Francis Bouillon
Encyclopedia
Francis Bouillon is an American professional
hockey
defenseman
for the Nashville Predators
in the National Hockey League
. Nicknames in English for Francis include "Cube" or "Soupy" (as a reference to bouillon cube
s), "Frank the Tank", and "Franky B". In French, people call him "le petit guerrier" which means "the little warrior", due to his physical intensity and his small stature.
mother and a Haiti
an father. Bouillon moved to Quebec with his mother when he was only 3 years old. He played Junior hockey in the Quebec Junior Hockey League with the Laval Titan
s and the Granby Predateurs
.
and played the following season in the IHL with the Quebec Rafales
before he was signed as a free agent
to an NHL contract by the Montreal Canadiens
in 1998.
He played the next 11 seasons, the majority of his career (except for a short stint with the Predators in 2002–03 within the Canadiens organization. At 5'8" and 201 lbs, Bouillon is considered small for an NHL defencemen but is never one to shy away from physical play. According to Pierre Houde
, he is one of the strongest players in the NHL
, according to official physical tests.
On September 30, 2009, just prior to the 2009–10 season, Bouillon was signed to a one-year contract as a late inclusion to the Nashville Predators after joining the team on a try-out for training camp. In returning to the Predators after an initial four game stint in 2002, Bouillon established himself within the Predators defense as a stay-at-home d-man to appear in 81 games, missing only a single game, for 3 goals and 11 points. On June 18, 2010, he signed a two-year extension to remain with the Predators.
Bouillon resides in Nashville with his family. He retains his US citizenship.
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenseman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
for the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
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...
. Nicknames in English for Francis include "Cube" or "Soupy" (as a reference to bouillon cube
Bouillon cube
A bouillon cube [ˈbuːjɒn kjuːb] or stock cube is dehydrated bouillon or stock formed into a small cube about 15 mm wide. It is made by dehydrating vegetables, meat stock, a small portion of fat, salt and seasonings and shaping them into a small cube...
s), "Frank the Tank", and "Franky B". In French, people call him "le petit guerrier" which means "the little warrior", due to his physical intensity and his small stature.
Early life
Bouillon was born in New York City to a French-CanadianFrench-speaking Quebecer
French-speaking Quebecers are francophone residents of the Canadian province of Quebec....
mother and a Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
an father. Bouillon moved to Quebec with his mother when he was only 3 years old. He played Junior hockey in the Quebec Junior Hockey League with the Laval Titan
Laval Titan
The Laval Titan was one of the names used by a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League franchise that played in Laval, Quebec, between 1971 and 1998.-History:...
s and the Granby Predateurs
Granby Prédateurs
The Granby Prédateurs were a junior ice hockey team originally founded in 1981 after the team moved from Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, where they had previously been known as the Sorel Éperviers. The team was originally known as the Granby Bisons, but changed their name to the Prédateurs in 1995...
.
Playing career
Francis made his professional debut the 1996-97 season in the ECHL with the Wheeling NailersWheeling Nailers
The Wheeling Nailers are an ECHL ice hockey team based in Wheeling, West Virginia. They are the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL....
and played the following season in the IHL with the Quebec Rafales
Quebec Rafales
The Atlanta Knights were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the International Hockey League from 1992 to 1996. The Knights were based in Atlanta, Georgia, and played at the Omni Coliseum. The team became the Quebec Rafales from 1996 to 1998....
before he was signed as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
to an NHL contract by the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
in 1998.
He played the next 11 seasons, the majority of his career (except for a short stint with the Predators in 2002–03 within the Canadiens organization. At 5'8" and 201 lbs, Bouillon is considered small for an NHL defencemen but is never one to shy away from physical play. According to Pierre Houde
Pierre Houde
Pierre Houde is a Canadian play-by-play sports announcer for RDS. He has announced broadcasts of Montreal Canadiens games since 1989. Over the years he was partnered with Pierre Bouchard and Yvon Pedneault. Since 2007, his partner has been former Canadiens player Benoit Brunet...
, he is one of the strongest players in the NHL
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...
, according to official physical tests.
On September 30, 2009, just prior to the 2009–10 season, Bouillon was signed to a one-year contract as a late inclusion to the Nashville Predators after joining the team on a try-out for training camp. In returning to the Predators after an initial four game stint in 2002, Bouillon established himself within the Predators defense as a stay-at-home d-man to appear in 81 games, missing only a single game, for 3 goals and 11 points. On June 18, 2010, he signed a two-year extension to remain with the Predators.
Personal life
Francis is married to Ginette and has 2 sons; Michael and Anthony.Bouillon resides in Nashville with his family. He retains his US citizenship.
