The Mark Messier Thread! (HOF Induction 11/12/2007)

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Yeah well. Vancouver is just jealous Are you guys chinese? Just wondering MY theory have served me well so far *ahemMugen*coughahcheungape*spit*ytl**

It just boggles the mind man..do Wizards fan hate Michael Jordan cuz he couldn't deliver them a playoff berth?

Just pick up this DVD, I'm a post it someday (promised Masa lol)

http://www.amazon.com/Mark-Messier-Leader-Champion-Legend/dp/B000056PNC

Just defines his entire career...he won 2 championships without Gretzky.

Messier is the closest thing to Gordie Howe there is. The physical play and the wicked wrist shot. I can't wait for February 27th. I may not be able to see Gretz, Fuhr, Coffey, or Kurri (AND LARAQUE!!) but hey! there'll be a civic ceremony!! THE PRODIGAL SON RETURNS!!!

Mark Messier's #11 Heads For The Rafters


Edmonton Oilers Press Release

The Edmonton Oilers announced today that Mark Messier’s #11 will be raised to the rafters of Rexall Place on Tuesday, February 27th, joining the retired numbers of teammates Wayne Gretzky, Jari Kurri, Grant Fuhr, Paul Coffey and Al Hamilton. This signature Oilers event, which is presented by Rexall in association with Cold-FX, will celebrate Messier’s stellar NHL career on a night when another Oilers legend, Wayne Gretzky, brings his Phoenix Coyotes to town.

Mark Messier wrapped up a spectacular 25-season NHL career with 6 Stanley Cups, 1 Conn Smythe Trophy, 2 Hart Trophy’s, 2 Lester B. Pearson Awards, and a lengthy list of hockey achievements. Messier ranks second on the NHL’s all-time scoring list with 1,887 points, seventh in goals with 694, third in assists with 1,193, and second in games played with 1,756.

As an Edmonton Oiler, Messier is the fourth highest career scorer for the team, amassing 392 goals and 642 assists for 1,034 points in 851 games played. He was selected 48th overall in the third round of the 1979 NHL entry draft by the Edmonton Oilers, and was a major contributor in all five of the Oilers Stanley Cup Championships in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988 and 1990.

“I’m honored that the Oilers will be raising my number to the rafters of Rexall Place, alongside some of my best friends and teammates,” said Mark Messier. “I have so many good memories of my time in Edmonton, and was part of an incredible hockey dynasty. I look forward to coming home and sharing this great experience with my family, friends, and the fans.”

“I have believed for some time now that the Oilers had a group of outstanding players during what was a very unique period in the history of the NHL. But there were two players who had a reverberating impact, which is still felt today,” said Kevin Lowe, General Manager of the Edmonton Oilers. “Wayne Gretzky for his unbelievable artistry and significant game changing style, and Mark Messier who epitomized the words fierce, leadership, and competitor every single day, and especially when he stepped on the ice. I continue to believe two things about Mark Messier - and we went through a great deal together, arriving in Edmonton as boys and remaining friends all these years later. His impact lingers every day in the Oilers dressing room. The spirit of Mark is etched there forever. That same impact is also prevalent in the NHL. The spirit of what Mark Messier brought to the game, stays in the game.”

“Rexall and the Rexall family of pharmacies are tremendously honored to sponsor this historic event for a true hockey legend,” said Daryl Katz, Chairman, Katz Group/Rexall. “At the Rexall family of pharmacies we pride ourselves in supporting our local communities, and it is particularly exciting to do so in our home town for an Edmonton hero such as Mark Messier.”

It is also of significance today to note that two Edmonton based companies who have grown to become large North American brands have pledged to partner with the Oilers and Mark Messier to enable this event to be presented on an even larger scale than ever before. Long-time Edmonton Oilers supporter and community leaders, Katz Group's Rexall family of pharmacies - Rexall, Pharma Plus, Medicine Shoppe, Guardian, and I.D.A., as well as CV Technologies Cold-FX will provide sponsorship of this exclusive Oilers event. Details on additional events will be announced in the coming weeks.

http://www.edmontonoilers.com/news/index.php?id=876

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Schedule is up!!!! http://www.edmontonoilers.com/news/index.php?id=952

Edmonton Oilers Announce Mark Messier Homecoming Schedule

Presented by Rexall
in association with COLD-fX

On Tuesday, February 27th, Mark Messier's #11 banner will rise to the top of Rexall Place, to take its place alongside a number of other Oilers greats. In addition to the jersey retirement ceremony, prior to the Oilers sold-out game versus the Phoenix Coyotes, a number of other events will be scheduled to commemorate Mark Messier's stellar career.

