with all the newer ones.
Pretty darn good, in their own way: Boston, Dallas, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, San Jose. Good support from fans and media when things are going good, but have to compete for attention with popular nearby pro sports franchises (i.e. football, baseball) much of the time.
Jury is still out: Anaheim, Chicago, Nashville. One is on top, one is on the outs and the other might be movin' on. And there doesn't seem to be much of a fuss with any of the three scenarios.
They are what they are: Los Angeles, New Jersey, New York City, Washington. All big metro centers where there's strong competition for disposable income. Hard to carve out a niche and claim to be No. 1 compared to everything else that's going on.
Nice try, but this doesn't really work: Florida, Phoenix, Tampa Bay. Non-traditional markets that might join the endangered list after attention is diverted from Nashville.
Why, exactly?: Atlanta, Carolina, Columbus. NASCAR and college athletics dominate. Not sure the NHL really fits long-term.
Ross McKeon is the NHL editor for Yahoo! Sports. Send Ross a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=rm-saintpaul110107&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
Powergirl81
Trooper
I think I understand why Detroit isn't known as Hockeytown anymore. The Captain retired
I think he's still with the Red Wings organization, right? He should be, he ws their best player next to Howe and all the superstars of the 1950s-60s
I think he's still with the Red Wings organization, right? He should be, he ws their best player next to Howe and all the superstars of the 1950s-60s
And combined with certain economic slumps caused by a certain President's economic policies that have seriously depressed the Michigan economy to the point where Michael Moore is thinking about making a sequel to Roger and Me (joking there, I promise) means that nobody can afford the bloody tickets.
Onhell
Infinite Dreamer
Detroit will always be Hockeytown, but if that were to ever officially change I like his candidacy of Minnesota. Crosby is 3rd in the Points list by the way. He'll be leading the league by the end of November and winning his second art ross by April. I have spoken, I have written and such it shall be.
And from NHL.com, I've always liked this player and I always felt he was underrated, good to see he's getting "some" recognition lol
Francis quietly built a monumental Hall of Fame career
Adam Kimelman | NHL.com staff writer
Nov 6, 2007, 10:31 AM EST
Quiet superstar Ron Francis racked up the fourth most points in NHL history over a 1,731 game NHL career.
Name the NHL’s all-time leading scorers. The first three on the list are pretty easy: Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Mark Messier.
Now, guess who No. 4 is.
Phil Esposito? Nope.
Mario Lemieux? Not quite.
Rocket Richard?
Guy Lafleur?
Jean Beliveau?
Three strikes, you’re out.
No, it’s Ron Francis (VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS), probably the quietest superstar who ever has played the game.
In 1,731 NHL games, Francis finished with 1,798 points, including 549 goals. He’s second only to Gretzky in games played and his 1,249 assists also ranks second only to “The Great One.”
On Nov. 12, he’ll join Gretzky and take his rightful place among the legends of the game when he is enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
"As a kid growing up in the Soo (Sault Ste. Marie), I never dreamed of making it to the NHL and never imagined holding the Stanley Cup above my head," Francis said. "I wouldn't be here without a lot of help from my teammates. A lot of great players made this possible and I want to thank the guys I played with over my career."
Those players included teammates in stops with Hartford, Pittsburgh, Carolina and Toronto. He served as captain with the Whalers, Penguins and Hurricanes. He was the second-line center behind Mario Lemieux in Pittsburgh for a pair of Stanley Cup winners, and captained the Hurricanes to the 2002 Cup Final.
Francis was taken fourth overall in the 1981 draft by the Whalers. While his pedigree from junior hockey was solid, he wasn’t the club’s first choice. Hartford management let it slip that they wanted Bobby Carpenter. The Capitals snatched Carpenter at No. 3, leaving the Whalers with a fortuitous Plan B.
Hall of Fame 2007
The Hockey Hall of Fame will induct one of its most distinguished classes ever on Monday, Nov. 12, when Ron Francis, Al MacInnis, Mark Messier and Scott Stevens will be inducted as players and longtime NHL executive Jim Gregory will be enshrined as a builder.
