Hall of Fame Rangers Coach, Emile Francis, Dead at 95

[Sharpshooter]

 

[Phil]

RIP

[Sharpshooter]

Losing he and Rod in less than a year's time. Sucks.

[resmd]

WOW... RIP Coach Francis

 

[Keirik]

RIP cat 

[Pete]

RIP

[Bugg]

A shame he never got "a night". Not sure if it was an oversight as much he was in poor health for a long time. 

 

Was a hoot during the 1994 run as a postgame guy on MSG. Was still very sharp.

 

RIP

[Sod16]

In 1964, the Rangers were a long moribund franchise.  Average attendance had fallen to under 9,000.  The team practiced on a 2/3 sheet surrounded by glass walls.  They were ousted from their building during their rare playoff appearances.  They had less scouting and fewer sponsored junior teams than the rest of the league.  The players lived in Manhattan and partied.

 

The Cat changed it all, and fast.  He moved the players to Long Beach and practices to Skateland in New Hyde Park.  He took the GM job on the condition that they would not be ousted come circus time.  He pulled off some terrific trades (Giacomin  and Bathgate deals in particular).  The Rangers became a permanent player; they packed the Garden even in bad times from 1965 forward.

 

In 1965, there was virtually no youth hockey in the NY area.  Primarily a few country clubs with rinks feeding a prep school sport.  The Cat changed it all, and fast.  As if he wasn't busy enough as the Rangers coach and GM, he organized the Met league and ignited rink building throughout the area.  I recall him handing out trophies at pee wee tournaments at Skateland.  His son Bobby (later an NHLer and coach) was on my pee wee team at Cantiague.

 

The events of November 1975 through January 1976 were the doing not of the Cat or Bill Jennings but Jennings' new boss, Cohen, as the Garden had new ownership.

 

Drury said the Cat was as important to the franchise as anyone in it's history.  But nothing in the rafters.  It's criminal.

 

His signed 8X10 glossy is among family portraits in my living room.

Edited February 20, 2022 by Sod16

[Parsley]

RIP.

[SaveByRichter35]

[Ozzy]

First coach I ever knew as a Rangers fan when I was a little kid.  RIP

[siddious]

RIP. Obviously before my time so I’ll just comment on how Emile Francis is a cool friggin name. 

[Keirik]

On 2/19/2022 at 10:28 PM, Bugg said:

A shame he never got "a night". Not sure if it was an oversight as much he was in poor health for a long time. 

 

Was a hoot during the 1994 run as a postgame guy on MSG. Was still very sharp.

 

RIP

100% deserved a night. It should have happened soon after 94 because he did a good amount of interviews during that time. Once the dust settled after our win, he should have had an honor in his name and even just a small token of a night to remember. 

[Vodka Drunkenski]

RIP

[Sharpshooter]

On 2/21/2022 at 12:35 AM, Keirik said:

100% deserved a night. It should have happened soon after 94 because he did a good amount of interviews during that time. Once the dust settled after our win, he should have had an honor in his name and even just a small token of a night to remember. 

I was going to ask this. Obviously there's nothing for him in the rafters or anything, but have the Rangers ever had a night for him at all for anything? If not, that's sad. Not only was he a great coach, but a huge ambassador to the game every where he's been, and was huge for starting up hockey programs in the city and surrounding areas.