Anaheim Ducks defensive tackle candidate Will Francis is battling cancer for a second time, he announced Monday.
In March 2020, the 22-year-old American learned for the first time that he had acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In July 2022, he received his final treatments, which cured him of the illness that had forced him to retire for the entire 2020–2021 season and much of the following season.
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Francis, who discovered the recurrence during a routine physical, now expects to miss the start of the next campaign and school year at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He is targeting a return in January.
“I was disappointed and shocked [de l’apprendre] because I was in the best physical condition of my life, felt great on and off the ice and had no symptoms. Given the way last season and school year ended for me, and given the summer I spent with my friends, family and hockey, I was optimistic about this new year. said the young man in a press release from his team: the bulldogs.
The Minnesota native, a 6’5″ tall behemoth, was selected in the sixth round of the 2019 National League amateur auction. He had one point in 28 games in the 2022-23 season.