NHL.com will have comprehensive coverage of the 2007 inductions, starting with in-depth profiles, photo galleries and video of the players, certainly four of the best to ever lace on skates.
NHL.com's John Mcgourty and Dan Rosen will be on hand in Toronto for all the festivities of Hall of Fame Weekend and we will blog about the experience throughout Hall of Fame Weekend and Induction Monday.
Related Links:
* Francis still pursuing Stanley Cup
* Scott Stevens video highlights
* Al MacInnis video highlights
* Ron Francis video highlights
* Mark Messier video highlights
* 2007 inductees photo gallery
* Hall of Fame on NHL.com
* NHL.com's History section
* More NHL.com features
He posted 25 goals and 68 points in just 59 games as an 18-year-old rookie, a harbinger of successful seasons to come.
Francis was just 22 when he was named Whalers captain midway through the 1984-85 season.
“It’s an honor any time you’re placed in that position,” Francis told NHL.com. “To say I was great in that position at that age is a lie. There are mistakes you make, things you need to learn, things you need to gain through experience.”
Having that extra leadership burden, though, never stunted his game. In nine full seasons with the Whalers, Francis was the model of consistency, averaging 27 goals and 83 points per season.
Midway through the 1990-91 season, coach Rick Ley stripped Francis of his captaincy, and not long after, on March 4, 1991, he was dealt to the Penguins, along with Grant Jennings and Ulf Samuelsson, for John Cullen, Jeff Parker and Zarley Zalapski.
“I think in the 1985-86 era, we were getting close in Hartford, but then we started going the other way and dismantling and that was disappointing,” he said. “Then I get traded to Pittsburgh and three months later I have the Stanley Cup. I’m a firm believer in that everything happens for a reason. Fortunately for me, as tough as the trade was at the time, it allowed me to win two Stanley Cups.”
What made the move so tough at the time was Francis’ wife, Mary Lou, had given birth to the couple’s first child just four weeks earlier. The three of them lived in a hotel efficiency for three months while Ron and the Penguins made their memorable Cup run.
Riding shotgun to Lemieux, Francis provided the missing piece in a puzzle that became a pair of Stanley Cup championship teams. He had 17 points in 24 games in the 1991 playoffs as he hoisted his first Cup. In 1992, he led all playoff performers with 19 assists, and finished with 27 points in 21 games as he became a back-to-back champion.
“Ronnie was a key part of those two Stanley Cup championships in Pittsburgh and was a major factor in our organization for eight years,” Lemieux told NHL.com. “It wasn’t only his skill, which was tremendous, but also his leadership, his work ethic and his character. He was an excellent player at both ends of the rink and a great faceoff man. He helped turn the Penguins into champions.”
And those championships last forever.
“I remember going over the boards at the old Met Center (in Minnesota), and Paul Coffey saying this is the greatest day of your life because they can never take it away from you.”
Francis said he was able to enjoy the second Cup more because he had more ownership in the team from being there all season.
“I think the first one was such a whirlwind,” Francis said. “I could enjoy the second Cup a little bit more because I was more of a part of it. We lost Mario and Joey Mullen in the second round and we were able to maintain, and Mario came back and scored the goal that won the Cup. There’s more personal satisfaction in the second Cup.”
In eight seasons in Pittsburgh, Francis cracked the 100-point plateau twice. He even supplanted Lemieux as Penguins captain when Mario took the 1994-95 season off to rest and recuperate from a number of injuries. He gave the captaincy back to Lemieux the following season, but continued to lead on and off the ice. When Lemieux retired in 1997, Francis again was the choice as captain.
He served with distinction for another season, but when he became a free agent for the first time in 1998, he went back home -- sort of. Since leaving Hartford, the Whalers had moved south to North Carolina and became the Carolina Hurricanes. They were in their second season in Raleigh when he signed on.
