One of the Greatest Rangers of all time.
I know that I said that about Leetch in my previous post but this guy is an absolute legend. Although he didn't spend all of his playing days in a Red, White, and Blue sweater, the days that he donned the sweater was pretty sweet.
Most people would say that they remember Mark Messier as “The Captain,” “Moose” or for the remarkably gross looking Cooper bucket he wore. If you don’t get anything else out of this article, just remember Captain of the team that finally brought The Cup back down the “Canyon of Heroes.”
Mark’s father, Doug, was a minor leaguer and would-be Mark’s first hockey coach. Hockey ran throughout the Messier bloodline as his brother, Paul, was drafted by the Colorado Rockies 41st over in the 1987 draft; however he only played 9 games in the NHL for the Rockies and continued his hockey career over in Germany for Mannheimer ERC, a team no longer active. Mark’s cousins Joby and Mitch have played in the NHL for a brief spurts of time, while his nephew Luke Esposito, is a Junior at Harvard (Elite Prospects).
“The Moose” was born on January 18, 1961. He was a stick boy for the Alberta Junior team, Spruce Grove Mets, at eleven years old. He played for his high school, St. Francis Xavier High School, before moving on to the team that he had originally been the stick boy for - Spruce Grove Mets. During his one year with the Mets, he had 66 points in 57 games while accumulating 91 penalty minutes. The following year he had increased his point total in less games while almost doubling his penalty minutes - 54GP, 74PTS, 194PIM (HockeyDB).
This budding talent of Messier could only be contained for so long. His father had reached out to long-time friend Pat Stapleton, who coached the Indianapolis Racers in the WHA. However, only 5 games into his 10 game tryout he was let go as the Racers were bankrupt. He was quickly snatched up by the Cincinnati Stingers, also of the WHA, as he was now a free-agent. He only scored 1 goal during his 47 games played for the Stingers, which some thought may be a telltale sign of what was to come in the Pros.
In the 1979 NHL amauter draft, Messier was selected in the 3rd round, 48th overall by the Edmonton Oilers. In his rookie campaign, “Moose” only totalled 33 points in 75 games, which not terrible by any standards at but in no comparison to a player like Nathan MacKinnon, Patrick Kane, or that guy on the Penguins that wears number 87.
In only his third year in the show (1981-82) he was a first team All-Star compiling 50 goals, 38 assists for a total of 88 points in 78 games - good for over a point a game, however not even in the top 20 for points: Gretzky had 212 points. In the following year he was once again a first team All-Star and had a total of 106 points in 77 games, which was good for 7th in the scoring race. Surprise, surprise - Gretzky the scoring title again.
Messier and Gretzky were a deadly combination. Messier the power forward while Gretzky would undress defenders, although Messier was quick capable of that as well. The two spent 10 years together, although it was Gretzky that was smashing records left and right, they had over 2,820 points; Gretzky with 1,766 and Messier with 1,054.
On October 4th, 1991 Neil Smith - then GM of the Rangers - made a bold move that would decide his legacy as GM of the Rangers. He had traded for Mark Messier after he had been on the Oilers for 12 years. He was traded for Louie DeBrusk, Bernie Nicholls, and Steven Rice and later, the Rangers would also get Jeff Beukeboom.
So why should you care about Mark Messier?
Why is he important in Ranger history?
Relax, I’ll get there - eventually.
It was the 1994 playoffs. The Rangers had breezed past the Islanders and Capitals in a total of 9 games - sweeping the N.Y. Hipsters. But then the Rangers ran into a bit of trouble. They were down 3 games to 2 while 2 of the 5 games played had seen double free hockey (OT). The Rangers were at the Devils in game 6, and Messier had publicly made a guarentte that they would win. They did it. Thanks to the hatty that he had to lead the way to set up game 7 in The Garden. The Rangers would go on to win that series in - you guess it - double OT with the famous “Matteu, Matteu, Matteu” call from Howie Rose. If that call doesn’t give you some goosebumps, then maybe you aren't a Ranger fan or, for that matter, have a pulse.
I know that I said that about Leetch in my previous post but this guy is an absolute legend. Although he didn't spend all of his playing days in a Red, White, and Blue sweater, the days that he donned the sweater was pretty sweet.
Most people would say that they remember Mark Messier as “The Captain,” “Moose” or for the remarkably gross looking Cooper bucket he wore. If you don’t get anything else out of this article, just remember Captain of the team that finally brought The Cup back down the “Canyon of Heroes.”
