# Mark Messier
**Mark Messier** (Mark John Douglas Messier, born 1961 in Edmonton, Alberta) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey center who played 25 NHL seasons, won six Stanley Cups, and remains the only player in NHL history to captain two different teams to the [Stanley Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/stanley-cup), the 1990 [Edmonton Oilers](https://www.edgepedia.org/edmonton-oilers) and the 1994 [New York Rangers](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-york-rangers).[1](https://www.nhlpa.com/player/5922/mark-messier/) • [2](https://www.nhl.com/rangers/team/alumni/mark-messier) When he retired in 2005, his 1,887 career points (694 goals, 1,193 assists) and 1,756 games played ranked second on the respective NHL history lists.[3](https://halloffamers.sportshall.ca/?language=EN&mark_messier=)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1961, Edmonton, Alberta; center, shoots left, 6'2", 211 lb[1](https://www.nhlpa.com/player/5922/mark-messier/) |
| Draft | 1979 NHL Entry Draft, 3rd round, 48th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers[4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml) |
| Stanley Cups | Six: 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990 (Edmonton) and 1994 (New York)[2](https://www.nhl.com/rangers/team/alumni/mark-messier) |
| Career totals | 1,756 games, 694 goals, 1,193 assists, 1,887 points; second in points and games at his 2005 retirement[4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml) • [3](https://halloffamers.sportshall.ca/?language=EN&mark_messier=) |
| Major awards | Conn Smythe Trophy 1984; Hart Trophy 1990 and 1992; two Lester B. Pearson awards[3](https://halloffamers.sportshall.ca/?language=EN&mark_messier=) |
| Honors | Hockey Hall of Fame 2007; Canada's Sports Hall of Fame 2009; Order of Canada; NHL 100 (2017)[3](https://halloffamers.sportshall.ca/?language=EN&mark_messier=) • [5](https://www.nhl.com/news/hockey-hall-of-famer-mark-messier-receives-order-of-canada-290240810) |
| Retired number | No. 11 retired by both the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers[4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml) |
## Early career and the WHA
Messier grew up in Edmonton and the nearby suburb of St. Albert, attending his father Doug's minor-league practices from age four and serving as a stick boy for the Spruce Grove Mets at age 11.[4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml) At 16 he was already close to 200 pounds, and he skipped major junior and college hockey entirely: the [Indianapolis Racers](https://www.edgepedia.org/indianapolis-racers) of the [World Hockey Association](https://www.edgepedia.org/world-hockey-association) gave the 17-year-old a five-game tryout in 1978, in which he registered no points and was released just before the franchise folded. The Cincinnati Stingers then signed him as a free agent, and he played 47 games for that team.[4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml)
When the WHA folded, the Oilers selected Messier 48th overall in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft, and he began the 1979-80 season with Edmonton.[4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml) He wore No. 27 in [Cincinnati](https://www.edgepedia.org/cincinnati); in Edmonton the trainer gave him No. 11, the number his father had always worn, and he kept it for his entire NHL career.[6](https://www.nhl.com/news/hockey-legend-mark-messier-on-rangers-and-oilers-317054624)
## The Edmonton dynasty
Messier broke out in 1981-82, doubling his goal total to 50 and making the first of 15 all-star selections.[3](https://halloffamers.sportshall.ca/?language=EN&mark_messier=) • [4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml) He began as a left wing, making the NHL First All-Star Team at that position in 1981-82 and 1982-83, and was moved to center during the 1984 Stanley Cup Final to match up against the [New York Islanders](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-york-islanders)' Bryan Trottier; the move became permanent and gave Edmonton a Gretzky-Messier tandem at center.[7](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/nhl-100-greatest-players/mark-messier-100-greatest-nhl-hockey-players-285047996)
The Oilers won four Stanley Cups in five seasons from 1984 to 1988, with Messier alongside [Wayne Gretzky](https://www.edgepedia.org/wayne-gretzky), Paul Coffey, and [Grant Fuhr](https://www.edgepedia.org/grant-fuhr).[3](https://halloffamers.sportshall.ca/?language=EN&mark_messier=) • [4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml) In the 1984 playoffs he won the [Conn Smythe Trophy](https://www.edgepedia.org/conn-smythe-trophy) as most valuable player on the strength of 26 post-season points.[4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml)
**Captain and the 1990 Cup.** When Gretzky was traded to Los Angeles in 1988, Messier became Edmonton's captain, and skeptics predicted the team's success would leave with Gretzky.[4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml) In 1989-90 he had a career year with 129 points, second in the league to Gretzky, and won the Hart Trophy as most valuable player over Boston's Ray Bourque.[4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml) In the playoffs, with Edmonton down 2-1 to Chicago in the semifinals, he scored two goals and added two assists in a 4-2 Game 4 road win; the Oilers swept the remaining games against Chicago and beat Bourque's Bruins in the Final, giving Messier his fifth Cup and his first as captain.[4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml)
## New York and the 1994 guarantee
The small-market Oilers struggled after 1990, and on October 4, 1991 Messier was traded to the New York Rangers for Bernie Nicholls, Steven Rice, and Louie DeBrusk.[4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml)
