Ron Francis
Ronald "Ron" Michael Francis, hockey player (b at Sault Ste Marie, Ont 1 Mar 1963). Ron Francis' long career in hockey garnered him several awards and he is known as one of the NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE's best-ever playmakers.
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Create AccountRonald "Ron" Michael Francis, hockey player (b at Sault Ste Marie, Ont 1 Mar 1963). Ron Francis' long career in hockey garnered him several awards and he is known as one of the NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE's best-ever playmakers.
Gordon “Gordie” Howe, OC, hockey player (born 31 March 1928 in Floral, SK; died 10 June 2016 in Sylvania, Ohio). A 21-time National Hockey League (NHL) all-star, Howe is often described as “the greatest of them all,” even in song. Known as “Mr. Hockey,” even by fans not yet born when he retired from the sport, Howe played for 32 seasons in the major leagues, including 26 years in the NHL. Few players have come close to matching his overall proficiency, and none his longevity.
Harold Ballard, hockey executive (born 30 July 1903 in Toronto, ON; died 11 April 1990 in To-ronto, ON). Ballard was a sports enthusiast from a young age and began running hockey teams in Toronto in the early 1930s. After helping to build a successful organization with the Toronto Marlboros in the 1940s and 1950s, Ballard became part of a seven-man committee running the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1957. He was one of three owners in control of the team when Toronto won the Stanley Cup four times in the 1960s, but after becoming principal owner in 1972, his bombastic, autocratic style contributed to the team’s decline on the ice. Ballard was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1977. He bought the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1978 and was elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1987.
Gérald Gratton, weightlifter, bricklayer. (born at Montréal, 29 Aug 1927; died there 27 July 1963). During the 1950s, Gérald Gratton was recognized as a very great Canadian athlete.
Terrance Richard "Dick" Duff, hockey player, coach (b at Kirkland Lake, Ont, 18 Feb 1936). Dick Duff had a distinguished career in the NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE as both a player and coach.
Brian McKeever, cross-country skier (born 18 June 1979 in Calgary, AB). McKeever has won 17 medals in men’s cross-country skiing and biathlon at the Paralympic Winter Games between 2002 and 2018.
Manon Rhéaume, hockey player (born 24 February 1972 in Lac-Beauport, Québec). Goaltender Manon Rhéaume was a pioneer in women’s hockey. In 1992, she became the first woman to try out for a National Hockey League (NHL) team and to play in an NHL game. In doing so, she also became the first woman to play in any of North America’s major sports leagues. Rhéaume also represented Canada in international women’s hockey. She was part of the World Championship women’s team in 1992 and 1994, and helped Team Canada win the Olympic silver medal in 1998, the first year that women’s hockey was included in the Olympic Winter Games.
Michel Vaillancourt (born St-Félix-de-Valois, Que., 26 Jul 1954). Athlete Michel Vaillancourt competed in the SUMMER OLYMPICS in EQUESTRIAN SPORTS.
Carol Huynh, wrestler, Olympic medallist (born 16 November 1980 in Hazelton, BC). Carol Huynh, the daughter of Vietnamese refugees, is the first Canadian woman to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling. Her victory was also the first gold medal for Canada at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. In 2012, Huynh won the bronze medal in her division at the London Olympics. A winner of 11 Canadian championships, she has also won gold at the Commonwealth and Pan-American Games, and has medalled at four world wrestling championships.
Lionel Pretoria Conacher, multi-sport athlete, politician (born 24 May 1900 in Toronto, Ontario; died 26 May 1954 in Ottawa, Ontario). Deserving of his nickname, “the big train”, Lionel Conacher was Canada’s greatest all-round athlete. He was named Canada’s Athlete of the Half Century in 1950. He also served as an MPP and as Ontario athletic commissioner, as well as a federal Member of Parliament. One of only three players to win both a Stanley Cup and a Grey Cup, Conacher was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame (1955), the Canadian Football Hall of Fame (1963), the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame (1966) the Hockey Hall of Fame (1994) and Canada’s Walk of Fame (2022). The award for Canada’s male athlete of the year is named in his honour.
A few weeks later, he won his first race. It was held between the towns of Ste-Madeleine and St-Hyacinthe. In early 1932, he registered for his first snowshoe race.
The RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) Flyers was a men’s amateur hockey team comprised mostly of RCAF personnel that was assembled quickly to represent Canada at the 1948 Winter Olympics. After losing exhibition games in Canada, the media declared the team a national embarrassment. Several roster changes improved the team and it won the Gold Medal at the Olympic Winter Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
Robitaille was not originally thought to be all-star NHL material. He was the 171st pick of the 1984 NHL entry draft, selected in the 9th round by the Los Angeles Kings.
Raymond Bourque, hockey player (b at Montréal, Qué, 28 Dec 1960). Raymond Bourque is one of the NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE's best-ever defensemen, holding the record for the most points, goals and assists for a defenseman in the league.
Pierre Lueders, bobsledder (born 26 September 1970 in Edmonton, AB). Lueders is one of Canada's most decorated bobsledders, with two Olympic medals and numerous top finishes at world events in both two- and four-man sleds.
Émilie Mondor, athlete, middle-distance runner (born 29 April 1981 in Montréal, Québec; died 9 September 2006 in Ottawa, Ontario).
Grant Fuhr, hockey player (b at Spruce Grove, Alta 28 Sept 1962). Grant Fuhr was one of the National Hockey League's best-ever goalies and a member of the outstanding Edmonton Oilers lineup of the 1980s.
Cassie Dawn Campbell-Pascall (née Campbell), CM, hockey player, broadcaster, administrator (born 22 November 1973 in Richmond Hill, ON). Three-time Olympian Cassie Campbell-Pascall won gold medals in women’s hockey at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City and the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin. She is the only hockey player, man or woman, to captain Canada to two Olympic gold medals. She also won a silver medal with Team Canada at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano. Campbell-Pascall won gold with Canada at six Women’s World Hockey Championships (1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2004) and silver at the 2005 championships. She scored 100 points (32 goals and 68 assists) in 157 games for Team Canada. She has worked as a broadcaster for CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada since 2006. She has also served on the board of the Canadian Women Hockey’s League (CWHL) and on the selection committee for the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Cyle Christopher Larin, soccer player (born 17 April 1995 in Brampton, ON). Cyle Larin is the all-time leading goal scorer for the Canadian men’s soccer team. He was the first Canadian player to be selected first overall in the MLS SuperDraft. In 2016, he was named MLS Rookie of the Year after breaking the record for most goals scored by a rookie. After scoring 43 goals in 87 games in three seasons with Orlando City SC, he was transferred to Beşiktaş JK of the Süper Lig in 2018. Larin helped Beşiktaş JK win the Süper Lig, Turkish Cup and the Turkish Super Cup in 2020–21. He also played for Canada at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Drawing inspiration from the Olympic Games in ancient Greece, the modern Olympics began in 1896. Like the Olympics, the Paralympic Games take place every two years, alternating between summer and winter sports. Indigenous athletes from Canada have competed at these games and brought home medals. They have represented the country in various sports at the Olympics, from long-distance running to skiing to water sports and more. This article explores some of the most notable Indigenous Olympians from Canada.