Emile Francis
Encyclopedia
Emile "The Cat" Francis (born September 13, 1926 in North Battleford, Saskatchewan
) is a former player, coach, and general manager in the National Hockey League
, most notably with the New York Rangers
.
Francis got his start in the NHL with the Chicago Black Hawks
in 1947. From 1948 to 1952, he was the back-up goaltender
for the New York Rangers
. He finished out his career on a number of minor league teams in the AHL
and WHL
including the Vancouver Canucks
.
In 1945, Francis was the first goaltender to use a first baseman’s glove with a cuff added to protect his hand and wrist. Previously, goalies wore the same padded gloves as their teammates.
Francis would become the coach of the OHA's Guelph Royals before landing the head coaching job with the Rangers from 1965 to 1975. He then joined the St. Louis Blues and had two separate head coaching stints with them. He was then General Manager of the Hartford Whalers
from 1979 until 1988.
On Sunday, September 30, 2007, Francis' wife, Emma Francis, was reported missing after dropping Emile off at the Palm Beach International Airport for a flight to New Jersey. Neighbors reported not seeing Emma Francis return home after driving to the airport. She was found safe in a local hotel on October 2, 2007.
Francis is the father of former Phoenix Coyotes
head coach and 2002 Jack Adams Award
winner Bobby Francis.
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
) is a former player, coach, and general manager in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
, most notably with the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
.
Francis got his start in the NHL with the Chicago Black Hawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
in 1947. From 1948 to 1952, he was the back-up goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
for the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
. He finished out his career on a number of minor league teams in the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
and WHL
Western Hockey League (minor pro)
The Western Hockey League was a minor pro ice hockey league that operated from 1952 to 1974. Managed for most of its history by Hockey Hall of Fame member Al Leader, it was created out of the merger of the Pacific Coast Hockey League and the Western Canada Senior Hockey League...
including the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
.
In 1945, Francis was the first goaltender to use a first baseman’s glove with a cuff added to protect his hand and wrist. Previously, goalies wore the same padded gloves as their teammates.
Francis would become the coach of the OHA's Guelph Royals before landing the head coaching job with the Rangers from 1965 to 1975. He then joined the St. Louis Blues and had two separate head coaching stints with them. He was then General Manager of the Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
from 1979 until 1988.
On Sunday, September 30, 2007, Francis' wife, Emma Francis, was reported missing after dropping Emile off at the Palm Beach International Airport for a flight to New Jersey. Neighbors reported not seeing Emma Francis return home after driving to the airport. She was found safe in a local hotel on October 2, 2007.
Francis is the father of former Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
head coach and 2002 Jack Adams Award
Jack Adams Award
The Jack Adams Award is awarded annually to the National Hockey League coach "adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success." It has been awarded 37 times to 32 different coaches. The winner is selected by a poll of the National Hockey League Broadcasters Association at the end of the...
winner Bobby Francis.