Mark Messier
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Mark John Douglas Messier (born January 18, 1961, in St. Albert, Alberta) is a retired ice hockey centre in the National Hockey League, who spent a quarter of a century in the NHL (1979-2004) with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, and Vancouver Canucks. Messier also played professionally with the World Hockey Association's Indianapolis Racers and Cincinnati Stingers.
Playing career
Messier was drafted in the 3rd Round, 48th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft. Nicknamed "Moose", "The Captain", "Mess", and "The Messiah", Messier was renowned as a fierce, tough competitor whose intense leadership in the locker room was as important as the goals he scored on the ice; many consider him to have been the greatest captain in hockey history. He holds the distinction of being the only man ever to captain two different franchises to Stanley Cup championships, winning six championships in total.Though Messier ranks 2nd in all-time scoring with 1,887 points (694 goals and 1,193 assists) in the regular season, his greatness will always be measured in terms of playoff achievements. In Game 3 of the 1984 Finals, for example, with his Edmonton Oilers trailing the four-time defending champion New York Islanders by a goal, it was Messier's goal that sparked a comeback by Oilers. By the end of the series, Messier had earned his first Conn Smythe Trophy.
Messier was already known as a hockey superstar, but the birth of the Messier legend came in the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals against the rival New Jersey Devils. A game away from elimination, Messier confronted the New York media and publicly guaranteed a Game 6 victory. Knowing full well the implications of his remarks, he backed up his promise by scoring a natural hat trick in the third period which helped the Rangers erase a two-goal deficit. The Rangers went on to win the series and the Stanley Cup (with Messier scoring the Cup winning goal in game 7)--their first in 54 years--and effectively put New Yorkers in a frenzy in the process. From that moment on, Messier was indelibly etched in sports history.
The 1994 Stanley Cup would be the high water mark of the second half of Messier's career. Despite the lockout in the 1994-95 season, Messier notched a solid 64 points in 53 games. In 1995-96, Messier came as close as he had since 1991-92 to breaking the 100-point plateau when, at the age of 35, he recorded a 99-point season. An 84-point year the next season made it clear that the Moose was far from washed up, and encouraged the Vancouver Canucks to sign the 36-year old to a high-priced free agent contract. It was a high-profile move, with Messier returning to Canada after six years with the Rangers, but the honeymoon did not last. Sixty points in 1997-98 was his worst mark in a full year since his first NHL season; his next two seasons were shortened by injury. His demand that the #11 the team unofficially retired in honor of Wayne Maki be given to him hurt his image as well. He finished with 162 points over three years, and, having become unpopular with Canucks fans, left at the end of the 1999-2000 season.
After his tenure with the Canucks, he returned to New York to try and lead the under-achieving and overpaid Rangers back to glory. The Rangers held a press conference where they symbolically buried a hatchet, and Messier made an ill-fated "guarantee" of a playoff berth.
Messier's 67-point season as a 40-year old in 2000-01 was a mark better than any he established in his Vancouver years, showing that he could still be a valuable presence, but the Rangers missed the playoffs. After missing half of 2001-02, Messier recorded only 23 points, and finished up next year with a mediocre 40-point campaign.
The 2003-04 season had been widely expected to be Messier's last. On November 11, 2003 against the Dallas Stars, Messier scored a pair of goals to vault past Gordie Howe into second on the all-time scoring list. Eleven days later, Messier was the only active player to play in the legends game at Edmonton's Heritage Classic, suiting up with the Oiler alumni and making many light-hearted comments about being Edmonton's "ringer". During his last game at Madison Square Garden, Messier received applause every time he touched the puck and, after the game, received a standing ovation while he skated around the Garden and bowed to every section of the stands. At the age of 43, most media outlets believed Messier had decided to quit. The NHL lockout that eliminated the next season only drove a nail into the coffin. All speculation would end on September 12, 2005, when he announced his retirement.
Messier retired eleven games back of Gordie Howe's NHL record 1,767 regular season games played, a record many consider unbreakable. Messier holds the record for most NHL regular season and playoff season games played at 1,992; Gordie Howe played in 1,924 including the WHA. Messier is one of a handful of players to have played 25 NHL seasons, doing so over four decades.
Hockey flowed in Messier's blood. His Father Doug, who never made it to the NHL himself, was his coach and mentor in his early years, including his years in junior hockey with the Spruce Grove Mets. Mark's brother Paul was a center for the Colorado Rockies (since moved to New Jersey as the Devils). His cousins Mitch and Joby also skated for NHL clubs.
Messier's son Lyon, who was born on August 16, 1987 is developing into a solid young hockey player and is currently a defenseman for the Texas Tornado of the North American Hockey League. Lyon's Mother is former model Leslie Young. His current girlfriend and soon to-be wife, Kim Clark gave birth to Mark's second son, Douglas Paul, on July 15, 2003 and Daughter Jacqueline Jean in August, 2005.
Said former defenseman Ric Nattress, "Big. Strong. Fast. Great shot. Physical. Mean. Durable. Great leader. What else could you possibly ask for in any individual? Twenty years ago when he broke into this league, Mark Messier was the prototype of a franchise player. And he'll continue to be the prototype. Today, tomorrow and a hundred years from now."
Almost thirty years after having played with the Saints, Messier remains a minor legend in the city of St. Albert, Alberta. One of the rinks in the local Campbell Arena bears Messier's name.