"I was born and raised in Edmonton, and spent the first twelve years of my NHL career playing for the Oilers. Having my number raised to the rafters of Rexall Place, where we accomplished so much as a team, and I made so many lifelong friends, is truly an honour," said Mark Messier. "For me, the celebration is really about my teammates, the coaches, the fans, and the people of Edmonton that made my days with the Oilers so special. So, as part of the celebration, it was important for me to be able to give something back„oto the fans and the community that helped me become the player and the person I am today. By raising a substantial amount of money for local charities, we're going to do just that."

Mark Messier Civic Ceremony

The City of Edmonton will kick-off festivities with a Civic Ceremony for Mark Messier on Monday, February 26th at 12:15 p.m. in Sir Winston Churchill Square. Emceed by Hockey Hall of Fame announcer, Rod Phillips, the event will give all Edmontonians a chance to honour and salute Mark Messier. As one of Edmonton's native sons, Messier helped catapult the city, and the Edmonton Oilers, onto the world stage with five Stanley Cup victories and countless records and awards. Join Mayor Stephen Mandel, along with a number of special guests and teammates, as Edmonton toasts one of our own, Mark Messier.

'Celebrating #11 - Mark Messier: An Oil Country Homecoming'

On Monday, February 26th at 8:00 PM, the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation will host a charity gala at the Winspear Centre to salute the career of Oilers great Mark Messier. 'Celebrating #11 - Mark Messier: An Oil Country Homecoming', presented by Rexall in association with COLD-fX, will feature an evening of storytelling, laughs, and unforgettable memories from Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, Glenn Anderson and many of Mark's other friends and teammates. Join these Oilers greats, special musical guests and host Kelly Hrudey, from CBC's Hockey Night In Canada, for this incredible event.

Tickets for this exclusive event are $350 each, and will go on sale to the general public at the Winspear Centre box office on February 1st, at 10:00 AM. A tax receipt in the amount of $230 will be issued upon request for each ticket purchased. Proceeds from the event will go to benefit the ongoing work of the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation and the Alberta Lung Association, a charity Mark was personally involved with during his playing career as an Oiler.

"The Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation is excited to host this gala event in recognition of everything that Mark Messier has done for our community," said Darryl Lindenbach, Executive Director of the EOCF. "Through Mark's generosity, and the support of our local corporate sponsors, Rexall and COLD-fX, we know well will reinvest a substantial amount of money back into the community, while giving fans an opportunity to thank Mark for his tremendous accomplishments as an Oiler, and an Edmontonian."

Homegrown Corporate Sponsorship

To further enhance the Mark Messier homecoming celebration, two corporate partners who were founded in Edmonton and have grown to international status, have joined with the Oilers, the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, and Mark Messier to allow for an even greater charitable giving component for Mark's return to Oil Country. Rexall and COLD-fX will present the two days of activities through their partnership for this historic event.

"Rexall and the Rexall family of pharmacies - Rexall, Pharma Plus, Medicine Shoppe, Guardian and I.D.A. - are honoured to present two days of activities that extend the celebration of Mark Messier to the many Messier fans across Edmonton who may not be able to attend on game day," said Denise Darragh, VP, Marketing and Advertising, Rexall. "Additionally, supporting local charities is a key pillar on which our community pharmacies operate. We are very proud to be associated with this great event!"

"Mark has represented COLD-fX with our launch in the U.S. this past fall and we are thrilled to be associated with this event to honour his contribution to our home town," said Dr. Jacqueline Shan, president, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of CV Technologies. "We aligned ourselves with Mark for the same reasons the Oilers and the City are saluting him: he is a proven winner who demonstrates terrific leadership skills and a dedication to community. Congratulations Mark!"

---

:ONbarf: 350 bucks to see him!! WHOA...hope it ain't cold that day!

[JFC]

:ONbarf: 350 bucks to see him!!

Holy fuck!

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Just heard on the radio that the section of St. Albert trail just north of Edmonton, at 137th is to be renamed Mark Messier Trail... to be dedicated in September.



** yup confirmed **

St. Albert Trail to become Mark Messier Trail

Edmonton will honour Mark Messier by renaming a major road after the hockey hometown hero.

Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel announced Friday that a portion of St. Albert Trail, from 137 Avenue north to the City of Edmonton boundary, will be renamed Mark Messier Trail.

“I am truly honoured and humbled that the City of Edmonton would choose to name a road for me, especially one that has such a great sginificance to my family,” said Messier, through a news release.

