| Mark Messier OC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hockey Hall of Fame, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Messier in 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
January 18, 1961 St. Albert, Alberta, Canada | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre / Left Wing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Mark John Douglas Messier OC (/ˈmɛsieɪ/; born January 18, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. His playing career in the National Hockey League (NHL) lasted 25 seasons (1979–2004) with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, and Vancouver Canucks. He also played professionally with the World Hockey Association (WHA)'s Indianapolis Racers and Cincinnati Stingers. He also played a short four-game stint in the original Central Hockey League (CHL) with the Houston Apollos in 1979.[1] He was the last WHA player to be active in professional ice hockey, and the last active player in any of the major North American professional sports leagues to have played in the 1970s. After his playing career, he served as special assistant to the president and general manager of the Rangers.
Messier is considered one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time.[2] He is second on the all-time list for playoff points (295) and third for regular-season games played (1756) and regular-season points (1887). He is a six-time Stanley Cup champion—five with the Oilers and one with the Rangers—and is the only player to captain two teams to Stanley Cup championships.[3] His playoff leadership while in New York, which ended a 54-year Stanley Cup drought in 1994, earned him the nickname "The Messiah", a play on his name. He was also known, throughout his career, as "The Moose" for his aggression and strength.[4][5] He twice won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player, in 1990 and 1992, and in 1984 won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player during the playoffs. He was selected for the NHL All-Star Game 16 times. In 2007, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, in his first year of eligibility. In 2017, Messier was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history.[6]
On June 30, 2017, he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada by Governor General David Johnston for "contributions to hockey as an outstanding player and captain, and for his leadership in encouraging children to take up the sport."[7]
- ^ "Mark Messier Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com". www.hockeydb.com. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
- ^ Pelletier, Joe (April 29, 2009). "Stanley Cup Legends: The Messiah, Mark Messier". Greatest Hockey Legends.com. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
- ^ "Mark Messier". Legendsofhockey.net. Archived from the original on June 16, 2011. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
- ^ "Legends of Hockey – Induction Showcase – Mark Messier". Hhof.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
- ^ Mark Messier Biography Summary. BookRags.com. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
- ^ "100 Greatest NHL Players". NHL.com. January 27, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
- ^ "Governor General Announces 99 New Appointments to the Order of Canada". Governor General of Canada. June 30, 2017. Archived from the original on June 30, 2017.