A Quiet 1,772-Point Player

If you start asking hockey fans to name the great scoring stars of the game, how long will it take before someone mentions Ron Francis? Even the most informed would likely name Rocket Richard, Mario Lemieux and a handful more before recalling Francis' 23-year career. The guy doesn't even have a decent nickname. ("Ronnie Franchise"? Please.)

But today, only Gretzky, Howe and Messier can claim to be in on more NHL goals than Francis. With an assist in last night's 4-3 win over the Rangers, the Carolina captain moved past Marcel Dionne and into fourth place on the all-time scoring list. It was his 1,772nd point.

Typical of Francis' career, the milestone seems to have gained little notice. Even in the Carolina newspapers, it was a footnote in a rare Hurricanes' victory.

As we noted back during the 2002 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Francis has always been the NHL's covert superstar.

Wayne Gretzky is at the top of the career scoring list, well out of reach with 2,857 points. The Rangers' Mark Messier picked up an assist in last night's loss to the Hurricanes, giving him 1,868 and counting. Gordie Howe is third with 1,850.

"I keep waiting for him to retire. He's probably saying the same thing about me," the 40-year-old Francis said of Messier, who will turn 43 in eight days.

Among active players, only Mario Lemieux and Steve Yzerman are within 100 points of Francis.

A decent homestand (the 'Canes are 4-3 in their last seven) and an historic evening give Carolina fans something to cheer about. The Hurricanes are the lowest scoring team in the NHL and appear likely to miss the playoffs again. Francis has 14 points, and his minus-12 is the worst on the team.