“That was part of the interest in my wanting to come to Carolina,” he said. “To teach the game and sell the game in a non-hockey market. I think this organization has done a real good job bringing in guys who are character guys who care about not only the success of the organ on the ice, but in the community. I think that more than anything has helped solidify our situation in Raleigh. I learned from Day 1 the fans here are very passionate about their sports and it was just a matter of getting them passionate in our sport.”
And for those playing with Francis, “The Triangle” could not have had a better teacher.
“He made the team a household name,” said Sami Kapanen, who played with Francis for five years with the Hurricanes. “He was great for fans to learn the game from. He was great with the media, working with them. He was so great for the whole organization.”
Francis averaged 27 goals and 83 points during his nine seasons with the Hartford Whalers.
Francis spent six seasons with the Hurricanes, including five as their captain. Topping his tenure was the franchise’s first berth in the Cup Final. Francis was both captain and star, finishing with 27 goals, 50 assists and 77 points in the regular season, and then added a team-best 16 points in the playoffs.
His efforts that season earned him his third Lady Byng Trophy (he also won it in 1995 and 1998) as well as the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, for his leadership and contributions on and off the ice.
“Being a star player, he made you feel comfortable being with him, playing with him,” said Kapanen.
He finished his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, joining them at the trade deadline in 2004. When the lockout ended, so did Francis’ 23-year journey through the NHL. He officially announced his retirement from the game Sept. 13, 2005. He currently works in the Hurricanes’ front office as the club’s assistant general manager and director of player development.
Francis is most remembered for his quiet consistency, something that rubbed off on a number of players.
“He was so consistent every night,” said Kapanen. “Some nights he ended up not getting points, but he made sure he was doing other impact things as well. That’s something I learned over the years - you don’t have to score points to help the team, and that’s made me a better player that way.”
“I think in sports in general, it’s the guy who catches the touchdown or sinks the putt … that gets the notoriety or publicity,” said Francis, “but in a team sport like hockey, it’s important to have everybody contributing. I learned that more than anything in Pittsburgh. We had our superstars, like Mario and Jagr and Rick Tocchet and Coffey, but we also had our role players that without their input … we don’t win Stanley Cup. That more than anything opened my eyes that there are things you can do offensively and defensively. The main thing is to be solid in all areas of the ice. If you can prevent a goal, it’s just as important as scoring one. I took a lot of pride in different areas of my game.”
And it’s just not Kapanen who was influenced by Francis, and vice versa. All those people who helped Francis during his career will pop back into his head when he stands at the podium in Toronto.
“If you played one or two years, it’s probably easier to give that speech,” he said. “When you play 23 years, and there’re so many different people and so many different players that you met along the journey that in their own way, shape or form impacted your career and your life on and off the ice. I don’t know if there’s enough time to thank everybody. There are so many people I’ve met along the journey who are significant figures in my life. I’m looking forward to having that night. I think its going to be a culmination not just of my career, but of the contributions of so many others who helped me reach this position.”
And from NHL.com, I've always liked this player and I always felt he was underrated, good to see he's getting "some" recognition lol
Francis quietly built a monumental Hall of Fame career
Adam Kimelman | NHL.com staff writer
Nov 6, 2007, 10:31 AM EST
Quiet superstar Ron Francis racked up the fourth most points in NHL history over a 1,731 game NHL career.
Name the NHL’s all-time leading scorers. The first three on the list are pretty easy: Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Mark Messier.
Now, guess who No. 4 is.
Phil Esposito? Nope.
Mario Lemieux? Not quite.
Rocket Richard?
Guy Lafleur?
Jean Beliveau?
Three strikes, you’re out.
No, it’s Ron Francis (VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS), probably the quietest superstar who ever has played the game.
In 1,731 NHL games, Francis finished with 1,798 points, including 549 goals. He’s second only to Gretzky in games played and his 1,249 assists also ranks second only to “The Great One.”
