'07 NHL Hall of Fame Class is truly special

Aside from Mario Lemieux in 1997 and Wayne Gretzky in 1999, I cannot remember a more incredible class of players being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. This year's class is truly something special. From left, Ron Francis, Al MacInnis, Mark Messier and Scott Stevens.

Each of these guys won at least one Stanley Cup: Francis won two, MacInnis one, Messier six and Stevens three. Four players, 12 Stanley Cups. But, each player brought a whole lot more to the table than that, too. Each man also brought exceptional leadership to their teams.

Ron Francis, originally drafted by the Hartford Whalers, was an exceptionally talented center who played in the NHL a mind-numbing 23 seasons. He was never a super sniper; the most goals he ever scored in a season was 32, but he accumulated points in bunches, leading the league in assists on two occasions. Francis was a player who made the guys he played with exceptionally better, on and off the ice.

Without a doubt, he made Mario Lemieux's Penguins better in the early 1990s, too. Many call Francis the final "missing link" that put the Pens over the top, winning two Stanley Cups in a row in '91 and '92. He also led the Carolina Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2002, where they fell short against the Detroit Red Wings.

I remember Al MacInnis for two things: playing for the hated Calgary Flames (I'm an Oilers fan), and the most wicked slap shot in the league that intelligent players learned to have a healthy respect for, or they would become unhealthy, quick. Just how quick? At the 2003 NHL All-Star Game, Al took a wooden stick (which is mostly becoming a relic of the ancient NHL past) and ripped off a 98.9 MPH shot. In typical Canadian fashion, he said "So much for technology, eh?"

Scott Stevens was proficient at two things - winning Stanley Cups and laying people out. A three-time Stanley Cup Champ and one-time Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoff MVP), Stevens was the heart and soul of a Devils team that seriously competed for or won the Stanley Cup for nearly a decade.

What I remember most about Stevens, though, were the hits. And there were many, most of them clean. My favorite hit of all was when he laid out Eric Lindros, then with the Philadelphia Flyers. Lindros has to be one of the biggest crybabies in NHL history - a tremendous waste of talent. Yes, he's had a productive career, but it could have been so much more. To me, it's all karma. He should never have landed in Philly in the first place, but he refused to report to the Quebec Nordiques and told them so. They drafted him anyway, and eventually traded him to the Philadelphia Flyers. Ironically, who the Flyers sent to Quebec (the team moved to Colorado to become the Avalanche in the mid 1990s) helped the team win the Stanley Cup. Lindros? Still no Cup. Boo Hoo. But, I digress.

Anyway, in lieu of my trying to describe the hit on Lindros, just take a look at it.

BLAM. That one put #88 out of commission for a little while (and the rest of the playoffs that year, if I remember correctly). I'm always cracking up over clueless Flyers fans who jeer Stevens. Meanwhile, this is a city that can't seem to let go of The Broadstreet Bullies era, when the Flyers were just as comfortable fighting and using their sticks as they were playing the game.

Lindros put his head down, and Stevens made him pay. That's hockey. If you want to watch a no contact, boring game, go watch baseball.

Of course, I saved the best for last - Mark Messier, the greatest leader, in my opinion, in the history of team sports.

A quick but by no means exhaustive list of his achievements reads like a script from Hollywood, not a career of an NHL center:

• Six-time Stanley Cup Champ
• Ending the 54-year "curse" for the Rangers in 1994
• The only player to captain two Cup-winning teams
• Second all-time in career points
• Winning the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1984 (right)
• Played in 15 All-Star games
• Played an astounding 25 seasons in the NHL, and he could have played at least a few more, if he had wanted to. He was the last player in the NHL to retire from the 1970s (as well as the last WHA player)

It's very tough (tougher than Mess himself) to pick favorite moments of his career, but after giving it some thought, here's three (and if I think about it longer, I'll change my answers):

3. Winning the Stanley Cup for the sixth time in 1994, ending hockey's greatest curse for the New York Rangers. This was bittersweet for me - it was very tough to see Mess leave the Oilers, but I understood why he didn't want to stay. He needed a bigger and better challenge. He was so huge that playoff year. Unless you were a fan of a Rangers foe in those playoffs, it was pretty tough to not root for him.

To any other hockey fan, and probably even to Mess himself, this might be his crowning achievement. But, imagine being an Oilers fan and seeing both of your captains who have won Stanley Cups for your team both being traded away within four years. Yea, you'd be bitter, too, and you wouldn't be thrilled seeing Mess lift the Cup for the Rangers. Having said that, I was very happy for him being able to do it for the Rangers. It's not a stretch to say "No Messier, no Stanley Cup on Broadway."

2. His first game against Wayne Gretzky after The Great One was traded from the Oilers to the LA Kings. Many people, myself included, were eager to see just how the two best friends would compete against each other. Virtually no one thought he'd go easy on #99, but many were curious to see the former teammates oppose one another. That first shift, Messier drilled him, then backed up and drilled him again. Messier certainly didn't like it, but business was business.

