Messier Retires
 

Hell of a career.

Re: Messier Retires
 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Re: Messier Retires
 

2nd on the all-time scoring list, playoff mvp, over a dozen all-star appearances, . . .

Re: Messier Retires
 

It was time. Definitely a great career, and my 2nd favorite player of all time.

Re: Messier Retires
 

#1 Bertuzzi
#2 Messier
#3 Gretzky

definitely a great.

Re: Messier Retires
 

Definately a great player, but what was the deal with him leaving NY (after the rangers got gretzky) to go to vancover for a few years then return back to NY of course after Gretzky retired?

Re: Messier Retires
 

Great career, but he should have retired three years ago.

Re: Messier Retires
 

Yzerman, MacInnis, Messier, maybe a few more I can't think of off the top of my head...

...There's going to be a HOF logjam five years from now.

Re: Messier Retires
 

[ QUOTE ]
#1 Bertuzzi
#2 Messier
#3 Gretzky

definitely a great.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is that a list of your favorite players? Because there's no way Gretzky isn't #1 with #2 far behind.

Re: Messier Retires
 

Stevie Y retired? Really?...I didn't catch that.

Another great to pack it in this year is the Devils' Scott Stevens. No one happier than Eric Lindros to hear that news.

Top 3 Messier highlights:

1. 1984 Stanley Cup finals - Oilers vs. Islanders. Game 3. He scored an absolutely electrifying goal after deking out the defenceman (Gord Dineen?) and firing a wrist shot past Billy Smith who until that time had the Oilers' number. The Moose changed the momentum in that series with his goal. It made the Oilers believe that they could beat the Isles who were trying to win the cup for the 5th straight year. Looking back, it was THE goal that spawned the Oilers dynasty over the 80s. I was at the Northlands Colisseum in Edmonton to see the Messier goal and inded the Oilers' glory years throughout that decade. There will never be a more exciting team in hockey (if not in all of sports).

2. 1984 Canada Cup - The vicious elbow he dished out to the Russian player Kovin. He again changed the complexion of the whole tourney with that one hit. The Russians were playing scared hockey after that incident. I don't think Kovin ever played again at a high level. Messier was one tough and mean sunavabiatch.

3. 1994 Rangers - Devils semifinals. Game 6 in New Jersey with the Rangers needing a win to stave off elimination. Messier - in Namath style - guarantees a Rangers win. He then delivers by scoring a hat trick in the 3rd period. The Rangers then go on to beat the Vancouver Canucks - damn - in the finals which was another 7 game series.

Great career and a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame.

Re: Messier Retires
 

Yzerman is playing one more year.

As a Rangers fan I must say its about [censored] time this guy retired. Yea, we love him for 94 but the last year it was horrific to watch how much ice time he was getting relative to the team.

Re: Messier Retires
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
#1 Bertuzzi
#2 Messier
#3 Gretzky

definitely a great.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is that a list of your favorite players? Because there's no way Gretzky isn't #1 with #2 far behind.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bertuzzi would be an odd inclusion on that list, seeing as he's the guy who sucker-punched another player and broke the guy's neck.

Re: Messier Retires
 

[ QUOTE ]
Billy Smith who until that time had the Oilers' number

[/ QUOTE ]

I grew up in Edmonton, and to say he had our number at that time is a massive understatement. I'd also add leading the Oilers to the Cup in 1990 after Gretzky was traded to your list.

Re: Messier Retires
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
#1 Bertuzzi
#2 Messier
#3 Gretzky

definitely a great.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is that a list of your favorite players? Because there's no way Gretzky isn't #1 with #2 far behind.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bertuzzi would be an odd inclusion on that list, seeing as he's the guy who sucker-punched another player and broke the guy's neck.

[/ QUOTE ]

maybe he doesn't like the Avs?

Re: Messier Retires
 

Another Mesier moment occurred on October 19, 1988.

August 9, 1988: The Gretzky trade (Incidentally, people don't forget where they were when JFK got shot or when 9/11 unfolded. For me anyway, August 9, 1988 is also forever etched in my memory).

Anyway, on to October 19, 1988: Gretzky's first game as a LA king in Edmonton. The city of Edmonton is still in mourning and the crowd in the building is almost pro-Kings at the start of the game.

Well, the cord was severed about midway through the game when Messier (one of Gretzky's best friends) put some lumber onto Gretzky's back and rode him hard into the boards. It was almost like Mess was telling the fans that Gretz was now the enemy. The Kings and Oilers then went on to have some intriguing playoff series in the next 2 or 3 years. Gretz won it for the Kings in 1989 when the Oilers were defending the cup but the Oilers beat the Kings and won the cup again in 1990.

Man, those were the days when hockey was something special. I remember games from the 70s, 80s and early 90s vividly - I can even remember who scored the cup winning goals for most of that time period. By contrast, I have trouble remembering which team won the cup in 2003. Further, I can hardly name 5 guys on each team. I may even have trouble naming all of the teams currently in the NHL.

Re: Messier Retires
 

[ QUOTE ]
There will never be a more exciting team in hockey (if not in all of sports).

[/ QUOTE ]

Amen. That is the team that got me into hockey in the first place. They were just amazing.

[ QUOTE ]
August 9, 1988: The Gretzky trade (Incidentally, people don't forget where they were when JFK got shot or when 9/11 unfolded. For me anyway, August 9, 1988 is also forever etched in my memory).

[/ QUOTE ]

I remember it well. I nearly vomited when I heard the news.

Re: Messier Retires
 

Well, as a Bruins fan, I've been spending the last 15 years trying to forget about the late '80s Oilers teams...so this ought to help.

He was one hell of a player.