Mark’s father, Doug, was a minor leaguer and would-be Mark’s first hockey coach. Hockey ran throughout the Messier bloodline as his brother, Paul, was drafted by the Colorado Rockies 41st over in the 1987 draft; however he only played 9 games in the NHL for the Rockies and continued his hockey career over in Germany for Mannheimer ERC, a team no longer active. Mark’s cousins Joby and Mitch have played in the NHL for a brief spurts of time, while his nephew Luke Esposito, is a Junior at Harvard (Elite Prospects).
“The Moose” was born on January 18, 1961. He was a stick boy for the Alberta Junior team, Spruce Grove Mets, at eleven years old. He played for his high school, St. Francis Xavier High School, before moving on to the team that he had originally been the stick boy for - Spruce Grove Mets. During his one year with the Mets, he had 66 points in 57 games while accumulating 91 penalty minutes. The following year he had increased his point total in less games while almost doubling his penalty minutes - 54GP, 74PTS, 194PIM (HockeyDB).
This budding talent of Messier could only be contained for so long. His father had reached out to long-time friend Pat Stapleton, who coached the Indianapolis Racers in the WHA. However, only 5 games into his 10 game tryout he was let go as the Racers were bankrupt. He was quickly snatched up by the Cincinnati Stingers, also of the WHA, as he was now a free-agent. He only scored 1 goal during his 47 games played for the Stingers, which some thought may be a telltale sign of what was to come in the Pros.
In the 1979 NHL amauter draft, Messier was selected in the 3rd round, 48th overall by the Edmonton Oilers. In his rookie campaign, “Moose” only totalled 33 points in 75 games, which not terrible by any standards at but in no comparison to a player like Nathan MacKinnon, Patrick Kane, or that guy on the Penguins that wears number 87.
In only his third year in the show (1981-82) he was a first team All-Star compiling 50 goals, 38 assists for a total of 88 points in 78 games - good for over a point a game, however not even in the top 20 for points: Gretzky had 212 points. In the following year he was once again a first team All-Star and had a total of 106 points in 77 games, which was good for 7th in the scoring race. Surprise, surprise - Gretzky the scoring title again.
Messier and Gretzky were a deadly combination. Messier the power forward while Gretzky would undress defenders, although Messier was quick capable of that as well. The two spent 10 years together, although it was Gretzky that was smashing records left and right, they had over 2,820 points; Gretzky with 1,766 and Messier with 1,054.
On October 4th, 1991 Neil Smith - then GM of the Rangers - made a bold move that would decide his legacy as GM of the Rangers. He had traded for Mark Messier after he had been on the Oilers for 12 years. He was traded for Louie DeBrusk, Bernie Nicholls, and Steven Rice and later, the Rangers would also get Jeff Beukeboom.
So why should you care about Mark Messier?
Why is he important in Ranger history?
Relax, I’ll get there - eventually.
It was the 1994 playoffs. The Rangers had breezed past the Islanders and Capitals in a total of 9 games - sweeping the N.Y. Hipsters. But then the Rangers ran into a bit of trouble. They were down 3 games to 2 while 2 of the 5 games played had seen double free hockey (OT). The Rangers were at the Devils in game 6, and Messier had publicly made a guarentte that they would win. They did it. Thanks to the hatty that he had to lead the way to set up game 7 in The Garden. The Rangers would go on to win that series in - you guess it - double OT with the famous “Matteu, Matteu, Matteu” call from Howie Rose. If that call doesn’t give you some goosebumps, then maybe you aren't a Ranger fan or, for that matter, have a pulse.
Then in game 7 of the Stanley Cup final, Messier scored the game-winning, or rather cup-winning goal, at Madison Square Garden. Then the rest is history. Messier with this Cup run alone had solidified himself has a Ranger great.
In Messier’s 2 stints (10 years) with the Rangers, they won 1 Stanley Cup, lost 1 conference final, 2 conference semi-finals, and 1 division final. So all in all he had a great career although the team may not have but they won the Stanley Cup. Personally, Messier had 250 goals, 441 assists for 691 points in 698 games for the Rangers. Mark Messier is Top 10 All-time in several categories: 7th in Goals, 6th in assists, 5th in points, 3rd in game-winning goals, 1st in shorthanded goals, 7th in powerplay goals, 7th in points per game (hockey-reference)
Mark Messier’s number 11 was retired on January 12th, 2006 with the majority of the 1994 Stanley CUp Champion team there. On this day, in 2007, Mark Messier was immortalized into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Messier is 2nd all-time in points, 8th all time in goals, and 3rd all-time in assists, as well as, 2nd all-time in games played.
Not a bad career I would say.
Mark Messier’s number 11 was retired on January 12th, 2006 with the majority of the 1994 Stanley CUp Champion team there. On this day, in 2007, Mark Messier was immortalized into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Messier is 2nd all-time in points, 8th all time in goals, and 3rd all-time in assists, as well as, 2nd all-time in games played.
Not a bad career I would say.