Former Hartford Whaler first round draft pick (and yes ESPN.com, he was a Hartford draft pick not a Carolina Hurricane draft pick) Ron Francis will be inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame. Joining him will be former Edmonton Oiler and New York Ranger Mark Messier, former Calgary Flames and St. Louis Blues back liner Al MacInnis and former Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils defenseman Scott Stevens.
All four players were inducted on the first ballot and will go into the Hall on November 10th.
Francis becomes the first player to play predominantly for the Hartford Whalers to make the Hall. He was their first round pick in 1981 out of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Francis played the third most games in NHL history only behind Gordie Howe and Mark Messier.
All Whaler fans remember March 4, 1991. It was the day that Francis was part of a six-player trade along with Ulf Samuelsson to Pittsburgh. It would become known as the day the Whalers died. The franchise never recovered from Eddie Johnston’s trade of the franchise player and a few short years later they would leave for Carolina and become the Hurricanes.
Francis would go on to win two Stanley Cups in Pittsburgh playing along side the great Mario Lemieux.