On Nov. 12, he’ll join Gretzky and take his rightful place among the legends of the game when he is enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
"As a kid growing up in the Soo (Sault Ste. Marie), I never dreamed of making it to the NHL and never imagined holding the Stanley Cup above my head," Francis said. "I wouldn't be here without a lot of help from my teammates. A lot of great players made this possible and I want to thank the guys I played with over my career."
Those players included teammates in stops with Hartford, Pittsburgh, Carolina and Toronto. He served as captain with the Whalers, Penguins and Hurricanes. He was the second-line center behind Mario Lemieux in Pittsburgh for a pair of Stanley Cup winners, and captained the Hurricanes to the 2002 Cup Final.
Francis was taken fourth overall in the 1981 draft by the Whalers. While his pedigree from junior hockey was solid, he wasn’t the club’s first choice. Hartford management let it slip that they wanted Bobby Carpenter. The Capitals snatched Carpenter at No. 3, leaving the Whalers with a fortuitous Plan B.
Hall of Fame 2007
The Hockey Hall of Fame will induct one of its most distinguished classes ever on Monday, Nov. 12, when Ron Francis, Al MacInnis, Mark Messier and Scott Stevens will be inducted as players and longtime NHL executive Jim Gregory will be enshrined as a builder.
NHL.com will have comprehensive coverage of the 2007 inductions, starting with in-depth profiles, photo galleries and video of the players, certainly four of the best to ever lace on skates.
NHL.com's John Mcgourty and Dan Rosen will be on hand in Toronto for all the festivities of Hall of Fame Weekend and we will blog about the experience throughout Hall of Fame Weekend and Induction Monday.
Related Links:
* Francis still pursuing Stanley Cup
* Scott Stevens video highlights
* Al MacInnis video highlights
* Ron Francis video highlights
* Mark Messier video highlights
* 2007 inductees photo gallery
* Hall of Fame on NHL.com
* NHL.com's History section
* More NHL.com features
He posted 25 goals and 68 points in just 59 games as an 18-year-old rookie, a harbinger of successful seasons to come.
Francis was just 22 when he was named Whalers captain midway through the 1984-85 season.
“It’s an honor any time you’re placed in that position,” Francis told NHL.com. “To say I was great in that position at that age is a lie. There are mistakes you make, things you need to learn, things you need to gain through experience.”
Having that extra leadership burden, though, never stunted his game. In nine full seasons with the Whalers, Francis was the model of consistency, averaging 27 goals and 83 points per season.
Midway through the 1990-91 season, coach Rick Ley stripped Francis of his captaincy, and not long after, on March 4, 1991, he was dealt to the Penguins, along with Grant Jennings and Ulf Samuelsson, for John Cullen, Jeff Parker and Zarley Zalapski.
“I think in the 1985-86 era, we were getting close in Hartford, but then we started going the other way and dismantling and that was disappointing,” he said. “Then I get traded to Pittsburgh and three months later I have the Stanley Cup. I’m a firm believer in that everything happens for a reason. Fortunately for me, as tough as the trade was at the time, it allowed me to win two Stanley Cups.”
What made the move so tough at the time was Francis’ wife, Mary Lou, had given birth to the couple’s first child just four weeks earlier. The three of them lived in a hotel efficiency for three months while Ron and the Penguins made their memorable Cup run.
Riding shotgun to Lemieux, Francis provided the missing piece in a puzzle that became a pair of Stanley Cup championship teams. He had 17 points in 24 games in the 1991 playoffs as he hoisted his first Cup. In 1992, he led all playoff performers with 19 assists, and finished with 27 points in 21 games as he became a back-to-back champion.
“Ronnie was a key part of those two Stanley Cup championships in Pittsburgh and was a major factor in our organization for eight years,” Lemieux told NHL.com. “It wasn’t only his skill, which was tremendous, but also his leadership, his work ethic and his character. He was an excellent player at both ends of the rink and a great faceoff man. He helped turn the Penguins into champions.”
And those championships last forever.
“I remember going over the boards at the old Met Center (in Minnesota), and Paul Coffey saying this is the greatest day of your life because they can never take it away from you.”