A public celebration for the six-time Stanley Cup champion and Edmonton oilers great will take place in Sir Winston Churchill Square over the noon hour on Feb. 26.

SOURCE: http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmonton/2007/02/02/3507848.html

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There's a 3 part special in the local sports paper



Mess wants to lead Rangers
Second bite of the Apple
By TERRY JONES

NEW YORK -- Mark Messier didn't finish the sentence.

He told reporters at the NHL All-Star Game that he's decided he wants to be a general manager.

In fact, he wants to become general manager ... wait for it ... of the New York Rangers!

Messier told Sun Media yesterday that he wants to take over from his old coach and GM when Glen Sather retires from the job in New York. Messier led the team to a first Stanley Cup since 1940 back in 1994.

Furthermore, Messier says he has decided to get proactive about it.

He's planning to move back to New York and make it his primary residence and plans to talk to Sather about the idea after his Feb. 27 banner-raising in Edmonton.

"I'm going to have discussions with Glen. I don't know how long Glen is going to keep doing it. Maybe he'll continue for another five or 10 years.

"I just know New York fits best for me and my family. And this is what I know best and what I love the most," said Messier of taking two years away from the game to think through what he'd like to do with the rest of his life.

"I'm going to put my kids in school in New York," he said of the two toddlers in his new family.

Messier's dad Doug wonders if there's already something going on in the background.

He says he hasn't talked to his son about it, but the fact that Mark decided to move back to New York tells him there has to be some method to his madness.

"He's not moving back just to go to nightclubs. He must know something."

At Madison Square Garden yesterday, where the final day of a four-day Mark Messier leadership camp was held, Sather spoke to the subject.

Could Messier move back to New York and begin an apprenticeship under the current Rangers GM?

"He probably could," said Sather. "We'd have to sit down and figure out a lot of details.

"The first thing would be to be sure it's what he really wants to do because it's not something you can work at part-time. I talked to him previously, just last spring, and he wasn't sure.

"I'm glad he's interested. He's been able to accomplish everything he set his mind to at this stage in his life.

"Most guys who have stepped in as a general manager have worked to get a little background, either in coaching or working under others in an organization. I think there are necessary steps to take."

Doug Messier says he can see it.

"Mark has been away from it a bit now. He's had time to really think about it and he's come to the conclusion he wants to get back into hockey."

Mike Keenan, the coach of that 1994 New York Rangers team - who coached one of the teams in the Captain's Cup at Messier's weekend leadership camp - can see it, too.

"I think Slats would be respectful of Mark's wish to do that. There is such a strong relationship with Mark and Glen.

"And Mark has probably already learned a lot from Glen. To be mentored by Glen to take over ... I think Glen would probably be proud to pass the torch to him."

Former Ranger and Oilers teammate Jeff Beukeboom can see it. "It wouldn't surprise me. It wouldn't surprise me one bit. It would be hard not to give it to him, too."

Beukeboom said having Messier in the job would bring on "extreme pressure."

Beukeboom laughed. "Which he'd relish," he added.

Attending Messier's camp for the last four days, he said, really opened his eyes to the idea that Messier might be able to succeed as a GM.

"Seeing him here this weekend, the way he's poured himself into his camp and his attention to detail, I can see him doing the job."

And bringing another Stanley Cup to New York?

[Mugen]

lol i dont know. rangers pretty shitty. especially when jagr, straka, shanahan retire

[JFC]

It'll be interesting though, to see what kinds of moves Messier makes if/when he gets the position. Personally, I say he should start off slow, like as a scout or asst. GM first, so that he can learn the ropes and what not.

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Went to the Messier Civic Ceremony at noon Monday, some pix and video I took:
[yt]C49-bFwAw0k[/yt]

MOOSE MOOSE MOOSE!! We all chanted. He had a cap on, but took it off to show his bald dome when talking to the crowd. SO FUCKIN COLD! Fireworks went off and shit.



and he signed my hockey card!! He totally went up the side and grabbed a marker and signed shit for everyone!! AWESOME!


The event people said at the side "No chance he gonna sign anything." too!! Bums came off the street and proclaimed "He signed my treaty card MAN!"

Truly one of the best days of my life, seeing fuckin hockey GOD in the flesh. Seeing the commmunity come together at times like this...brings a smile to my face.

ETA:

properly filmed by the local newspaper:

[yt]qUASYJCuino[/yt]

[JFC]

^ You lucky fuck.

