Emile Francis

Emile "The Cat" Francis (September 13, 1926 – February 19, 2022) was a 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 helped turn the Rangers from a league doormat to one of the best teams of the late 60's and early 70's. They made the playoffs in every season from 1967 to 1975.
He then joined the St. Louis Blues and had two separate head coaching stints with them. He led them to first place overall in 1980-81. 
He was then General Manager of the Hartford Whalers from 1979 until 1988 and won the Adams Division title in 1986-87.
He won the Lester Patrick Trophy and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982.
==Personal life==
Francis met his wife Emma while in Saskatchewan, where she was studying to become a nurse. They were married for 68 years, until her death in 2020. Together, they had two sons: Bobby and Rick. Bobby was head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes and won the Jack Adams Award in 2002. Rick was the vice president of marketing and sales for the Whalers. In September 2007, Emma was reported missing after dropping Emile off at the Palm Beach International Airport for a flight to New Jersey. Neighbors reported not seeing Emma return home after driving to the airport. She was later found safe in a local hotel several days later.
Francis died on February 19, 2022, at the age of 95.
==Video==
Highlights of the February 28, 1948 game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Black Hawks at Maple Leaf Gardens. Goals by Gus Bodnar on Turk Broda as well as Max Bentley and Joe Klukay on Emile Francis are shown in the Leafs 4-3 victory.
Ice Hockey (1948)
==External links==
* 
Category:Born in 1926
Category:Chicago Blackhawks players
Category:Hockey Hall of Fame
Category:Lester Patrick Trophy recipients
Category:New York Rangers players
Category:St. Louis Blues coaches
Category:New York Rangers coaches
Category:Vancouver Canucks (WHL) players
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Canadian ice hockey coaches
Category:Dead in 2022