Hockeybird.com: The Last Hurrah?

Tonight may be Mark Messier's final game as a Ranger and/or professional hockey player. But it may not be. And that's why what would've been a celebratory front page this morning will be anything but. If the Messier "situation" hasn't reached the point of absurdity before, it's clearly there now.

Tonight could've been a great night. A fond and memorable MSG send-off to one of the greatest Rangers and hockey players of all-time. Instead, Messier has decided to hold his decision in limbo until the off-season once again, which was bad enough when he was 41-years old, worse when he was 42, but now at 43 is nothing less than incredibly frustrating. Even worse, with the Rangers going in a new direction Messier is the last thing they need in the future. The Rangers need to develop new players and new leaders and a new identity, not continue on with what amounts to a museum display piece of an old one.

Of course, Messier could decide to retire in the off-season, but I have more than a sneaking suspicion that if he doesn't know if he wants to retire now, he'll be even less certain two weeks before the next training camp opens whether that's in September or January. Doesn't the idea pass through his head that at age 43, it's time to leave the game to the younger guys now? That he's given and taken from this game more than 99.9% of it's players ever have and "thanks for the memories but it's time to move on?" There's such a thing as dignity and grace in the way you end your career, too.

Let's just put it this way: Wayne Gretzky was The Beatles. Messier is The Rolling Stones.

Larry is a bit ridiculous this morning, already suggesting the Rangers made the wrong pick in last year's draft by selecting Jessiman rather than recent Devils signee Zach Parise. Sure, Parise seems to be a lot more NHL-ready than Jessiman is right now, but can we wait until these kids have at least a few pro seasons behind them before even thinking about blown opportunities and misguided draft picks? Cripes.

Dave Caldwell's article in the Times today reads like an outline to a mystery novel. If it needs a title I'd like to nominate, "The Man with the Fluid-Filled Elbow."

John Dellapina draws an interesting parallel in his article today, noting that while tonight is all about the Rangers past in Messier, this morning in at Columbia University Hospital is all about the Rangers future in the exploratory surgery being performed on 20-year old Dan Blackburn.

Dellapina follows it up with an interesting blurb on a possible coaching rift between Tom Renney and Terry O'Reilly. I'm not sure what to make of it, but, whatever, both of them are very unlikely to be behind the Rangers bench next season.

The Star-Ledger has this piece on Bobby Holik and his attitude, which has been a very hot topic on our boards lately. Let's see if this article adds any fuel to those debates.

Rangers final home game of the season tonight, 7:30 against the playoff hopeful Sabres. After reading today's articles between Messier and Holik and the Renney/O'Reilly rift and Blackburn and Jessiman and so on, it couldn't have come soon enough. What a mess.

"Let's just put it this way: Wayne Gretzky was The Beatles. Messier is The Rolling Stones."

Great analogy! But who does that make Gordie Howe - Chubby Checker?

Posted by: Chris Sedelmaier on March 31, 2004 10:36 AM

I think Gordie could be Elvis. His embarassing WHA comeback in his 50's = the bloated-Elvis TV comeback special in the 1970's.

Posted by: Rocha on March 31, 2004 10:54 AM

Dear Pete,

For once I have to disagree with you on Jessiman. I think the Rangers should have taken Parise in the draft and not Jessiman. Parise just struck me as more intense kid with a fire burning in him to play. The Rangers need a smaller guy wtih speed and touch up front. That's what they've been missing, a St Louis/ Draper kind of player. Big Bird may work out all right and it is to soon to pass judgement but Parise is a legacy and just seems like a better choice.

Posted by: mhurley on March 31, 2004 01:11 PM