Emile Francis(1926-2022)
Emile Francis is a former player, coach, and general manager in the National Hockey League, most notably with the New York Rangers Hockey Team.
He became a star in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and was pursued for a professional contract by the Chicago Black Hawks. In 1947, he was called up to a squad mired in last place and took over the starting role in net. After starting on a dismal Chicago team in 1948-49, Francis was traded to the New York Rangers Hockey Team as part of a major personnel shakeup. Over the next four years, he would play sparingly in a relief role for the Rangers while manning the spot between the pipes on New York's American Hockey League affiliate. He finished his career in Western Hockey League, including stints with the Vancouver Canucks, Saskatoon Quakers and Seattle Americans.
Francis was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982, and received the Wayne Gretzky International Award in 2015.
He became a star in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and was pursued for a professional contract by the Chicago Black Hawks. In 1947, he was called up to a squad mired in last place and took over the starting role in net. After starting on a dismal Chicago team in 1948-49, Francis was traded to the New York Rangers Hockey Team as part of a major personnel shakeup. Over the next four years, he would play sparingly in a relief role for the Rangers while manning the spot between the pipes on New York's American Hockey League affiliate. He finished his career in Western Hockey League, including stints with the Vancouver Canucks, Saskatoon Quakers and Seattle Americans.
Francis was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982, and received the Wayne Gretzky International Award in 2015.