| Born: | March 1, 1963 | Draft: | 1981, Whalers, 4th Overall |
| Hometown: | Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario | Position: | C |
| Known For: | 2nd Most Assists | Shoots: | Left |
| National Team: | Canada | Current Team: | Seattle Kraken (GM) |
Ronald Michael Francis Jr. (born March 1, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He is the general manager of the Seattle Kraken that plans to play its first season in 2021. Drafted fourth overall in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, Francis played 23 seasons in the NHL for the Hartford Whalers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs. Upon retiring from professional ice hockey in 2004, Francis stood second all-time in career assists (1,249), behind only Wayne Gretzky; fifth in career points (1,798); third in games played (1,731); and 27th in career goals (549).
In 2014, Francis was named as the general manager for the Hurricanes, replacing Jim Rutherford, who had been with the franchise ever since the team’s move to Raleigh, North Carolina. Two years before, Francis had become a minority owner of the team as part of the five-man investor group, Playmakers Management. In March 2018, he was promoted to the president of hockey operations role. His Hurricanes contract was terminated on April 30, 2018. On July 18, 2019, he was hired as the first general manager of the Seattle Kraken.
Years as an NHL player: 1981-2004
Years as an NHL coach: 2008-2011
Years as an NHL executive: 2006-present
Ron Francis Statistics
Trade Tracker
| Date | Traded From | Traded With | Traded To | Traded For |
| March 4, 1991 |  | Grant Jennings Ulf Samuelsson |  | John Cullen Jeff Parker Zarley Zalapski |
| March 9, 2004 |  | – |  | Fourth-Round Pick (Jared Boll) |
Deeper Dive
- Ron Francis All-Time Best Goals
- Ron Francis Brings a Lot to the Table For Kraken
- Hartford Whalers’ All-Time Greatest Lineup
Front Office History
- NHL Carolina Hurricanes (Director of Player Development) 2006-2007
- NHL Carolina Hurricanes (Assistant General Manager) 2007-2008
- NHL Carolina Hurricanes (Director of Player Personnel) 2008-2011
- NHL Carolina Hurricanes (Director of Hockey Operations) 2011-2014
- NHL Carolina Hurricanes (Executive VP of Hockey Operations/General Manager) 2014-2018
- AHL Charlotte Checkers (General Manager) 2017-2018
- Team Canada – Spengler Cup (General Manager) 2019
- NHL Seattle Kraken (General Manager) 2020-present
- Team Canada – Olympic Games (Assistant General Manager) 2022
Coaching History
- Carolina Hurricanes (Associate Coach) 2008-2011
Achievements
- NHL All-Star Game — 1983, 1985, 1990, 1996
- Frank J. Selke Trophy — 1995
- Lady Byng Memorial Trophy — 1995, 1998, 2002
- King Clancy Memorial Trophy — 2002
- Stanley Cup Champion — 1991, 1992
- Inducted Into Hockey Hall of Fame — 2007