Ranked #76 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
Ranked #80 by FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS
Ranked #193 by MCKEEN'S HOCKEY
Ranked #55 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Skaters)
Ranked #93 by DOBBERPROSPECTS/ROBINSON
Ranked #79 by TSN/McKenzie
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There's the obligatory drafting of a small skilled player.
Maybe he can train with Crosby and Mackinnion in the off season and have some of their greatness rub off on him.
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Calgary Flames, PLEASE GO TO THE NET! AND SHOOT THE PUCK! GENERATING OFFENSE IS NOT DIFFICULT! SKATE HARD, SHOOT HARD, CRASH THE NET HARD!
Seems like his biggest fault is a serious lack of strength (lower body and upper body). Could be a good late bloomer if he can put on some muscle to improve his skating power and his shot speed. Otherwise it sounds like he has all the other tools required to be an NHLer.
Francis has many of the offensive tools to be a top-six forward at the next level. However, he will need to improve his strength and his speed in order to be able to play his style at the next level. Like many players ranked in this area of the draft, there are skills but also areas that need improvement. His defensive game will certainly help him if he can keep improving it. Francis’ game is reminiscent of Tyler Ennis, however, this is a stylistic comparison only and not one based on skill and potential.
Francis had been a right winger his entire career for the Eagles but made the move to centre when the opportunity presented itself at the start of the season. That switch allowed first-year head coach Jake Grimes to create a super line of sorts, with Francis flanked by mammoths in 6-foot-4 Egor Sokolov and 6-foot-5 Shawn Boudrias.
The trio found immediate chemistry and went on to lead the Eagles in scoring by a significant margin, combining for 105 goals — 40 percent of the team’s production — and 243 points.