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Entries with the tag: Mark+Messier

Would Messier Make A Good GM?

by Paul on 10/20/09 at 03:12 PM ET
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from Michael Farber of Sports Illustrated,

Mark Messier’s title with the New York Rangers is Special Assistant to the President, one of those felicitous-sounding designations that could mean almost anything. The widespread guess it best translates to “GM general in waiting.” The assumption is Blueshirts president Glen Sather will muddle on for the next few years, show Messier the ropes and eventually turn the daily operations of the team over to the dauphin.

There are pitfalls to a neat succession, of course, but this seems to be a career path already working splendidly for players of stature like Messier. Joe Nieuwendyk, who has Hall-worthy credentials, already has taken a GM seat in Dallas after understudying in Florida and Toronto. Al MacInnis has been getting rave reviews for his work in player development with the St. Louis Blues. Steve Yzerman might not be ahead of the estimable Jim Nill on the Detroit Red Wings front office pyramid—Nill, GM Ken Holland’s top assistant, is the league executive most deserving of running his own team—but he’s already shown enough to be Team Canada’s GM for the 2010 Olympics, among the most stressful jobs in hockey.

From Ron Francis in Carolina (player development) in Carolina to Luc Robitaille in Los Angeles (president of business operations), Messier’s generation of stars is generally proving itself capable in executive capacity.

The only question is whether Messier will be willing to put in the work.

more plus additional NHL talk…

Filed in: NHL Teams, New York Rangers | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: Mark+Messier,

Lester Patrick Trophy Recipients Announced

by Paul on 09/18/09 at 04:21 PM ET
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NEW YORK (September 18, 2009) – Hockey Hall of Fame center Mark Messier, New York Rangers goaltender Mike Richter and Detroit Red Wings Senior Vice President Jim Devellano have been named recipients of the 2009 Lester Patrick Trophy for outstanding service to hockey in the United States.

The award, one of the most prestigious in hockey, was presented to the National Hockey League by the New York Rangers in 1966. It honors the memory of Lester Patrick, who spent 50 years in hockey as a player, coach and general manager and was a pioneer in the sport’s development.

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Filed in: NHL Teams, NHL Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: Jim+Devellano, Mark+Messier, Mike+Richter,

Messier Becomes An Apprentice

by Paul on 08/16/09 at 07:00 AM ET
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from Larry Brooks of the NY Post,

The Captain is back.

As an apprentice.

Mark Messier is rejoining the Rangers’ organization as special assistant to club president Glen Sather, The Post has learned. It will mark Messier’s first job in hockey—and first full-time job, period—since he ended his playing career following the 2003-04 season.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled with the opportunity to move back to New York with my family, to learn from Glen and to work for the Rangers,” Messier said yesterday by phone from the Bahamas. “I’m going to come in and get my feet wet and get an overview of how the business runs and how the team runs and take it from there.”

continued

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 Tags: Mark+Messier,

Messier Wants To Work

by Paul on 01/04/09 at 08:32 AM ET
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from Larry Brooks of the NY Post,

Understand. Messier is not campaigning for anyone’s job. He is not suggesting he should be the next GM. He is not suggesting he should be the next head coach. He is, however, suggesting he’s ready to get to work, and certainly would prefer to get to work for the Rangers.

“It’s hard to say what I would or would not do; to me, it’s a matter of finding the best way for me to contribute,” Messier said. “In the past, I’ve talked about what my wish list might be in establishing a vision for a franchise, but it’s a completely different discussion now that I’m ready to jump into the fray.”

This is no surprise to Glen Sather, for Slap Shots has learned the GM and Messier had a lengthy discussion on the topic last June in Ottawa before the Entry Draft. There’s been no job offer since.

read on

One suggestion Mark, stop talking about getting to work and just do it. 

Filed in: NHL Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: Mark+Messier,

Enough Mark

by Paul on 11/11/08 at 07:21 AM ET
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from Gary Loewen of the Toronton Sun,

Mark Messier recommends that the NHL make face guards mandatory.

Never mind that he is shilling for a manufacturer of a hockey helmet that is touted to provide better protection against concussions — and Messier-like elbows.

