One of the best to ever don a pair of skates was “The Captain” Mark Messier. He’s often considered as one of the greatest leaders the game has ever seen.

Mark Messier’s pro career started in 1978 and amazingly spanned four decades until he retired in 2004. He was selected 48th overall in the 1979 NHL Draft by the Edmonton Oilers, but before his career finished, he also played for the New York Rangers (1991-1997 and again 2000-2004) and Vancouver Canucks (1997-2000).

Mark Messier played for the Oilers until October of 1991. He was then traded, along with future considerations, to the New York Rangers in exchange for Steven Rice, Bernie Nicholls and Louie DeBrusk. In July of 1997, he signed as a free agent with the Vancouver Canucks, but returned to the New York Rangers in 2000.

Mark Messier is a six-time Stanley Cup Champion and a two-time Hart Memorial Trophy Winner. He also won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1983 and the Lester B. Pearson Award in 1989 and 1991.

Mark Messier played in fifteen NHL All-Star Games and was a First-Teamer on the All-Star Team four times.

Mark Messier is also the only professional athlete to have captained two different championship teams when he did so for the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers.

Mark Messier finished his career with 1,887 regular season points, which is the most for any player without winning a single scoring title. For his 1,756 regular season games played, Mark Messier scored 694 goals and amassed 1,193 assists.

As previously noted, Mark Messier has always been noted as one of the true great leaders in the NHL. And on November 13, 2006, the NHL created the Mark Messier Trophy, which is given monthly to honor player’s leadership.

In June of 2007, Mark Messier was selected as an inductee to the Hockey Hall of Fame and was officially induced in November of 2007.