Emile Francis to be honored at 2008 AHL All-Star Classic
December 19, 2007 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Binghamton Senators News Release
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. - The American Hockey League announced today that Emile Francis will serve as the Hockey Hall of Fame honoree at the 2008 AHL All-Star Classic, to be held January 27-28 at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton, N.Y.
Francis spent six seasons in the American Hockey League during his 14-year professional playing career, tending goal for the New Haven Ramblers, Cincinnati Mohawks and Cleveland Barons. He was a Second Team AHL All-Star in 1953-54, when he led the league with 37 wins and five shutouts and backstopped Cleveland to a Calder Cup championship. In addition to his outstanding playing career, Francis's work as an executive made him one of the most respected individuals in hockey, and earned him election into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 1982.
Francis coached the New York Rangers to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1972 and was their general manager from 1964-75, and later joined the St. Louis Blues as executive vice president, general manager and coach. After building winning teams in New York and St. Louis, Francis joined the Hartford Whalers, then the parent club of the AHL's Binghamton Whalers, as president and general manager in 1983, and stayed on as team president until his retirement in 1993. In 2001, the AHL recognized his contributions by establishing the Emile Francis Trophy, which is presented annually to the champions of the Atlantic Division.
A longtime supporter of minor hockey, Francis has been involved in the establishment and development of several amateur hockey programs and schools, and was a recipient of the Lester Patrick Trophy for contributions to hockey in the United States in 1982.
Francis will be the honored guest at the annual Hockey Hall of Fame/AHL All-Star Luncheon, which each year honors a Hockey Hall of Famer with ties to the AHL. Past honorees include Andy Bathgate, Serge Savard, Larry Robinson, Billy Smith, Grant Fuhr, Rod Langway, Brad Park, George Armstrong, Glen Sather, Bill Torrey, Al Arbour, Bill Barber, Ken Dryden, Lorne "Gump" Worsley, Johnny Bower and Glenn Hall. All told, more than 100 of the Hall's honored members are AHL alumni.
The 2008 AHL All-Star Classic will take place at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton, home of the AHL's Senators. The event features the 2008 AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday, January 27 (7:00 ET) and the 2008 AHL All-Star Game on Monday, January 28 (7:00 ET), and will be televised live in the United States and Canada.
Of the 427 players to take part in the AHL All-Star Classic since 1995, more than 93 percent have competed in the National Hockey League, including Patrice Bergeron, Brad Boyes, Daniel Briere, Zdeno Chara, Jonathan Cheechoo, Pavol Demitra, Rick DiPietro, Patrik Elias, Ray Emery, Jiri Hudler, Miikka Kiprusoff, Kari Lehtonen, Ryan Miller, Martin St. Louis, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal and Steve Sullivan.
For ticket and event information for the 2008 AHL All-Star Classic, call the Binghamton Senators at (607) 722-7367 or visit www.binghamtonsenators.com.
American Hockey League Stories from December 19, 2007
- Sound Tigers win third straight behind Morrison's second shutout of the season - Bridgeport Islanders
- Wolves Power Past Rivermen 7-4 - Peoria Rivermen
- Amerks Lose Seventh Straight In Albany - Rochester Americans
- Hughes Goal Ignites Comeback Win Over Amerks - Albany River Rats
- Sound Tigers Shut Out Norfolk - Bridgeport Islanders
- Sharks Be A Leader Program Visits Woodland Elementary School In Milford, Ma - Worcester Sharks
- Monsters Give Away Holiday Dinners to Families in Need - Cleveland Monsters
- Taffe Recalled By Pittsburgh - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- 2008 AHL All-Star Classic tickets available for pick up beginning Friday - Binghamton Senators
- Calgary Flames Assign Adam Pardy To Quad City - Abbotsford Heat
- Columbus Returns Derek MacKenzie - Syracuse Crunch
- Emile Francis to be honored at 2008 AHL All-Star Classic - Binghamton Senators
- Almtorp Reassigned To Stockton, Syvret Loaned To Team Canada - Springfield Falcons
- Crunch Announce Details of Chevron Friday Night Autograph Series - Syracuse Crunch
- Emile Francis to be honored at 2008 AHL All-Star Classic - AHL
- Zaba sent back to Charlotte - Connecticut Whale
- Falcons To Host Ticket Package Holder Event - Springfield Falcons
- Dallas Stars Recall Mark Fistric - Iowa Chops
- Ramo and Leach Recalled by Tampa; Munce and Rogers Re-Join Admirals from Mississippi - Norfolk Admirals
- Stars Support MDA with Guns & Hoses - Iowa Chops
- Amerks battle River Rats tonight - Rochester Americans
- Houston Aeros reassign Jon Awe and Moises Gutierrez to ECHL - Houston Aeros
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
