Ron Francis is returning to the Penguins as a special advisor, hockey operations, the team announced Friday.
In the role, the 63-year-old “will assist the Penguins’ hockey operations leadership group with strategic planning, roster construction and optimization of all internal systems and processes to help further implement best practices within the organization,” a statement from the Penguins read.
“Ron has a deep affinity for the city of Pittsburgh and the Penguins,” said Kyle Dubas, Pittsburgh president of hockey operations and general manager, in a statement. “He cherishes his time spent here as a player where he had tremendous success and is an outstanding ambassador for the Penguins and the city of Pittsburgh.”
Francis was a member of the Penguins as a player from 1990-98, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh in 1991 and 1992.
He retired after the 2003-04 season and began life as an NHL executive in 2011, when he was named director of hockey operations with the Carolina Hurricanes, the team he spent the majority of his career with after leaving Pittsburgh, and was first drafted by in 1981 when they were the Hartford Whalers.
Most recently, Francis spent the past seven seasons with the Seattle Kraken. He was named the club’s first-ever general manager, and was eventually promoted to president of hockey operations before he stepped down at the conclusion of this past season.
Francis joins a Penguins side that’s coming off a 98-point campaign and reached the post-season for the first time since 2022.