The defining episode came in the 1994 playoffs. With the Rangers trailing the [New Jersey Devils](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-jersey-devils) 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Final, Messier publicly guaranteed a Game 6 win. Trailing 2-1 in that game, he scored three straight goals for a hat trick and a 4-2 victory; New York won Game 7 in double overtime at [Madison Square Garden](https://www.edgepedia.org/madison-square-garden).[7](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/nhl-100-greatest-players/mark-messier-100-greatest-nhl-hockey-players-285047996) The Rangers then beat [Pavel Bure](https://www.edgepedia.org/pavel-bure) and the Vancouver Canucks in seven games, with Messier scoring the Cup-winning goal in Game 7. It was the franchise's first championship in 54 years, and it made Messier the first player to captain two different teams to Stanley Cup titles.[4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml)
## Vancouver and second Rangers stint
In 1997 Messier signed as a free agent with the [Vancouver Canucks](https://www.edgepedia.org/vancouver-canucks), where he played three seasons (1997-98 to 1999-2000) before returning to the Rangers in 2000.[4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml) He had also served as captain of all three NHL franchises he played for: Edmonton, New York, and Vancouver.[8](https://www.ndl.ethernet.edu.et/bitstream/123456789/24849/1/14.pdf.pdf) He scored his 600th career goal in a win over Florida in October 1998, one of only ten players to reach that benchmark at the time.[4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml)
His final seven seasons all ended without a playoff appearance: three in Vancouver and four in his second Rangers stint.[9](https://archives.nd.edu/observer/2005-09-13_v40_016.pdf) During the 2003-04 season he passed [Gordie Howe](https://www.edgepedia.org/gordie-howe) for second place on the all-time points list, finishing the season with 1,887 points. After the 2004-05 lockout wiped out a season, he announced his retirement in the summer of 2005.[4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml) The following year, both the Oilers and the Rangers retired his No. 11 in pre-game ceremonies.[4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml)
## Legacy and honors
Messier's standing on the all-time list has shifted as others passed him: Canada's Walk of Fame places his 1,887 points third in NHL history, behind only Wayne Gretzky and Jaromir Jagr, while noting his six championships and his unique double-captaincy.[10](https://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/inductees/mark-messier/) He was credited, like Gordie Howe, as the most complete player of his generation, combining playmaking, goal scoring, size, and physical play.[4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml)
His honors include the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007, a first-ballot selection; the Lester Patrick Award in 2009 for contributions to hockey in the United States; Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2009; and the Order of Canada.[10](https://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/inductees/mark-messier/) • [3](https://halloffamers.sportshall.ca/?language=EN&mark_messier=) • [5](https://www.nhl.com/news/hockey-hall-of-famer-mark-messier-receives-order-of-canada-290240810) In 2017 he was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players during the league's centennial celebrations.[6](https://www.nhl.com/news/hockey-legend-mark-messier-on-rangers-and-oilers-317054624)
**The leadership award.** The NHL introduced the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award in 2006, and it has been given annually since 2006-07 to the player who best demonstrates outstanding leadership to his club, both in games and away from them, while also serving as a community leader in growing the sport. Messier solicits suggestions from team and league personnel to compile the candidate list, but the selection of the winner is his alone.[3](https://halloffamers.sportshall.ca/?language=EN&mark_messier=) • [11](https://www.nhl.com/news/gabriel-landeskog-wins-mark-messier-nhl-leadership-award) Internationally, he represented Canada at three Canada Cup tournaments (1984, 1987, 1991), one World Championship (1989), and one World Cup (1996).[4](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml) After playing, he served as an executive with the New York Rangers and Hockey Canada and co-founded the Messier Project, which developed the M-11 hockey helmet designed to maximize protection, particularly regarding concussions.[10](https://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/inductees/mark-messier/)
## References
1. [Mark Messier Player Profile, NHLPA](https://www.nhlpa.com/player/5922/mark-messier/)
2. [Mark Messier, NY Rangers Retired Numbers, NHL.com](https://www.nhl.com/rangers/team/alumni/mark-messier)
3. [Mark Messier, Canada's Sports Hall of Fame](https://halloffamers.sportshall.ca/?language=EN&mark_messier=)
4. [Mark Messier, Legends of Hockey Induction Showcase, Hockey Hall of Fame](https://hhof.com/induction_archives/ind07Messier.shtml)
5. [Mark Messier awarded Order of Canada, NHL.com](https://www.nhl.com/news/hockey-hall-of-famer-mark-messier-receives-order-of-canada-290240810)
6. [Five Questions with Mark Messier, NHL.com](https://www.nhl.com/news/hockey-legend-mark-messier-on-rangers-and-oilers-317054624)
7. [Mark Messier: 100 Greatest NHL Players, NHL.com](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/nhl-100-greatest-players/mark-messier-100-greatest-nhl-hockey-players-285047996)
8. [Mark Messier biographical document, National Library of Canada deposit](https://www.ndl.ethernet.edu.et/bitstream/123456789/24849/1/14.pdf.pdf)
9. [After prolific 25-year career, Mark Messier bids farewell to game, The Observer (Notre Dame Archives)](https://archives.nd.edu/observer/2005-09-13_v40_016.pdf)
10. [Mark Messier, Canada's Walk of Fame](https://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/inductees/mark-messier/)
11. [Avalanche captain Landeskog wins Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, NHL.com](https://www.nhl.com/news/gabriel-landeskog-wins-mark-messier-nhl-leadership-award)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Hockey and remaining team sports › Ice hockey players and personnel › Centers › Retired centers of the past*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license