On This Date in Sports March 13, 2003
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
With a pair of assists in a 5-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, Ron Francis the captain of the Carolina Hurricanes become the second player in NHL history with 22 consecutive seasons of 50 or more points. Francis who had at least 50 points in his first 22 seasons, ties the record of Gordie Howe. Ron Francis streak would end the following season when he finished with 40 points in 2004.
Born March 1, 1963, in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Ron Francis was the detention of a grinder in the NHL. Selected with the fourth overall pick in the 1981 draft by the Hartford Whalers, Francis became a star right away, registering 68 points in his rookie season. Over the next decade, Francis became the face of the franchise in Hartford, as he was named the captain in 1984. The model of consistency, Ron Francis was never flashy as he never scored over 40 goals, and rarely topped 30, but he put together enough 25 goals seasons to reach 500 for his career.
At the trade deadline in 1991, Ron Francis was sent to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a blockbuster deal with Ulf Samuelsson and Grant Jennings for Jeff Parker, Zarley Salapski, and John Cullen. The trade would be the catalyst to the Penguins winning their first Stanley Cup. Francis remained in Pittsburgh the next eight seasons, winning a second Stanley Cup in 1992. In 1995, in a season cut short by a lockout, Ron Francis had perhaps his finest season, leading the league with 48 assists as he had 59 points in 50 games and won the Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward in the NHL. A year later, Francis kept up the momentum, with a career-best 119 points and 92 assists.
Following the 1998 season, Ron Francis signed with the Carolina Hurricanes, the franchise that was formerly the Hartford Whalers. Once again becoming captain, Francis continued to accumulate great numbers as he reached several major milestones, including 1000 assists in 2000 and 500 goals in 2002. That same season he took the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup Final, scoring an overtime game-winner in Game 1. However, Carolina eventually lost the series in five games to the Detroit Red Wings.
After tying Gordie Howe’s record with 22 straight seasons with 50 points or more, Ron Francis returned to Carolina for the 2003/04 season. However, late in the season, he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, looking for one last run at the Stanley Cup. However, Toronto was eliminated in the second round by the Philadelphia Flyers in six games. In his 23rd and final season with Carolina and Toronto, Ron Francis scored 13 goals with 27 assists, falling ten points short of another 50-point season.
Retiring during the lost season, Ron Francis was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007. He finished his career with 549 goals, 1,249 assists, ranking second all-time and 1,798 points, which ranks fifth all-time in league history.