Francis returns to Madison Square Garden for Ratelle number retirement

NEW YORK -- Emile "The Cat" Francis is in Manhattan this weekend to witness the New York Rangers retire Jean Ratelle's No. 19 on Sunday. And if you pull back the curtain a little, you'll realize just how important Ratelle is to the economy-sized powder keg who coached and managed the legendary center in junior hockey and the NHL.
Before this weekend, Francis had spent one night of the past 10 years away from his West Palm Beach-area home. When Francis' wife, Emma, took ill, the man who had spent more than six decades on the road as a player, coach and general manager in junior, the minor pros and the NHL decided that his place was at home.

His single night away from Emma was in December 2015, when he flew to Boston to receive the Wayne Gretzky International Award from the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame for his influential work in promoting the sport in America. Otherwise, Francis has been at home, working alongside caregivers to provide for his wife of 66 years.
Francis arrived in New York on Saturday, and he'll be on Madison Square Garden ice with other Rangers luminaries when Ratelle's number is hung from the rafters before the game against the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday (7:30 p.m. ET, NHLN-US, MSG, FS-D, NHL.TV), flying home to Emma on Monday.
"The Cat" figures it will be his first time in Madison Square Garden in more than 20 years.

"This will be an emotional night for John, who's a very humble man, and it will be emotional for a lot of us," said Francis, 91, using the English version of Jean. "I'm sure that John knows that he's earned this. He was a key guy with the Rangers all the way through. I hope and I think that he has good memories of his time with New York because he was one of the No. 1 guys for us. He showed up to play every night and every practice. He was one player you'd never have any concern about. Not once. Not ever."
Francis was still wet behind the ears in coaching in the early 1960s in Guelph, Ontario, hired by the Rangers to guide a team they sponsored, when he was dazzled by two impressive players. Within five minutes, he says, he knew that Ratelle and his friend, Rod Gilbert, were the future of the Rangers.

Francis remembers Ratelle as a painfully shy young man with little English but limitless potential who would bring his deep reservoir of talent, leadership and poise to the Rangers.
"His first few years in the NHL, John wouldn't go on English TV, telling me he'd be embarrassed because his English wasn't good enough," Francis said. "There was a $100 check he was giving up every time that he said no. But he wouldn't go on, no sir. After three or four years, he finally did."
Francis heard, then and now, the comparisons made between Ratelle and late Montreal Canadiens legend Jean Béliveau, an idol of Ratelle's rural Quebec youth who was regarded as one of hockey's silkiest centers and greatest gentlemen on and off the ice.
"Oh, absolutely. The way John played reminded me so much of Béliveau," he said. "Both were playmakers, and John could play with anybody and that guy would end up scoring 20 goals or more. He was just a natural."
Francis said that his 1975 trade of Ratelle and defenseman Brad Park to the Boston Bruins for Phil Esposito and Carol Vadnais "was one of the hardest things I had to do in all my life in hockey," probably on a par with his decision of a week earlier to waive iconic Rangers goalie Eddie Giacomin, a huge fan favorite who also will be on hand for the ceremony.
"For half a dozen years, we were good enough to go all the way but we didn't, for one reason or another," Francis said. "It was time to make a change, and you've got to trade quality people who you know people will want if you want to get something in return."

There are no grudges now, only friendships. Over a reunion dinner Saturday, Francis expected to spin many yarns with Ratelle and the former Rangers who have gathered for the number retirement. This one, he said of his graceful and forever respectful friend, would be at the top of the list:
"We had 10 rules on our team, things about cutting your hair, shirt and tie and all that," Francis said. "We never, ever caught John, not for anything. The closest we ever came was after a practice, taking a bus straight to the airport. Here comes John, the last one to get to the bus, and he's carrying his tie.
"I hear somebody say, 'Cat, I think we've got him this time.' Then there was a pause. John stopped just outside the bus, put his tie on, straightened it, got on and sat down."
Francis still laughs at the memory.
"John had a big smirk on his face," he said, "one that said, 'I fooled you bums.'"