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1992–93 1992–93 QMJHL season The 1992–93 QMJHL season was the 24th season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The league inaugurates the Ron Lapointe Trophy, for the "Coach of the Year," and the QMJHL Humanitarian of the Year award. Twelve teams played 70 games each in the schedule. The Sherbrooke Faucons... |
Laval Titan Laval Titan The Laval Titan was one of the names used by a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League franchise that played in Laval, Quebec, between 1971 and 1998.-History:... |
QMJHL | 46 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 1993–94 QMJHL season The 1993–94 QMJHL season was the 25th season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The QMJHL unveils a special logo/patch for its 25th anniversary. The league expands northward, granting an expansion franchise in Val-d'Or, Quebec. Thirteen teams played 72 games each in the schedule... |
Laval Titan | QMJHL | 68 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 129 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 1994–95 QMJHL season The 1994–95 QMJHL season was the 26th season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The QMJHL unveils an updated logo one season after its special 25th anniversary logo, using a stylized ice skate and the letters of the league's French acronym... |
Laval Titan Collège Français | QMJHL | 72 | 8 | 25 | 33 | 115 | 20 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 21 | ||
| 1995–96 1995–96 QMJHL season The 1995–96 QMJHL season was the 27th season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The league continued to expand eastward, adding an expansion team in Moncton, New Brunswick, and the Saint-Jean Lynx relocated to the eastern Quebec city of Rimouski in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region... |
Granby Predateurs Granby Prédateurs The Granby Prédateurs were a junior ice hockey team originally founded in 1981 after the team moved from Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, where they had previously been known as the Sorel Éperviers. The team was originally known as the Granby Bisons, but changed their name to the Prédateurs in 1995... |
QMJHL | 68 | 11 | 35 | 46 | 156 | 21 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 30 | ||
| 1996–97 1996–97 ECHL season The 1996-97 ECHL season was the ninth season of the ECHL. Before the start of the season, two franchises relocated, one was renamed, and two expansion franchises were founded... |
Wheeling Nailers Wheeling Nailers The Wheeling Nailers are an ECHL ice hockey team based in Wheeling, West Virginia. They are the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL.... |
ECHL ECHL The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States... |
69 | 10 | 32 | 42 | 77 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | ||
| 1997–98 | Quebec Rafales Quebec Rafales The Atlanta Knights were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the International Hockey League from 1992 to 1996. The Knights were based in Atlanta, Georgia, and played at the Omni Coliseum. The team became the Quebec Rafales from 1996 to 1998.... |
IHL | 71 | 8 | 27 | 35 | 76 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 1998–99 AHL season The 1998–99 AHL season was the 63rd season of the American Hockey League. Nineteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Providence Bruins finished first overall in the regular season, and won their first Calder Cup championship.-Team changes:... |
Fredericton Canadiens Fredericton Canadiens The Fredericton Canadiens, or the 'Baby Habs' were a professional ice hockey team in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The Canadiens played their home games at the Aitken Centre... |
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... |
79 | 19 | 35 | 54 | 174 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 1999–00 | Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
NHL | 74 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 2000–01 AHL season The 2000–01 AHL season was the 65th season of the American Hockey League. The league realigns its divisions again. The Atlantic division is renamed the Canadian division. The Empire State division is replaced by the South division, with many teams shifting from the Mid-Atlantic division.Twenty... |
Quebec Citadelles Quebec Citadelles The Quebec Citadelles were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada at the Colisée Pepsi... |
AHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 29 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 2001–02 AHL season The 2001–02 AHL season was the 66th season of the American Hockey League. It was the season of the biggest growth in the AHL's history, as it accepted eight new teams. The demise of the International Hockey League brought six teams transferring from the defunct league, in addition to two expansion... |
Quebec Citadelles | AHL | 38 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 28 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Nashville Predators Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 2002–03 AHL season The 2002–03 AHL season was the 67th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs finished first overall in the regular season... |
Hamilton Bulldogs Hamilton Bulldogs The Hamilton Bulldogs are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, at Copps Coliseum, nicknamed 'The Dog Pound'. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens... |
AHL | 29 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 20 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 73 | 2 | 16 | 18 | 70 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | ||
| 2004–05 | Leksands IF Leksands IF Leksands Idrottsförening is a Swedish ice hockey team from the town of Leksand in the region of Dalarna. The team is currently playing in the second highest league in Sweden, HockeyAllsvenskan. Leksand has played 53 seasons in the top Swedish league – between 1951 to 2001, 2002 to 2004, and 2005–06... |
Swe-1 | 21 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 67 | 3 | 19 | 22 | 34 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 | ||
| 2006–07 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 62 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 74 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 61 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 54 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 53 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Nashville Predators Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 81 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 50 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Nashville Predators | NHL | 44 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 27 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 610 | 25 | 98 | 123 | 448 | 31 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 27 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Comp | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 2003 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships -Relegation round: avoids relegation by defeating 4-1 in the 2004 IIHF World Championship Far East Qualification game. and are demoted to Division I at the 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.-Scoring leaders:-Goaltending leaders:-Group A:... |
United States | WC | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Senior int'l totals | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||