Ron Francis was drafted fourth overall in the first round of the 1981 NHL entry draft, and enjoyed a nine year career with the Whalers before being traded to the Pens in 1991, a move that would spur them to back to back Stanley Cups in 1991-92. Francis spent eight years with Pittsburgh, amassing 164 goals and 449 assists in only 533 games. In that span he was a five-time all star, three-time Lady Byng winner, and won the Selke Trophy (best defensive forward). After a whopping twenty-three year career, Francis hung up his skates in 2004. In 2007 he was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame, and in 2017 was named to the NHL’s list of the one-hundred greatest players to ever play the game.

This jersey was worn from January 27th to March 7th, 1995 during the first half of a lockout-shortened season. In ten games, Francis put up three goals and eleven assists (including his 750th which set up a Jagr PP goal in a 6-3 win over the Lightning on Feb. 4th, 1995), wearing the captains “C” on his chest in Lemieux’s absence. It’s matched to several games from the season, including at least one card that I happened to collect as a kid. At the end of the season he would be awarded his first Lady Byng trophy, and his only Selke, also becoming the first player to be awarded both.