Mark Messier
Mark John Douglas Messier (/ˈmɛsieɪ/; born January 18, 1961) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey centre and a former special assistant to the president and general manager of the New York Rangers. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 until 2004. He played for the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, and Vancouver Canucks. He also played in the World Hockey Association (WHA). He was nicknamed "The Moose" because of his aggressiveness and strength.[1]
Mark Messier | |
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Hockey Hall of Fame, 2007 | |
Messier in 2009 | |
Born | St. Albert, Alberta, Canada | January 18, 1961
Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
Weight | 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb) |
Position | Centre |
Shot | Left |
Played for | Indianapolis Racers Cincinnati Stingers Edmonton Oilers New York Rangers Vancouver Canucks |
National team | Canada |
NHL Draft | 48th overall, 1979 Edmonton Oilers |
Playing career | 1978–2004 |
Career
He is considered to be one of the greatest NHL players of all time that was unable to win an Olympic medal.[2] Messier is listed second on the all-time career lists for regular season points (1887), playoff points (295) and regular season games played (1756). During his career, he was able to win six Stanley Cups, winning it five times the Oilers and one time with the Rangers.
He is the only player to have captained two different professional teams to championships.[1] During his time with New York, he was nicknamed "The Messiah" because of his playoff leadership while there, which helped end a 54-year Stanley Cup drought in 1994. He is a two-time Hart Trophy winner, winning it in 1990 and 1992.
Messier is only one of two players (the other being Wayne Gretzky) to have won the Hart Trophy with more than one team.[3] He was also a one-time Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the most valuable player during the playoffs in 1984. He was named as an NHL All-Star 15 times during his career and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 12, 2007.[4] On June 30, 2017, he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada by Governor General David Johnston.
Mark Messier Media
Messier's name engraved on the Stanley Cup, as a part of the 1983–84 Edmonton Oilers
Messier (left foreground) during his number retirement ceremony with the New York Rangers. The ceremony was held in January 2006, several months after he retired.
Messier alongside other former Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers during the 2012 NHL Winter Classic alumni game.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Mark Messier Hockey Hall of Fame profile". Hockey Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on June 28, 2014. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
- ↑ "Stanley Cup Legends: The Messiah, Mark Messier". Greatest Hockey Legends. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
- ↑ "Hart Memorial Trophy". NHL. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
- ↑ "Messier inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved September 16, 2014.