Sat, Sep 17, 2005 page18

• Messier hangs up skates

  NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE A 16-time All-Star, Mark Messier, who finished with 694 career goals, was awarded the Hart Trophy, the NHL's MVP, in 1990 and 1992

  • NY TIMES NEWS SERVICE
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  When Mark Messier announced his retirement earlier this after playing 25 seasons in the NHL, he said he had no thoughts of regrets.

  Well, except for the failure of the Rangers to earn a playoff berth for the past seven seasons.

  If there was one reason to come back for a swan song, the 44-year-old Messier said during a conference call on Monday, "That would have been the one. That's something that's always going to be a disappointment for me. But I think there are so many good things that happened in the playoffs previous to that, that it will diminish those feelings."

  

  Edmonton Oilers' captain Mark Messier holds up the Stanley Cup trophy after the Oilers beat the Boston Bruins in this May 1990 file photo. Messier retired Monday, ending a 25-year career in which he won six Stanley Cup championships.

  PHOTO: AP

  Such as the six Stanley Cups Messier won, the first five coming with the Edmonton Oilers' dynasty from 1984-1990, before Messier helped the Rangers' end a 54-year-old drought in 1994.

  Messier's Hall of Fame credentials were well cemented even before he was first traded to the Rangers before the 1991-1992 season.

  A 16-time All-Star, Messier, who finished with 694 career goals, was awarded the Hart Trophy, signifying the NHL's most valuable player, in 1989-1990 and 1991-1992. In 1984, Messier was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy, signifying the most valuable player of the playoffs, as he helped lead the Oilers to their first Cup over an Islanders' dynasty that had won four consecutive Cups.

  Messier's 1,887 career regular-season points are second all-time to his longtime teammate, Wayne Gretzky. Messier's 1,193 career regular-season assists are third only to Gretzky and Ron Francis.

  With 1,756 career games played, Messier -- who helped redefine the center position with his deadly combination of size, talent and raw emotion -- is second to only Gordie Howe, who Messier would have tied by playing just 11 more games. Messier, who would have also tied Howe by playing a 26th season, is hockey's all-time leader in most games played including the playoffs, at 1,992.

  Messier has long been regarded by many as one of sport's greatest leaders. In time, Messier's jutting jaw and scowl became a part of New York's sporting iconography, much like the Empire State Building or Statue of Liberty.

  "He was the best player I ever played with," the game's greatest player, Gretzky, said in a statement released by the Phoenix Coyotes, with whom Gretzky is the managing partner and new head coach. Messier and Gretzky won four Cups together in Edmonton.

  The last Cup that Messier won, however, will likely be remembered as the crowning point of his career. That was the year Messier guaranteed the Rangers would win Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals at New Jersey with the Rangers on the brink of elimination. Messier backed up his guarantee with a third-period hat trick, as the Rangers came back from a two-goal deficit to win.

  The Rangers then defeated the Devils in double overtime in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden in one of hockey's greatest games to advance to the finals, where they outlasted the Vancouver Canucks in seven games.

  "Every day, even today, you hear about it from fans," Messier said of the 1994 season. "I knew the magnitude of it the first year I was in New York.

  "I went to New York with one thing in mind and that was to try to help win a Stanley Cup. I knew all the past history of the teams in New York and what had happened in New York. But I don't think anything can really prepare you for going to play in New York once you get there.

  teamwork

  "But I felt that I was fairly confident in what it took to win a Stanley Cup coming off five Cups in seven years. And I was lucky to be a part of a team that was willing to sacrifice themselves for the benefit of the team."

  As Adam Graves, who long rode shotgun on Messier's left wing, said in a telephone interview, "One of the things that Mess brought was belief."

  The Rangers will retire Messier's number before their game Jan. 12.

  After a reunited Messier and Gretzky -- for just one season -- had led the Rangers to the Eastern Conference finals in 1996-1997, Messier went into a 3-year exile with the Vancouver Canucks from 1997-2000.

  Messier came back to New York in 2000-1 to help resurrect the Rangers. In that, he failed (But some might argue, the Rangers, who, like Messier, have not qualified for the playoffs since that 1996-1997 season, failed him.)

  If Messier is to have a third act on Broadway, it will either be as a member of the team's front office or as a coach.

  "The Rangers are going to be hopefully where I am involved in the game in some capacity," said Messier, who added that he would have only played for the Rangers had he decided to play another season.

  "Having lived in New York for 10-plus years now, it's something you can't describe unless you've actually lived in New York," Messier said.

  "It becomes a part of who you are. I love New York. I love the area. I love the team and what we were able to do in New York. So I think obviously that's a good fit for me and we'll see what the opportunities are."

  At the moment, however, Messier is busy just trying to keep up with his two young children.

  "I don't think Mark's going to do anything for at least a year," said Glen Sather, the Rangers' president and general manager. "I talked to his sister yesterday. She said he's Mr. Mom."

  Should the Rangers' owner, Madison Square Garden chairman James L. Dolan, ever grow tired of his team's losing ways, however, Messier might be considered as a candidate to replace Sather, who both traded Messier from Edmonton to New York in 1991 and who brought Messier back to New York from exile in 2000.

  rebuilding

  Sather, who was the architect of the Edmonton dynasty, is entering his fifth season as head of the Rangers, who are now in a full-out rebuilding mode.

  Although both Messier and Sather said it was Messier's decision to retire, and that Messier could have come back for this season if he had wanted to, it was clear that Messier, who scored 18 goals in each of his last two seasons, did not fit into the Rangers' current plans.

  "It's a bittersweet day for the National Hockey League," Gretzky, who retired following the 1998-1999 season, said in his statement.

  "I just wish our team could have been better so it could have been more of a celebration than an ending," Brian Leetch, Messier's longtime best friend, roommate and teammate, said in a telephone call from Boston, where Leetch now plays for the Bruins.

  "The same with Gretz, too. It was disappointing for him. I guess the flip side is if they were on good teams, they both might have played forever. Mark came back to New York to try to help things get back on track. When it didn't work out, he said, `That's it.'"

  In a telephone interview, Mike Richter, who was the Rangers' goalie for 15 seasons, including 1993-1994, said, "Mark seemed bigger than life. If a there was ever a guy who would never retire, it probably would have been him. But like everybody, it does come to an end."

  Messier said, "I think it was a tough decision, obviously, because I'm healthy and I feel good. I feel like I can play or could play. But for me, it's been a long career and I've achieved a lot.

  "There was just really nothing left for me to really achieve, I guess. It was just time to move aside and go on to something else."
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