1. Winning the Stanley Cup in 1990 (above), after the Gretzky trade. In many ways, this was the sweetest of all the Cup wins I can remember as a long-time Oilers fan. Everyone said they were finished. EVERYONE. They certainly took the league by surprise during those playoffs. They faced elimination against the Winnipeg Jets, at one point, they were down 3-1 in the series. But, Moose brought them charging back, and they dispatched the Bruins in five games in the Finals. I'll never forget Mess saying into the cameras, "This one's for you, Gretz."

If Wayne Gretzky, my favorite hockey player of all time, is the caliber player that comes around only once in a lifetime, then Messier is the type of player who only comes around once every three or four decades.

The further away the 1980s becomes, the more I appreciate those Edmonton teams. Think about it - the top two scorers in NHL history played on the same team, for eight seasons. The Oilers stupidly traded away Gretzky, and they still managed one more Cup. The greatest hockey team every assembled? In terms of Cup wins in a row, no. But, statistically speaking in just about every offensive category? You bet.

And Mess was the heart and soul of that team, without a shadow of a doubt.

In my humble opinion, Messier is the greatest team leader in the history of professional sports in North America. You give me names, I can knock 'em down.

Anyone in Major League Baseball? Okay, let's get serious.

The NBA? Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson all deserve mention here, but all of them didn't win as many titles, and they all only did it with one team. Of course, Jordan tops that list, with six titles, but again, one team. I put Messier ahead of him for two reasons: 1. Longevity. Messier played a quarter century in a sport that is about a million times harder and more physically demanding than basketball, and 2. (I'm repeating myself here, I know) Doing it with two teams.

It's pretty tough to recreate or describe the losing atmosphere that was had infested the Ranger locker room before Messier's arrival. My favorite little anecdote about it was told by Messier himself. When he first arrived, no one would discuss the Stanley Cup. "That would be bad luck," they all said. Messier simply said, "Talk about it? I want it! Let's win it!" And he had five rings at that time, which game him just a little cred in the locker room.

The NFL? Forget it. The only players that I'd even consider in this discussion would be Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw; each won four Super Bowl rings. But, neither had even close to the longevity as Messier, and again, one team. Elway made it to give Super Bowls, but only won twice.

To me, Messier's closest competition of greatest leader: Jordan, Montana, Gretzky, in that order.

We'll probably never again see a leader of Messier's ability win six Stanley Cups (and with two different teams) ever again, especially in the age of free agency.

One other thing about Messier's induction to the Hall of Fame gets me jacked - I have to get back to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto now. I haven't been there since 1996 (left), and when I was there, if I recall correctly, there were no Oilers in the hall. Now, there will be plenty to see - Grant Fuhr, Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey, Gretzky and Messier. I may just spend two whole days there. Before we move west, I have to get back.

What a Hall of Fame class. We may never see another one like it.

Oil honors best-ever leader in team sports

This is the last Oilers Stanley Cup Championship, from 1990. Looking at this picture and a much younger Mark Messier makes me feel a bit older. And I felt a lot older the other night when the Oilers retired #11 in a great ceremony at Rexall Place. Watching the montage of video clips from those great Oiler teams in the 1980s really brought back many memories. It seems so far away now.

I still remember where I was when the Oilers won their first Stanley Cup in 1984 - in my living room, really excited that they finally managed to beat the Islanders. and I remember the team's last Stanley Cup, after they beat the Boston Bruins. I heard the news on on the radio, and I watched a tape of the game the next day. (At the time, the NHL decided to broadcast its games on SportsChannel America, which was in about 10 homes at the time.) And I remember where I was when I heard the news that the Oilers had traded Mess. I'd heard rumors, but I didn't think the team would really do it.

Anyway, it sure was great to see, in many ways, my favorite hockey player ever back in Oiler blue the other night. The pictures really are quite cool.

Love this shot.

Some say that it's inappropriate for players to handle the Stanley Cup in retirement ceremonies like this. I say hogwash. It should be judged on a case-by-case basis, but Messier has his name on the Stanley Cup six times, and is the only man ever to captain two Stanley Cup winning teams. He's earned the right to appear with the Cup when his number is retired.

I love this shot, and notice how he's holding the Cup - not like players do when they win the Cup and parade around the ice. I know, it's subtle, but I did notice it. For instance, look at how Messier holds the Cup in the top picture, taken immediately after the Oilers beat the Boston Bruins to win the Cup in 1990, and how he holds it above.

This is the last time I will ever see Messier with the Cup in this uniform on Edmonton ice. It was a special moment I'll never forget.

The greatest leader in the history of team sports alternated from smiling from ear to ear to...

...being an emotional, sobbing man, humbled by the Oilers raising his number to the rafters to hang with other Oiler greats. Messier has always worn his heart on his sleeve, so this was anything but unexpected. He was a giant on and off the ice, and I miss him as a player more than I can describe here. Anyone still want to say that real men don't cry? Yea right.

