Centennial Youth Hockey Association Welcomes Will Francis as Head of Player Development 🏒

Centennial Youth Hockey Association (CYHA) is proud to announce that Will Francis — Centennial alum, NHL Draft pick of the Anaheim Ducks, and four-year Division I player at the University of Minnesota - Duluth, is joining the association as our new Head of Player Development.

A 6’5” defenseman, Will’s path is one CYHA families will recognize every step of: Centennial Youth Hockey, Centennial High School, the USHL’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, and ultimately the University of Minnesota Duluth, where he played four seasons of Division I hockey from 2021–25. At UMD, Will was a two-time NCHC Academic All-Conference honoree and received the program’s Maroon and Gold Award, graduating with a degree in Management and Communications. In his senior season, he was voted Most Inspirational Player by his teammates — a testament to the leadership and character he brought to the locker room every day. Along the way, he was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the 6th round of the 2019 NHL Draft, and later signed with the Ducks’ AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, spending two seasons in Anaheim’s organization.

As Head of Player Development, Will oversees player development across all age levels and lead the creation of a unified coaching philosophy across the association — bringing an NHL-organization perspective to how CYHA develops its players from the ground up.

Few coaches in our program’s history have walked as complete a path as Will has: homegrown talent, Division I letterwinner, academic honoree, and NHL Draft selection. He knows what elite development actually looks like because he’s lived every stage of it, and he’s committed to building that same foundation — strong fundamentals, sharp hockey IQ, and real character — in every CYHA player, regardless of where their hockey journey ultimately takes them.

“Playing professional and college hockey opened my eyes to just how much the little things matter. Preparation, the habits, the details, the mindset,” said Francis. “I want to bring that standard back to where it all started for me. Every player who comes through this program deserves coaching that pushes them to be their best, whether that means playing in college, playing beyond, or just becoming a great teammate and person.”

We’re proud to welcome Will home to Centennial and excited for what his leadership will bring to our players, coaches, and families in the years ahead.

Welcome home, Will!