Ryan Francis

May 2022 – It is widely expected that Francis will be making the jump from the QMJHL to the AHL next season. He was just on a tear this season for the Sea Dogs and he hopes to continue that translation into the minors and then one day, the NHL. He has been compared to current Flames forward Andrew Mangiapane as they both have similar statures. As a fifth round pick in 2020, he is starting to look like an absolute steal if he continues to develop his game. Chris Fekete

October 2020 – Francis was drafted 143rd overall by the Flames. Francis is expected to spend another year in the QMJHL before turning pro.  Jokke Nevalainen

June 2020 – The Cape Breton Eagles forward exploded onto the scene this year as he more than doubled his production from the previous season, putting up 72 points in 61 games. Francis has seemed to find his way as a small forward and has shown the ability to work through traffic with more consistently in his draft year. Francis will need to continue to get stronger as he proceeds through his development. He has a lot of tendencies that succeed in junior hockey but will not at the next level. He carries the puck all over the zone and sometimes overhandles it which leads to errors. He has the high-end puck skills to do that on occasion but very few players can dance teams with any sort of real consistency outside of the elite of the elite. His shot isn’t necessarily a weapon but he does locate it well and when given the chance to score, he capitalizes. The trademark of Francis’ game is that he has unreal vision and the creativity that allows him to strike teams at any moment in the offensive zone. Should he put a bit more strength on his frame as he develops physically, the Cape Breton forward could wind up being a mid-round steal. Tony Ferrari