Profile Piece

Ryan Francis isn’t just any local Arizona hockey player. His family routes go deep into the game, as the Francis name has had its role in hockey history. He is the son of former NHL player, and coach Bob Francis who was the recipient of the Jack Adams award in 2002 for Coach of the Year when he was behind the bench for the Phoenix Coyotes.

His grandfather, Emile Francis was a former goalie for the New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks, eventually becoming the head coach of the New York Rangers in 1965. He was later inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982.  He ended his hockey legacy with the Hartford Whalers where he was the general manager from 1983-1989. Emile is also credited with the creation of the goalie glove, which revolutionized the game completely.

Francis, 23, from Scottsdale, AZ, grew up playing local hockey for PF Chang’s hockey club out of Arizona and attended Cactus Shadow High School in Northern Phoenix.  He is a current student at Arizona State University majoring in sports management, as well as the team captain for the ASU Elite club hockey team.

“The first time I ever stepped foot on the ice I was 2 and a half years old. I started skating because both my grandfather and father played professionally. The first team I was ever on was when I was 3.” Francis said.

He has played over 20 seasons of competitive hockey and credits his family’s legacy for keeping him going. When talking about Arizona, hockey is certainly not the first topic that comes to mind, however the game has grown increasingly in the Arizona desert over the years, much thanks to the Francis family.

“It was great to grow up and play hockey in Arizona, I was apart of a great youth program that was constantly getting better over the years. A lot of young players had the opportunity to play at a very high level of the game thanks to the support and growth in this area.” Francis said in regards to how much hockey has grown since he started skating.

Emile Francis was honored with the prestigious Wayne Gretzky International Award as part of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Celebration on Dec. 17, 2015. The award, which was established by the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 1999, pays tribute to international individuals who have made major contributions to the growth and advancement of hockey in the United States.

“My grandpa took a baseball mitt and added extra leather to it for a deeper pocket and padding. The first time he tried to use it in a game the ref wouldn’t let him and he refused to play.” Francis said. Back in this time each team only had one goalie so they eventually gave in and let him use it. The next day he had a meeting with the commissioner of the NHL and the goalie glove was born.  

“It’s just a special game, for me and my family. My favorite part has got to be all the friendships and relationships you make throughout the years of playing.”

The Francis family has had an everlasting impact on the game of hockey, and have ironically settled down in a not so popular hockey place in Arizona. The game has been changed because of the family, and should be recognized for the effort and commitment to the game.