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WOW...they just don't do it like Edmonton does. Everyone was there. Kinda corny that he just did laps of waving but hey, it's MOOSE! MOOSE! MOOSE!

part 1:
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Part 2:
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part 3:
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part 4:
[yt]AgQCGZDvl7Q[/yt]

part 5:
[yt]SvMtgIxu27g[/yt]

part 6:
[yt]hgDb4bUo3rU[/yt]

part 7:
[yt]YJ9bM_qPh7I[/yt]

part 8:
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part 9:
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some HQ pix:




They brought all the old guys, even Adam Graves and Beukeboom  


I want this T-shirt:




'Just perfect'
Messier love-in buoys fans on day with little to celebrate
John MacKinnon, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Wednesday, February 28, 2007

EDMONTON -- It was two more glorious laps around the Rexall Place ice with the Stanley Cup thrust triumphantly overhead for Edmonton's own Mark Messier on Monday night as the Oilers retired his No. 11 jersey on a day the club stunningly traded No. 94, Ryan Smyth, turning a unique celebration into a cauldron of conflicted emotions for the passionate fans in Oil Country.

Just as he had on May 19, 1984, when the Oilers won the first of their five Stanley Cups, Messier skated through a moody cloud of smoke onto the ice surface he dominated through the 1980s with the Stanley Cup raised over his broad shoulders.

To rapturous applause, shouts of Moooooose!, and numerous standing ovations from fans sporting toy blue moose antlers, Messier became the sixth member of the Oilers' five-Stanley-Cup dynasty of the '80s to have his banner number -- the No. 11 that only he has worn in Oilers history -- lifted to the rafters.

Messier's jersey number joined the five other Oilers whose numbers already occupy such places of honour: Paul Coffey, Grant Fuhr, Jari Kurri, Al Hamilton and Wayne Gretzky, who was on hand Tuesday evening as coach of his Phoenix Coyotes, the Oilers' opponent this memorable night.

As it happened, the Coyotes added insult to post-trade injury by defeating Edmonton 3-0.

In all, 14 members of the team dubbed the Boys on the Bus were among the dignitaries, who also included NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Glen Sather, the architect of those Oilers teams, who now is GM and president of the New York Rangers.

"To see the players on the ice, to hear the words from Criag MacTavish, the fans, to have the Stanley Cup, it just didn't need anything else," Messier said of the ceremony at a news conference shortly after. "It was just perfect."

Perfectly eerie, in one major sense, with the shocking trade of Smyth to, of all teams, the New York Islanders, the four-Cup dynasty of the early '80s that Messier's Oilers dethroned. Smyth was traded for youngsters Ryan O'Marra, Robert Nilsson and a 2007 first-round draft choice.

Oilers GM Kevin Lowe, a teammate of Messier's on all five of Edmonton's Stanley Cup teams, as well as a sixth with the New York Rangers, did not take part in the ceremony at all, apparently not wanting to detract from it. Messier, who has expressed a desire to move into management in the NHL, understood the situation and stood by his friend and former teammate, like the consummate leader he is known to be.

"I'm never disappointed in Kevin, I think that goes without saying," said Messier, who has been staying at Lowe's home the last three days. "In fact, I'm really proud of Kevin.

"Anybody in his position has to make tough decisions. But, ultimately, Kevin's responsibility as a GM is to do the best thing that he feels, in his own mind, is right for the organization.

"Sometimes, those decisions aren't the most popular decisions. The reason he's been successful and is so looked upon as an excellent GM is he's able to divest himself from the emotional aspects which can come into play and do what's right for the organization, which has happened here before."

Messier said the trade was no reflection on Smyth and his character and what he's done for the Oilers, but a harsh reality of the NHL, as Oilers fans who saw so many of their stars traded away know so painfully well.

"When it got down to the final hour, (Lowe's) hand was forced," Messier said. "This wasn't a decision made in a couple of hours, this has been going on for a year and came down to this particular point."

With Lowe discreetly absent from the ceremony, it fell to current Oilers head coach Craig MacTavish to deliver a heartfelt testimonial to his teammate with the Oilers and the Rangers

"I'd like to thank all Oilers fans for properly honouring the greatest leader the sport has ever produced," MacTavish said, prompting a lusty round of Mooooooose!

Bettman, who drew standing ovations from Edmonton crowds in the year before the 2004-05 NHL lockout, was booed when he was introduced, the Smyth trade surely stirring in the fans the same feelings of abandonment and heartbreak they felt in the bleak, pre-lockout 1990s.

But apart from one leather-lunged cry of "What about Ryan?" the 45-minute pre-game ceremony was a love-in for Messier, who, as ever, wore his heart on his sleeve and moistened the carpet at centre ice with his tears.

