They have been adrift for three years now. A once-proud, always-splurging, sometimes-squandering joke on ice – led by a slick guy they finally impeached, captained by a defenseman who couldn't wait to resign.
To Brian Leetch, there was only one possible successor to the job of captain he never wanted – the institution he inherited it from.
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Wed., Sept. 27
Mark Messier adds more of a presence as a leader than he does as a player. For the Rangers to have a successful season, he must have his biggest impact on Theo Fleury, who has the most upside of any player on that team, considering what he has done in the past. Fleury, like most of the other offseason acquisions from a year ago, suffered through an awful season. Messier will also need to have a tremendous effect on defenseman Brian Leetch. If Leetch plays the way he did when Messier was with the team previously, he can be a Norris Trophy candidate. |
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"It almost seemed like those three years never happened," Leetch said of the past three Rangers' non-playoff performances – and the years Mark Messier was away from the team. "It was just right back into the routine and always looking at the present. That's pretty much the way Mark always is."
So old man Messier, the icon who says he packed up for a port in the Pacific sea because former general manager Neil Smith didn't respect him, is back for another Broadway run. At an age where most of his peers are fishing for a living, why would he want to settle back into this fishbowl?
Aside from the money, of course ...
"Obviously, there's been some big problems here the last three years not to have made the playoffs," said Messier. "Hopefuly, things turn around immediately. Am I expecting that? I don't think it would be fair to anybody to say that we can turn it around immediately going into the season. But could we? Possibly. Is it likely? Maybe."
Does he actually believe that? Maybe that doesn't matter.
See, Leetch and Mike Richter are still here, even though Richter will require another month to heal the knee surgery necessitated by that ridiculous All-Star skills competition thing. Maybe Messier's touch can speed the healing.
What's more, there are those who think this Messier resurrection has as much to do with his powers of psychology than anything else. That he can turn Theo Fleury back from free-agent bust to premier on-ice pest. That perhaps, he can somehow find it within himself to motivate Valeri Kamensky, the league's most expensive piece of furniture.
"I don't think you can take anything for granted," said Messier. "We've all seen each other and played against each other and things like that, but until you're on the same team and in the same trenches, that doesn't really mean anything. You've got to build your own trust amongst the group itself and that only comes with being around each other and spending time together and trying to become a team."
He still has the pep talk stuff down. Whether Messier still has the physical skills to walk the walk – with the occasional elbow held high – remains to be seen. What matters more is the fact that this Messier re-deux – completed with old coach Glen Sather now in Smith's leather chair and old teammate Ronnie Low standing behind the bench – has the fans engaged in hopeful discussion again.
That alone could be worth the cost of his return trip.
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Bottom Line on the Rangers
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Strengths
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Weaknesses
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Management
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Team defense
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Coaching
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Goaltending health
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On-ice leadership
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SEASON OUTLOOK: Yes, Glen Sather believes all the overdone raves ever written and said about him. But in large measure, they've rung true. His hiring of Ron Low as coach and bringing back Messier as captain to quiet the Madison Square masses will prove masterstrokes. Now, if he learns how to run a team that actually allows him to spend money, a Ranger Renaissance might not be far off. Messier, Leetch, Richter, Graves ... it's 1994 all over again!? Oh, and Messier back with Sather and Low ... heck, maybe it's 1983 in Edmonton all over again. Additions of Messier and new blueliner Vladimir Malakhov will help pump up the power play. But this team's fortunes rest on the rehabbed knee of Richter and unknown confidence of Leetch, Fleury and Nedved. That's where Messier's presence will really be felt – as the Rangers improve to .500 and make the playoffs. |
Rob Parent covers the NHL for the Delaware County (Pa.) Times. His NHL East column appears every week on ESPN.com.
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AUDIO VIDEO
 The Rangers look forward to a new start with Mark Messier.
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