The CBA has odd wording around draft eligibility, but if I'm reading it correctly, I believe he will be eligible to be drafted again:
Quote:
8.4 Eligibility for Claim.(a) All Players age 18 or older are eligible for claim in the Entry Draft, except:(i) a Player on the Reserve List of a Club, other than as a try-out;
(ii) a Player who has been claimed in two prior Entry Drafts;
(iii) a Player who previously played in the League and became a Free Agent pursuant to this Agreement;
(iv) a Player age 21 or older who: (A) has not been selected in a previous Entry Draft and (B) played hockey for at least one season in North America when he was age 18, 19, or 20 and shall be eligible to enter the League as an Unrestricted Free Agent pursuant to Article 10.1(d); and
(v) a Player age 22 or older who has not been selected in a previous Entry Draft and shall be eligible to enter the League as an Unrestricted Free Agent pursuant to Article 10.1(d).
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Francis has an early-December birthday, so he will be 21 before the end of the year. If he were to qualify for free agency, it would be under clause iv, but because he was previously drafted, he doesn't meet the criteria for sub-clause A. Since both conditions A and B need to be met, I don't think he qualifies.