"To be honoured in this way is a humbling experience standing down here, I can assure you of that," Messier said. "I look at Mark Messier's sweater being raised to the rafters as (a symbol) and a reflection of all the people that helped me along the way.

"Because nobody can stand here in a team sport ... ."

At that point, Messier momentarily lost his composure, which he quickly regained, saying: "Nobody can do it by themselves, and I had so much support."

"Welcome home, Mark!" a fan hollered.

"It's good to be back home," Messier responded. "It's always so emotional to talk about the fellas here, because the experiences that we shared were so powerful and so intense.

"When you think about it, you realize it has affected you on a deeper level than just how you play pro sports. It has affected how you live your life."

Messier held young son Douglas Paul in his arms as he watched his No. 11 banner hoisted to the ceiling before circling the ice, showing off the Oilers logo on the vintage jersey he was wearing before skating off into a cloud of dry-ice-induced smoke with the Cup overhead.

At the post-ceremony news conference, Messier said Lowe did not explain his absence from the ceremony, nor did Messier ask for one. But Lowe hinted at a news conference to announce the Smyth trade he would not be on hand for the ceremony, and provided his own explanation.

"Believe me, we knew the impact of the day," Lowe said. "When this day first came up months ago, I thought, 'Well, we'll just do our thing and be separate from it. Whatever we do on deadline day is not going to impact the evening.

"Never in our wildest dreams did we ever imagine this sort of thing happening. So I don't want to appear insensitive to the impact of the deal on the event. We make our decisions based on many things, and unfortunately that (jersey retirement) was one that was staring us in the face but we couldn't avoid."

By the start of the third period, the ceremony over and the Oilers losing and headed for a non-playoff spring, hundreds of fans felt they could avoid the final 20 minutes altogether.

Empty seats sprouted all over the arena that has been a virtual sell-out every game of the last two seasons.

SOURCE: http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/story.html?id=283bbcb5-3086-439d-a3dd-210d5d789e25&k=95673

[JFC]

When I was watching the ceremony, and they were bringing out all of Messier's former teammates, I thought "FUCK Hunter got a gut!" Other than him they were all still in pretty decent shape.

[daigong]

^ Yea. Like, sure bring in Graves, Anderson, Coffey, Fuhr, etc....but Geoff Smith?? Might as well have Mark Lamb or some other no name guy.

Here's a link of a guy who recorded some stuff from that 350 a pop gala.
http://clubweb.interbaun.com/swalli98/Moose/

lol he's still in town...filming commercials for HNIC and Lay's, visiting the Cold-FX lab, gonna be around till the weekend. Awesome, and I thought he'd just take off...they told us no way in hell, he'd sign stuff, greet the peoples. But here he is, soaking in being an Edmontonian once again.

[daigong]

GUESS WHO'S IN THE LINEUP TONITE!!!


(pssh, in my dreams)

Messier takes the ice with Oilers


-Photos by Andy Devlin Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club
by Marc Ciampa
http://www.edmontonoilers.com

If the Edmonton Oilers were looking for a change of pace at today’s morning skate, they got it in the form of a future Hall of Famer.

Mark Messier strapped on the equipment and skated on Rexall Place ice with his old team as they prepared to battle the Calgary Flames this evening.

“We’re having an optional skate and it’s always good to have a player of his stature rub shoulders with some of your young guys,” remarked Oilers head coach Craig MacTavish.

It was the second time this week that Messier had put on the Oilers gear as he came out on the ice in full equipment on Tuesday night for his jersey retirement ceremony.

“He actually said to me that he understood why old boxers get trouble because when he put his gear on the other night when they retired his jersey he felt that he could play,” MacTavish chuckled.

Messier has some added motivation to get back on the ice as he will be donning the skates on March 17th on a team of former NHLers going head-to-head against the Texas Tornado of the NAHL. Mark’s son Lyon plays on the team.

“He’s been warning me to keep my head up so I’m going to get as much ice as I can before I get down there and at least not embarrass myself,” said Messier.

Today was Messier’s first opportunity since his retirement to actually get out on the ice and skate with NHL players.

“It just feels so good to go out and play. I haven’t had an opportunity in the last year-and-a-half, couple years to play all that often,” he said. “I have my leadership camps which I get to skate in once a year but the bulk of my time is spent in South Carolina. I just haven’t been able to get on the ice as much as I’ve liked.”

Adding to the experience is the fact that tonight’s opponent is the Calgary Flames, a team Messier had plenty of battles with throughout the 80’s and early 90’s.