Why stop with face guards?

Why not have players fitted with full NASCAR helmets?

continued plus the Western Conference performs well in the shootout…

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 Tags: Mark+Messier,

Morning Line

by Paul on 09/26/08 at 05:56 AM ET
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“I want to get back in the game, I relish the opportunity to be part of a team in a different aspect than a player.”

“It’s tremendously taxing to be a coach because of the interpersonal relationships that you have to develop.  It doesn’t interest me as much as being the overall seer of an organization.”

-Mark Messier appearing on Bloomberg Television’s ‘Night Talk’ program yesterday.

Filed in: NHL Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: Mark+Messier,

All Messier

by Paul on 07/23/08 at 01:53 PM ET
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from Dan Rosen at NHL.com,

Mark Messier is sitting on the sidelines these days, enjoying the early stages of his new life as a retired NHL legend. Even still, few of the game’s legends are as tuned in to today’s NHL as Messier.

He’s opinionated. He’s eloquent. He’s passionate.

NHL.com was lucky enough to hear Messier be all those things and more in an exclusive phone interview Monday morning. We asked him about free agency, the Detroit Red Wings, the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Winter Classic and a whole lot more....

NHL.com: Does four Cups in 11 years and having a core group of players — Nicklas Lidstrom, Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby, Darren McCarty and Tomas Holmstrom — playing on all four championship teams make the Detroit Red Wings a dynasty?

MM: You have to really respect what they have been able to do for a long period of time, without having great draft picks. To call it a dynasty — I don’t know.

much more…

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 Tags: Mark+Messier,

Slapshot III, Anyone?

by Alanah McGinley on 06/11/08 at 06:37 PM ET
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From Mike Mastovich at the Tribune-Democrat:

Imagine the tough-as-nails Hanson Brothers as a trio of pacifists more into meditation and world peace than putting on the foil.

It might be difficult to believe, but the Hansons have a mellow mentality at the outset of “Slap Shot: The Junior League,” the third installment of the motion picture “Slap Shot” originally filmed in Johnstown in 1976.

Former Johnstown Jets star and ex-Johnstown Chiefs coach Steve Carlson revealed that filming of the movie concluded on June 1 in Surrey, British Columbia. Carlson plays Steve Hanson in the movies “Slap Shot,” “Slap Shot II: Breaking the Ice,” and “Slap Shot: The Junior League.”

more... and the movie is to be released straight-to-dvd later this summer, with cameos from Mark Messier and Doug Gilmour.

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 Tags: doug+gilmour, hanson+brothers, mark+messier, slapshot,

The Greatest Of All Time?

by Paul on 11/13/07 at 01:59 PM ET
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from Jim Kelley at Sportsnet,

As hockey moments go it was just about perfect except for one thing: In his introduction Messier was called “the greatest leader of all time.”

Not one of many, not even one of a handful, simply the greatest....

But I keep getting stuck on that introduction and my response is twofold: who says so?; and isn’t that a terrible injustice to many hockey players who are already or someday will join him in the Hall?

Don’t misunderstand; this is no knock on Messier’s leadership ability. What he did throughout his career makes a strong argument that he should be considered for that title, but how does one quantify leadership?

more

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 Tags: Mark+Messier,

Mark Messier Interview and Video Highlights

by Alanah McGinley on 11/07/07 at 02:23 PM ET
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Mark Messier participated in a media conference call today, answering questions as he prepares to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday, November 12th.

In 25 NHL seasons Mark played in 1756 regular season games, the second highest total ever, trailing only Gordie Howe. He recorded 694 goals which is seventh all-time, and 1,193 assists, third all-time. His total of 1887 career points places him second all-time behind only former teammate Wayne Gretzky.

He won the Stanley Cup six times, the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 1984, the Hart Trophy as the National Hockey League’s most valuable player in 1990 and ‘92, and he appeared in 15 NHL All-Star Games.

Below is a transcript of today’s interview, plus a video selection of his career highlights, provided by NHL.com.

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Filed in: NHL Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
 Tags: hockey+hall+of+fame, interview, mark+messier,