Ron Francis

“I think any time you play your first NHL game, you remember that.”

“It was a fun ride. I've enjoyed my time on the ice and I've enjoyed more and more people getting interested in the game of hockey.”

“I think you always hope you can play forever, but you always realize that time will come... I was fortunate I was able to make a decision, move on and do it comfortably.”

“You know there are so many people that have touched your life both on the ice and within your career in the NHL whether it be owners, GM's, coaches, players, trainers, all the way down. And that doesn't even account for all of the people that you encountered outside of the game that you met along this trip, too.”

“As a kid growing up in the little city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, I dreamed of one day playing in the NHL, but never did I expect it to be as much fun as it turned out to be.”

“I always said put me in front of 40 or 50,000 people and play hockey, I'm comfortable there. Put me in front of 50 people to talk or get in front of, and that's where I'm probably the least comfortable.”