“I got a little nervous when I looked and saw the Flames equipment over there. I was thinking holy mackerel this is the real deal!”

Calgary play-by-play man Peter Maher jokingly asked Messier if he saw Joel Otto out on the ice.

“I’ll always remember the days with the rivalries, both teams vying for the Stanley Cup and how both cities got behind their respective teams,” Messier replied. “In a way I think it made us more aware of what we had inside of us and made us much better hockey players because of it.”

The occasion was also a great thrill for the Oilers players, many of whom stayed out on the ice much longer than normal in order to soak up the chance to skate with the second-highest scorer in league history.

“Unbelievable. The guy’s a legend. It’s incredible to just be on the same ice surface as him,” exclaimed Zack Stortini with a huge grin on his face.

With only 15 career NHL games compared to Messier’s 1756, Stortini was awestruck by the chance to rub shoulders with one of the game’s greats.

“It’s an honour to be in the same jersey as him, getting a pass from him, it’s kind of cool,” he said.

Stortini also noted that he was unaware that Messier would be skating until he saw him lace up in the dressing room.

“It was a surprise coming to the rink today. I didn’t know he was going to be out there,” he said.

Skating with Messier this morning made Oilers forward Toby Petersen remember the one game he played against the Moose.

He was a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins facing off against the New York Rangers. Petersen remembered being elbowed into the boards twice during that game – once by Eric Lindros and once by Messier.

“It was an honour to be elbowed by Messier,” he laughed.

Petersen was also unaware that there would be anything special about today’s morning skate.

“I had no idea he was going to be out there. When I looked over and saw him I was pretty excited to see that he was going to come skate with us and work on his skills a little bit.”

The only thing missing from the experience was Messier’s trademark WinnWell helmet. Instead, he donned the unfamiliar RBK lid.

“They were looking for it. They thought they had one in the back room but couldn’t find it. They’re all in the Hockey Hall of Fame now,” he said.

Overall, Messier summed up his return to Edmonton succinctly.



“It’s been a great time. I was really looking forward to it starting when they announced the date. It gave me some time to start thinking about it. I’ve been able to stay with Kevin, visit with him,” he said. “That’s been very rewarding and memorable.

“Then coming out today, being able to skate. It’s been a great experience.”

[JFC]

“We’re having an optional skate and it’s always good to have a player of his stature rub shoulders with some of your young guys,” remarked Oilers head coach Craig MacTavish.

Man, if any of the guys didn't go to it they must've been kickin' themselves in the ass when they found out!

[daigong]

Congrats Moose. On entering the HOCKEY HALL OF FAME.

Peep this interview
[youtube=425,350]klO6VcB-IEA[/youtube]

Messier gives emotional Hall-of-Fame speech 



Mark Messier came prepared. "Brought these just in case," he said, displaying some folded handkerchiefs at the podium Monday night during his Hall of Fame induction speech. "You never know."

But everyone did know: This was Messier's curtain call, and his eyes wouldn't stay dry.

"It's tough to go four minutes when you try to fit 40 years of hockey in," said Messier, who began choking up about three minutes into his speech, which lasted almost 18 minutes.

Messier's emotional remarks -- with numerous pauses to compose himself -- included references to his family and his former teammates, including those with the Rangers in the early 1990s who were in the .audience. "Brian Leetch and Mike Richter were an inspiration to me every day," Messier said with tear-stained cheeks, "and as much as Glenn Anderson rode shotgun for me in .Edmonton, nobody did it better than Adam Graves, an amazing person, an amazing teammate."

In closing, as he wiped his eyes, he said to teach kids .playing sports that "it's not about becoming a professional athlete, it's about the journey."

For Messier, this weekend's road to hockey immortality was confirmed when he received the congratulatory phone call from Hall of Fame selection committee member Pat Quinn in June, and he was "about the .furthest place you can get from hockey as could be," in his hotel in the .Bahamas.

Monday night, the 46-year-old center was closer to where hockey's heart beats, where its heritage lives on, where Messier completed another part of his journey that began in his hometown of Edmonton and still resonates in New York, 13 years after the memorable spring of 1994.

"That's what really kicked in through this weekend," Messier said earlier in the day after he and fellow inductees Ron Francis, Scott Stevens, Al Mac.Innis and league executive Jim Gregory were presented Hall of Fame rings under a stained-glass dome in the building's Great Hall. "Sure, you get the call and it's a nice feeling, but when I landed here Thursday and felt the .impact that .Canada and Toronto has on the game, and all these guys who played 75, 100 years .before. As people go through this hall 75 years from now, our plaques will be up there and that's pretty humbling."