On January 12, 2006 during a very emotional ceremony that featured most of the 1994 Stanley Cup team, the New York Rangers retired his number (11) in a game against the Edmonton Oilers. Fans unable to attend the game put their tickets back on the market, with front row seats being resold up to the price of $30,000. The ceremony lasted 75 minutes, making it the longest of its kind in the history of professional sports. His is the 5th number retired by the Rangers. Rod Gilbert (7), Eddie Giacomin (1), and Mike Richter (35) are the others (Note: Wayne Gretzky's number 99 is retired by the NHL, but is not comemmorated by a banner at Madison Square Garden). His number will also be retired by the Oilers sometime in the 2006-07 season.
Awards & achievements
- 1983-84 - Stanley Cup Champion
- 1984-85 - Stanley Cup Champion
- 1986-87 - Stanley Cup Champion
- 1987-88 - Stanley Cup Champion
- 1989-90 - Stanley Cup Champion
- 1993-94 - Stanley Cup Champion
- 1989-90 - Hart Trophy Winner
- 1991-92 - Hart Trophy Winner
- 1983-84 - Conn Smythe Trophy Winner
- 1989-90 - Lester B. Pearson Award Winner
- 1991-92 - Lester B. Pearson Award Winner
- 1981-82 - First-Team All-Star Left Wing
- 1982-83 - First-Team All-Star Left Wing
- 1989-90 - First-Team All-Star Centre
- 1991-92 - First-Team All-Star Centre
- 1983-84 - Second-Team All-Star Left Wing
- Played in fifteen NHL All-Star Games in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2004
- Played for the Edmonton Oilers Heritage Classic alumni team while a member of the New York Rangers.
- One of the few NHL players named a season ending All-Star at more than one position.
- The last active World Hockey Association player.
- The last active player to have played during the 1970s
- The only player to have captained two Stanley Cup winning teams (1989-90 Edmonton Oilers and 1993-94 New York Rangers)
Career statistics
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1976-77 | Spruce Grove Mets | AJHL | 57 | 27 | 39 | 66 | 91 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1977-78 | St. Albert Saints | AJHL | 54 | 25 | 49 | 74 | 194 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1977-78 | Portland Winterhawks | WHL | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 7 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 | ||
| 1978-79 | St. Albert Saints | AJHL | 17 | 15 | 18 | 33 | 64 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1978-79 | Indianapolis Racers | WHA | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1978-79 | Cincinnati Stingers | WHA | 47 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 58 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1979-80 | Houston Apollos | CHL | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1979-80 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 75 | 12 | 21 | 33 | 120 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 1980-81 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 72 | 23 | 40 | 63 | 102 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 13 | ||
| 1981-82 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 78 | 50 | 38 | 88 | 119 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | ||
| 1982-83 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 77 | 48 | 58 | 106 | 72 | 15 | 15 | 6 | 21 | 14 | ||
| 1983-84 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 73 | 37 | 64 | 101 | 165 | 19 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 19 | ||
| 1984-85 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 55 | 23 | 31 | 54 | 57 | 18 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 12 | ||
| 1985-86 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 63 | 35 | 49 | 84 | 68 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 18 | ||
| 1986-87 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 77 | 37 | 70 | 107 | 73 | 21 | 12 | 16 | 28 | 16 | ||
| 1987-88 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 77 | 37 | 74 | 111 | 103 | 19 | 11 | 23 | 34 | 29 | ||
| 1988-89 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 72 | 33 | 61 | 94 | 130 | 7 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 8 | ||
| 1989-90 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 79 | 45 | 84 | 129 | 79 | 22 | 9 | 22 | 31 | 20 | ||
| 1990-91 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 53 | 12 | 52 | 64 | 34 | 18 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 16 | ||
| 1991-92 | New York Rangers | NHL | 79 | 35 | 72 | 107 | 76 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 6 | ||
| 1992-93 | New York Rangers | NHL | 75 | 25 | 66 | 91 | 72 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1993-94 | New York Rangers | NHL | 76 | 26 | 58 | 84 | 76 | 23 | 12 | 18 | 30 | 33 | ||
| 1994-95 | New York Rangers | NHL | 46 | 14 | 39 | 53 | 40 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 8 | ||
| 1995-96 | New York Rangers | NHL | 74 | 47 | 52 | 99 | 122 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 16 | ||
| 1996-97 | New York Rangers | NHL | 71 | 36 | 48 | 84 | 88 | 15 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 6 | ||
| 1997-98 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 82 | 22 | 38 | 60 | 58 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1998-99 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 59 | 13 | 35 | 48 | 33 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1999-00 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 66 | 17 | 37 | 54 | 30 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2000-01 | New York Rangers | NHL | 82 | 24 | 43 | 67 | 89 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2001-02 | New York Rangers | NHL | 41 | 7 | 16 | 23 | 32 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2002-03 | New York Rangers | NHL | 78 | 18 | 22 | 40 | 30 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2003-04 | New York Rangers | NHL | 76 | 18 | 25 | 43 | 42 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| NHL Totals | 1756 | 694 | 1193 | 1887 | 1910 | 236 | 109 | 186 | 295 | 244 | ||||
See also
- List of NHL statistical leaders
- List of NHL seasons
- List of NHL players with 1000 points
- List of NHL players with 500 goals
References
- http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid=3688
- http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid=2378
- http://www.hockey-fans.com/players/messier.php
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