LAFAYETTE, La. — The Louisiana Drillers have established themselves as one of the North American 3 Hockey League's most successful programs, but the turnaround did not happen overnight.
When head coach Chris Francis took over four years ago, he wasn't inheriting a championship program but instead was building one.
Francis said the standard he has set is centered on daily commitment from his players.
"The culture here is that these guys are bought in every second of every day," Francis said. "We don't want them to take a day off because that's a day you're wasting. The culture is that we're ready to go every time we step through that door."
After winning the Fraser Cup in 2025, the Drillers went 46-0-1 last season and returned to the championship game. Francis's standard has carried into the locker room, including with newcomers like Dayton Ruppel.
"He has a winning pedigree. They won a championship the year before I was here," Ruppel said. "From everything he had told me, he made it sound like it was a real good opportunity. We want to get better, we want to win. And at the end of the day, it all comes down to our compete. We just love to work hard."
With players from across the country and another season ahead, the Drillers are focused on maintaining that standard. Brody Haas said the bond within the team is central to the program's success.
"Camaraderie, the friendship, just from playing hockey, being around all these guys a group of boys that are super tight and all super good friends," Haas said. "You're winning together and having a good time. It's the best feeling in the world."
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