Standing a few feet from the Stanley Cup, on which his name appears six times, Messier spoke about the qualities he learned from Wayne Gretzky, his family and his New York teammates.

"He was so far in advance of us when it came to the mental side of the game, the preparation, the way he treated everybody equally," Messier said. "Even those he was the same age, he was light years ahead of us. It would have been nice to have him here. And my father and brother ... when things weren't quite going our way, we were able to talk about it and leave with a different perspective. All the guys in New York, with Brian and Mike and Adam Graves, who was with me in Edmonton and New York, you draw it from everybody. There's a lot of knowledge out there. One thing you learn to do is listen."

Messier was pleased that he didn't have to choose to be enshrined as either an Oiler or a Ranger. "I'm going in as a hockey player," he said. Nonetheless, the ties to New York are strong.

"New York was somewhere where I wanted to go, obviously from the hockey standpoint, but also where I could grow as a person with all the diversity in that city," he said.

With three years of retirement behind him, Messier hasn't hidden his desire to .return to the game in a front-.office capacity, with the Rangers or .another team, if the opportunity is right. "I've thought about it a lot, what really appeals to me is creating a vision and an entire philosophy," he said. "That could come with a minority ownership."

In New York, however, he said, "[Rangers president] Glen could be around another 10 years and he deserves the right to do whatever he wants. Do I want to wait 10 years?"

No matter what the future holds, the Captain -- as so long appeared his destiny -- is in the Hall. Back in New York, the team's current captain, Jaromir Jagr, paid tribute, as well.

"I didn't want to be like him because I can't," Jagr said Monday. "I'm a different type of player. He was a born leader. I don't think anybody in the world could do it. How he played, how he skated and how he played the game, there's not many players like him that are able to change a game. He played in the '80s, in the '90s, in the 2000s. The game has changed through the 20, 25 years he played and he was so good, he didn't have to change. He had to change maybe a little bit and was still good every year. And that's not easy to do."

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Congrats Moose!! Only the 5th Canadian to win such an honor:



Messier, Richter honored with Patrick Trophy
Rangers greats recognized for their contributions to hockey in the U.S.
Wednesday, 10.21.2009 / 7:16 PM / News

By Jim Cerny, newyorkrangers.com

They are already forever linked for what they accomplished together on the ice, as well as for the bond of friendship they built off of it. And on Wednesday night, Rangers legends Mark Messier, Mike Richter, and Brian Leetch were brought together for yet another special occasion when Messier and Richter were feted as 2009 recipients of the Lester Patrick Trophy, along with Detroit Red Wings executive Jim Devellano, “for outstanding service to hockey in the United States.”

Leetch, who will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Nov. 9, is a 2007 Lester Patrick Award recipient. He was on hand Wednesday evening to help honor his former Rangers teammates.

Mark Messier is only the fifth Canadian former Ranger to win the trophy named after a Blueshirts pioneer. The other winners were John Davidson, Rod Gilbert, Wayne Gretzky and Phil Esposito.
“This is fun to get together like this because unfortunately everyone’s got their own lives now and it’s difficult to see one another,” said Leetch. “But we’re always sending funny texts to each other and sharing funny e-mails. I think we do these events just so we can see other every so often.”

That this year’s Lester Patrick Awards had such a distinct Rangers flavor seems quite fitting. The Rangers organization originally presented the National Hockey League with the Lester Patrick Trophy in 1966. It is named to honor the man who coached the Rangers from the 1926-27 season through 1938-39, and was General Manager from 1926-27 through 1945-46, overseeing the first three Stanley Cup championships -- 1928, 1933, and 1940 -- in franchise history.

The Patrick family has played a huge role in the history of the Rangers, not solely based on the work of Lester Patrick, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1947. Lester’s sons, Lynn and Muzz, played for the Blueshirts in the 1930’s and 1940’s, with Muzz later serving as the team’s coach and General Manager, as well. Craig Patrick, Lester’s grandson, was the Rangers’ General Manager in the 1980’s.

The Rangers’ historical influence on the Lester Patrick Award and on hockey in the United States was not lost on Messier during Wednesday’s festivities.

“I think I am receiving this award really based on the ’94 Stanley Cup team, not only because the way we won that championship, but winning it here in New York with two American-born players in Richter and Leetch,” said Messier just prior to the awards presentation at Gotham Hall in New York City.

