In a century of Rangers hockey, no player has captained the franchise for more games than Mark Messier.
Known as “Captain” for his iconic leadership, Messier wore the “C” on his jersey in 697 of the 698 regular season games he played in his 10 seasons with the Rangers. The only game where Messier was not the Rangers captain was his first game with the franchise.
When the Rangers acquired Messier in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers on October 4, 1991, Neil Smith, the team’s general manager at the time, said it was “the greatest day in the 66-year history of the New York Rangers.” Messier had won five Stanley Cup championships with the Oilers before his arrival with the Rangers and had captained the Oilers the previous three seasons. The Rangers, meanwhile, were without a captain at the start of the 1991-92 season; their former captain, Kelly Kisio, had been claimed in the 1991 NHL expansion draft, and no replacement had been named.
During the 1991-92 season, the NHL celebrated its 75thth Anniversary season, and the Rangers were one of many teams that participated in honoring their own history. The Blueshirts had already planned to bring back several of their former captains for the home opener at MSG on October 7, and the announcement of a new captain would only enhance this special evening. As a result, the Rangers were reluctant to make any announcement regarding their captaincy prior to Messier’s debut with the Blueshirts, which took place on October 5 in Montreal against the Canadiens.
For the home opener against the Boston Bruins, the Rangers wore special “Turn Back the Clock” jerseys that were reminiscent of the team’s uniform during its early years of existence. Current Rangers players and alumni on the ice wore these jerseys, and the current players were all presented in numerical order.
After the introduction of the 1991-92 Rangers and former team captains, MSG Network broadcaster John Davidson, who hosted the pre-game ceremony on the ice, made the following announcement:
“And now, the new captain of the Rangers, and the captain who will lead the Rangers through the 1991-92 season. He won the Hart Trophy in 1990 as the NHL’s Most Valuable Player. Five-time Stanley Cup champion, wearing uniform number 11, Mark Messier!”
As “The Garden Faithful” roared, Messier skated onto the ice to shake hands with several of the captains who preceded him in franchise history – Ron Greschner, Barry Beck, Dave Maloney, Bob Nevin, Camille Henry, Andy Bathgate, Harry Howell, George “Red” Sullivan and Don Raleigh – as well as one of the original Rangers, Murray Murdoch (who was a distant relative of Messier’s) and franchise legend Rod Gilbert.
Years later, Messier reflected on that moment when he was named captain and received a standing ovation from the fans, saying, “I felt a sense of immense pride. I didn’t expect to be greeted with that kind of ovation. I remember thinking to myself as the crowd roared, ‘I will die trying to bring a Stanley Cup to the fans in New York.'” And with that ovation during the opening night, a relationship began with (Rangers fans) that I will never forget and cherish forever.
The Rangers won the game that night, 2-1, and in its first game as team captain Messier contributed to both Blueshirts goals, including Mike Gartner’s game-winner in overtime. It was the start of a special era for Rangers hockey at MSG, with “The Captain” leading the way.
