Mark Messier Hangs Up The Skates

Mark Messier was the greatest leader who ever put on the Rangers uniform! With all due respect to Phil Esposito, he never led the Blue-Shirts to the promised land of the Stanley Cup. Messier did it in 1994, with Brian Leetch and the Beezer and Richter in nets, and the Rangers and their fans will forever love him for that.

The Stanley Cups this man won with the Edmonton Oilers are just evidence of the greatness that this man possessed and the promise that he held. When he came to the Rangers and then later with those same Vancouver Canucks that he helped defeat in ’94, the leadership he brought with him was built up from years of experience playing with the best, and he expected nothing less then the best as a result.

Now that he is gone the Rangers are left without a leader. Even someone in the latter stages of his career who would not be as valuable on the ice as he once was, would still be invaluable in the room and on the bench.

The Rangers are a good team this year but need someone who will keep Jaromir Jagr focused and in line. The Rangers always go south when their players start dogging it and Messier was the type of guy who would not let that happen. Now we can only wait and see what 2005 brings the Blue Shirts and keep our fingers crossed.