Francis comes back from cancer again, more thankful than ever

DULUTH Of the three comeback games hes now played since being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia as a 19 year old in March 2020, Minnesota Duluth senior defenseman Will Francis said last Saturdays game at St.

Cloud State was the easiest.

That doesnt mean he was any less thankful to be playing for the Bulldogs after a second relapse of leukemia.

Francis said its the complete opposite.

ADVERTISEMENT Every time he steps back on the ice after chemotherapy treatments, and a bone marrow transplant and another round of treatment in Philadelphia, he said he appreciates everything a little more about the game of hockey.

I was getting breakfast with some people out in Philly and they happened to ask me it was Greg Cronin, the coach of the (Anaheim) Ducks Whats it like going through this stuff? What are the things that you miss? this and that, Francis said.

We were just eating breakfast and I said, This.

This, exactly.

We have meals as a team when were on the road and here (in Duluth).

Its just the little things like that, being together with the guys, is what Id say going through this thing the past two years has really been what I missed.

The Bulldogs are in Tempe, Arizona, this weekend to take on Arizona State in a best-of-three NCHC quarterfinal series at Mullett Arena.

Win two games and Francis will get to play another game with the Bulldogs, this time back home in the Twin Cities at the NCHC Frozen Faceoff at Xcel Energy Center in St.

Paul.

If UMD loses two games in Arizona, their season will be over, and so will Francis career as a Bulldog.

The 24-year-old is graduating with a degree in communications this spring after four years at UMD.

He could apply for a hardship waiver from the NCAA to continue playing college hockey, but said this week prior to leaving for Tempe that hes ready to move on from the college ranks.

He means so much to this program, said Francis teammate the past four seasons at UMD, captain Dominic James.

People forget that hes three-for-three against cancer.

Thats a huge deal to us.

He pushes us every single day.

Hes a great leader, whether he does it through action or his voice.

Hes awesome.

Last Saturdays game in St.

Cloud where Francis was credited with a shot on goal in 7:11 of ice time was officially his third of the 2024-25 season and 36th as a Bulldog, not counting exhibitions.

He only played five as a freshman after his first battle with cancer and then 28 his sophomore season before sitting out all of 2023-24 going through a second bout.

ADVERTISEMENT Francis was drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in the sixth round of the 2019 NHL Draft, before he was ever diagnosed with leukemia.

While it may not be with the Ducks organization, he said he would like to play professional hockey.

Thats something Francis was unsure he could do, or even wanted to do, multiple times in the last 365 days.

Francis underwent a bone marrow transplant in April 2024 in hopes of avoiding a second relapse.

His first came in August 2023 and forced him to sit out all of the 2023-24 season.

The UMD defenseman didnt go public about the bone marrow transplant until September because he was unsure hed ever be able to play hockey again.

Then in late October, he learned he once again had leukemia.

This time Francis said he didnt even tell his Bulldogs teammates.

He informed Dr.

Susan Hoppe UMDs assistant athletic director of sports medicine performance who told him they had to inform head coach Scott Sandelin.

They did that, and then Francis played what would be his final game at Amsoil Arena on Nov.

8, 2024, against North Dakota.

Secretly playing a game with cancer, he registered two shots on goal and took a major penalty for facemasking during a scuffle.

Francis said he told his teammates about his relapse shortly after the North Dakota series.

He went out to Philadelphia this time for treatment, and admitted he wasnt sure hed ever play hockey again.

ADVERTISEMENT What was until he again took another first step back on the ice.

Prior to this I was honestly thinking, this might be it, Francis said.

I dont know if I can keep coming back from these things because it just takes such a toll on your body.

At the time, I was down about it happening again.

The first time I hopped out there was by myself on a 3-on-3 rink an hour outside Philadelphia.

I realized there I still love doing this.

This is what I wanted to do.

Francis said it can be tough to go through a battle with cancer in the public eye.

Its why he waited a few months this time to make yet another announcement.

His instincts tell him to be quiet about it, but hes found the support that comes from the outside world helps him stay driven.

He also gets motivation from the parents and children who gain strength and hope from his battle.

Parents that have children going through the exact same disease, they dont know if their 6-year-old is going to get back out on the soccer field or whatever it is, Francis said.

Then they see it can be done at a high level, it gives them hope that their kid can accomplish anything they set their mind to and theyre going to have success in the future.

Bulldogs coach Scott Sandelin said Francis should help motivate everyone not to give up on whats important to them.

He puts a lot of things in perspective, Sandelin said.

For him to keep battling, the resolve hes shown through that, its not an easy thing when it happens three times.

Your players learn a lot from it, just like people should learn a lot.

Just keep battling, keep fighting.

If things are important to you, youll find a way through it.

ADVERTISEMENT Sandelin wouldnt say if Francis would be getting into a playoff game this weekend in Tempe.

The defenseman was a freshman the last time the Bulldogs won an NCHC quarterfinal series in March 2022 when the Bulldogs swept at St.

Cloud State.

Hes one of four Bulldogs that remain from the 2021-22 Bulldogs, who beat the Huskies and won the NCHC Frozen Faceoff to get into the NCAA tournament.

Francis said that run to the NCAA regional final in Loveland, where UMD ultimately lost to Denver, was the most fun hes had at UMD.

He said hes like to make one last run like that as a Bulldog.

Its just about coming together, for us, Francis said.

You guys see it every game.

We put together some of our best periods of hockey, like we did in St.

Cloud, of the year, in my opinion.

Its just putting that together for a full 60..

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