It’s the 11th and final issue of The Oracle for the fall semester, so it’s time for the last Hall of Fame entry of 2019. This time, we pass the recognition to Mark Messier, a legend in Edmonton and Manhattan for his days with their respective NHL teams, carrying the number 11 proudly for both franchises. “The Moose” played in the NHL for an insanely long time; a quarter of a century, from 1979 to 2004. Understandably, his longevity has lent him a large stake in the league record books. He is second of all time in games played, with 1,756 games under his belt. He is also third of all time in both points (1,887) and assists (1,193), and eighth all time in goals, with 694.
Messier played in the All Star Game 15 times and won six Stanley Cups, five with the Oilers and one with the Rangers. He is also the only player in NHL history to captain two different teams to Stanley Cup victories; Edmonton in 1990 and New York in 1994. While he was well-known for being Wayne Gretzky’s reliable right hand man, his status as a legend for two different teams is quite unique.
