1997 NHL Draft
Francis Lessard in the 1997 NHL Draft
Carolina Hurricanes selected Francis Lessard 80th overall in the 1997 NHL Draft, with the 27th pick of round 3.
It was the third of the 9 picks Carolina Hurricanes made in the draft. Of the 246 players selected in 1997, 101 have played in the NHL regular season. His 115 games put him 50th in the class.
- Overall pick
- 80
- Round and pick
- Round 3, pick 27
- Drafting team
- CARCarolina Hurricanes
- Date
- Age at the draft
- 18 years
The picks around it
Picks 77–83 in the 1997 draft
- 77Steve GaineyL33 GP · 2 PDALDallas Stars
- 78Ville NieminenL385 GP · 117 PCOLColorado Avalanche
- 79Robert SchnabelD22 GP · 3 PNYINew York Islanders
- 80Francis LessardR115 GP · 4 PCARCarolina Hurricanes
- 81Karol BartanusRBOSBoston Bruins
- 82Adam ColagiacomoRSJSSan Jose Sharks
- 83Joe CorvoD708 GP · 310 PLAKLos Angeles Kings
Games and points are NHL regular season to date.
Place in the draft class
Where he came in the 1997 class
80th
of 246 players selected
50th
of 136 forwards selected
Counted in draft order across the whole draft. The position is the one listed at the draft.
First off the board
- 1Joe ThorntonC1714 GP · 1539 PBOSBoston Bruins
- 2Patrick MarleauC1779 GP · 1197 PSJSSan Jose Sharks
- 3Olli JokinenC1231 GP · 750 PLAKLos Angeles Kings
- 4Roberto LuongoG1044 GP · 489 WNYINew York Islanders
- 5Eric BrewerD1009 GP · 271 PNYINew York Islanders
- 6Daniel TkaczukC19 GP · 11 PCGYCalgary Flames
- 7Paul MaraD734 GP · 253 PTBLTampa Bay Lightning
- 8Sergei SamsonovL888 GP · 571 PBOSBoston Bruins
- 9Nick BoyntonD605 GP · 144 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 10Brad FerenceD250 GP · 34 PVANVancouver Canucks
+ 236 more
After the draft
The road to the NHL
Francis Lessard made his NHL debut on March 27, 2002, 4 years and 279 days after the draft.
115
Games
1
Goals
3
Assists
4
Points
NHL regular season to date.
The team's draft
Carolina Hurricanes picks in the 1997 draft
- 22Nikos TseliosD2 GP · 0 PCARCarolina Hurricanes
- 28Brad DefauwL9 GP · 3 PCARCarolina Hurricanes
- 80Francis LessardR115 GP · 4 PCARCarolina Hurricanes
- 88Shane WillisR174 GP · 74 PCARCarolina Hurricanes
- 142Kyle DafoeDCARCarolina Hurricanes
- 169Andrew MerrickCCARCarolina Hurricanes
- 195Niklas NordgrenL58 GP · 6 PCARCarolina Hurricanes
- 199Randy FitzgeraldLCARCarolina Hurricanes
- 225Kent McDonellR32 GP · 3 PCARCarolina Hurricanes