“That team seemed to catch the imagination of people, not only in hockey, but also people from outside the game,” Messier continued. “I really accept this award on behalf of my teammates and the (Rangers) organization. They are the reason I am here tonight.”

Richter’s contributions to U.S. hockey, like that of Leetch, go beyond his championship-caliber play with the Rangers, for whom he played his entire National Hockey League career.

The Philadelphia-born goaltender, who owns Rangers franchise records for most wins (301) and games played (666), is, arguably, the most successful U.S.-born goalie on the international stage. Richter led the United States to victory in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey tournament, and participated in three Olympics, a Canada Cup, two World Junior Championships, and three World Championships.

“There’s always something that is particularly powerful about representing your whole country and not just one city,” said Richter. “It is an incredible honor.”

Richter paid homage to the 1980 United States Olympic Hockey Team that won the gold medal in Lake Placid for inspiring more U.S. kids to start playing the sport than any other U.S. entry has before or since.

In fact, Richter downplayed the influence he and Leetch had on kids from the United States, instead deferring to the 1980 Olympic team. But he did not shy away from discussing the responsibility he felt in representing his county.

“Overall your responsibility is not to just to be a role model to the kids who might come up and play hockey,” said Richter. “You want to be a role model in all kinds of ways. And you want to fulfill what you are charged to do, and that is to compete at your best and win.”

Leetch, who was Richter’s teammate on many different U.S. teams, as well as with the Rangers, could not but help reflect on how their paths crossed again with the Lester Patrick Award.

“We’ve been together since we were 15 or 16 years old,” said Leetch. “To be in the same area, and last that long with the same NHL team, and have so many shared experiences, is fantastic.”

For another evening they were together again. Mike Richter and Brian Leetch. And their Captain, Mark Messier.

The ties that bind forever and ever.



Watch Video: http://oilers.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?catid=5&id=49373

Story: http://rangers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=503018

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Messier Captains New Helmet Initiative



Mark Messier remembers his first experience with being concussed at the NHL level.  It was during a fight with Flames tough guy Willi Plett, who cut Messier for eight stitches.  At the time, Messier was wearing a Jofa helmet, the padless type made famous by his teammate Wayne Gretzky.

"The first thing I did after that was go to the equipment room and find the helmet with the most padding in it," Messier now recalls.  What he ended up choosing was his now famous WinnWell helmet.

Flash forward more than 25 years, and Messier is back in search of a helmet that will reduce the risk of concussions.  Only this time, he's not after a bucket that will protect his own melon, but rather something that can be used by players from mites to the pros.

As a result, Messier has formed a business relationship with Cascade Sports to design, develop, market and sell what they believe is a highly sophisticated piece of protective equipment.

Cascade is regarded generally as a leader in providing protective helmets for lacrosse.  However, its early forays into hockey fell flat as players of all ages eschewed what Cascade said was better protection because the helmet looked, well, like something out of the movie Tron.

"They needed to make me a believer," said Messier.

Apparently whatever Cascade said to Messier worked. The sides have launched an ambitious campaign now known as "The Messier Project," and aims not only to market and sell the product, but also to be a grassroots movement that educates players and families about both concussions, and the equipment choices now available.

"Concussions have crept up in our game," said Messier.  "They've really crept into the youth level.  That keeps kids from playing.  They're either afraid to play, or their parents don't want them to play. At the grassroots level, we're out there educating the parents," Messier said.

However, Messier is quick to acknowledge that no amount of education is likely to be more powerful the implicit endorsement that comes when a professional player wears the new M11, as it is known.

"You get credibility from being involved at the highest level," he said.  "If kids see the pros wearing something, then it becomes OK for kids to wear it, too.  So we needed to make a helmet that pros would wear."

Presumably, that's where Messier's expertise aided in the design.  And it's likely that putting his name on the project has opened a few doors with NHL players.  The company now claims players such as Matt Bradley, Chris Phillips and Aaron Ward are using the helmet ("The Evolved", as the Cascade Web site puts it).

It's a modest list so far, but one that has grown quickly and that Messier believes speaks to a higher purpose that NHL players have.

"We know that this is a concept that won't necessarily be easily accepted by players.  We know that changing the mindset won't be easy," he says.  "What we really want is players that believe in the story, and believe that they can do something for the game by giving this movement credibility."
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SOURCE: NHL.com

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HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY MARK MESSIER!!!

[Masa]

Happy Birthday, Moose!

[daigong]

Apparently he was back in town, St. Albert woman won "Watch The Stanley Cup" via Frito Lay's lol: http://www.edmontonsun.com/2011/06/08/cup-party-with-messier-amazing