Francis said he was able to enjoy the second Cup more because he had more ownership in the team from being there all season.
“I think the first one was such a whirlwind,” Francis said. “I could enjoy the second Cup a little bit more because I was more of a part of it. We lost Mario and Joey Mullen in the second round and we were able to maintain, and Mario came back and scored the goal that won the Cup. There’s more personal satisfaction in the second Cup.”
In eight seasons in Pittsburgh, Francis cracked the 100-point plateau twice. He even supplanted Lemieux as Penguins captain when Mario took the 1994-95 season off to rest and recuperate from a number of injuries. He gave the captaincy back to Lemieux the following season, but continued to lead on and off the ice. When Lemieux retired in 1997, Francis again was the choice as captain.
He served with distinction for another season, but when he became a free agent for the first time in 1998, he went back home -- sort of. Since leaving Hartford, the Whalers had moved south to North Carolina and became the Carolina Hurricanes. They were in their second season in Raleigh when he signed on.
“That was part of the interest in my wanting to come to Carolina,” he said. “To teach the game and sell the game in a non-hockey market. I think this organization has done a real good job bringing in guys who are character guys who care about not only the success of the organ on the ice, but in the community. I think that more than anything has helped solidify our situation in Raleigh. I learned from Day 1 the fans here are very passionate about their sports and it was just a matter of getting them passionate in our sport.”
And for those playing with Francis, “The Triangle” could not have had a better teacher.
“He made the team a household name,” said Sami Kapanen, who played with Francis for five years with the Hurricanes. “He was great for fans to learn the game from. He was great with the media, working with them. He was so great for the whole organization.”
Francis averaged 27 goals and 83 points during his nine seasons with the Hartford Whalers.
Francis spent six seasons with the Hurricanes, including five as their captain. Topping his tenure was the franchise’s first berth in the Cup Final. Francis was both captain and star, finishing with 27 goals, 50 assists and 77 points in the regular season, and then added a team-best 16 points in the playoffs.
His efforts that season earned him his third Lady Byng Trophy (he also won it in 1995 and 1998) as well as the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, for his leadership and contributions on and off the ice.
“Being a star player, he made you feel comfortable being with him, playing with him,” said Kapanen.
He finished his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, joining them at the trade deadline in 2004. When the lockout ended, so did Francis’ 23-year journey through the NHL. He officially announced his retirement from the game Sept. 13, 2005. He currently works in the Hurricanes’ front office as the club’s assistant general manager and director of player development.
Francis is most remembered for his quiet consistency, something that rubbed off on a number of players.
“He was so consistent every night,” said Kapanen. “Some nights he ended up not getting points, but he made sure he was doing other impact things as well. That’s something I learned over the years - you don’t have to score points to help the team, and that’s made me a better player that way.”
“I think in sports in general, it’s the guy who catches the touchdown or sinks the putt … that gets the notoriety or publicity,” said Francis, “but in a team sport like hockey, it’s important to have everybody contributing. I learned that more than anything in Pittsburgh. We had our superstars, like Mario and Jagr and Rick Tocchet and Coffey, but we also had our role players that without their input … we don’t win Stanley Cup. That more than anything opened my eyes that there are things you can do offensively and defensively. The main thing is to be solid in all areas of the ice. If you can prevent a goal, it’s just as important as scoring one. I took a lot of pride in different areas of my game.”
And it’s just not Kapanen who was influenced by Francis, and vice versa. All those people who helped Francis during his career will pop back into his head when he stands at the podium in Toronto.
“If you played one or two years, it’s probably easier to give that speech,” he said. “When you play 23 years, and there’re so many different people and so many different players that you met along the journey that in their own way, shape or form impacted your career and your life on and off the ice. I don’t know if there’s enough time to thank everybody. There are so many people I’ve met along the journey who are significant figures in my life. I’m looking forward to having that night. I think its going to be a culmination not just of my career, but of the contributions of so many others who helped me reach this position.”