It was great to see the old Oilers in attendance to congratulate Mess, including Wayne Gretzky (left), and to the right of Mess, from left to right: Paul Coffey, Grant Fuhr and Jari Kurri, all of whom have their numbers retired by the Oilers as well. The Oilers kept it classy and formal, too - Messier was the only former Oiler who was wearing a jersey, instead of a greeting line of former players all wearing their old jerseys.

The Oilers also considered the fans during the ceremony, too; Messier made several laps around the ice and greeted many fans to pay homage to his 12 years in Edmonton. My favorite part was when he held up the Oilers crest on the front of his jersey and so proudly showed it to the crowd. To many/most hockey fans, he'll always be a New York Ranger, the man who ended the crazy-long Stanley Cup drought on Broadway. No doubt that cemented his reputation as a legend, but he'll always be an Oiler to me. Hey, he won five out of his six Stanley Cups up north, so it's a fair argument.

Finally, the night concluded with Messier holding his son, while watching what we'd all been waiting for...

..his #11 being raised to the rafters. He is the only Oiler in team history to wear #11, and now, no one else ever will.

Those days are long gone, but I can't help but wonder how many Stanley Cups the Oilers would have won had they not traded Gretzky and Messier. Seven? Eight? We'll never know, but the number surely would have been higher than the five the team did win.

I feel a little bit older today, and a lot sadder, realizing that the glory days of the Oilers are long gone. The way the team is progressing, it may be a long time before I see another Stanley Cup in the best hockey city in the NHL. Maybe not, but it's hard to be optimistic right now after the Ryan Smyth trade. It's a young, talented team, but the team has to mature with the right mix of players at the right time. Losing Smyth will really hurt this team down the road.

Photos from AP

A big NHL day, but Messier is my highlight

What a difference a year makes. Last year, on the day of the NHL trading deadline, I was excited beyond words, because I just knew my Edmonton Oilers were going to do something. This year, the team is much worse, and it's not at all a foregone conclusion that the Oilers will do anything to make this team better in the short term, and more importantly, to make the playoffs.

Right now, Edmonton has to be as much of a long shot to make the postseason as Al Gore is to enter the presidential race. It's huge letdown for me. I'm hoping against hope that Oiler GM Kevin Lowe does something to shoot this team in the butt, but this team has the look and feel of next year's team.

More importantly today, the Oilers might move #94, Left Winger Ryan Smyth. He's been an Oiler for over a decade, and if they don't get the feeling they can resign him, they will trade him today, since he becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. It will be a sad day indeed if that happens.

Tonight might be one of the few bright spots this season for any long-time Oiler fan. Tonight, the Oilers honor one of the greatest players in NHL history, their former captain, #11, Mark Messier.

Yesterday, it was the City of Edmonton's turn...

Messier, an Edmonton native, had a street named in his honor, Mark Messier Trail. Cool.

Many former Oiler greats are in the city this week to honor Mess, including Paul Coffey (above). I have a special place in my heart for all of those Oilers from the 80s, but for my money, with a tip of the cap to Ray Bourque, Coffey was the best defenseman I've ever seen play the game.

I'll feel the same way tonight, Mess. Watching his #11 being raised to the rafters will be truly emotional for me. I always feel a little bit older seeing these. I don't get moved to tears very often when watching sports - championships (or lost ones) and number retirements are a few of those times. I wept when I watched Wayne Gretzky's last game in 1999. Tonight, I will undoubtedly weep again.

Lots more on the NHL trading deadline and Messier later tonight and tomorrow.

Thank God for All-Star Weekend

This picture is a microcosm of the Oilers season thus far. It's as if the team hasn't been able to shake off the shock and disappointment of last June, when within the span of seven days, they lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, and arguably the best defenseman in the game, Chris Pronger, who requested a trade 10 months after signing a four-year deal, and only a few days after the Cup Finals. That was not a fun week to be an Oilers fan, let me tell you.

Edmonton's season started out well enough - at different times, the Oilers were 6-2, and then 16-10-2, but since mid-December, this team has been in free fall. They got shut out against the Flames yesterday, 4-0, to drop to 23-21-4. Yikes.

The good news is that the team is only three points out of 8th in the Western Conference, but the Oilers now know how difficult of a road it is to win the Stanley Cup as the eighth seed. In fact, it's the toughest road to the Cup, and no eight seed has ever won the Cup, but last year's Oilers were the closest.

The first order of business after the All-Star break is for Oilers GM Kevin Lowe to pull off a trade for a top-flight defenseman. It's a must - this defense is just not getting it done, no matter how they want to spin it.

Thank God for G Dwayne Roloson, who has really had a great year, although his stats don't show it. But, he's being hung out to dry on many nights as the defense in front of him has all but crumbled.

It's not like I was expecting a Stanley Cup parade along the Blue Mile this year, but after coming within 60 minutes of sipping from the Cup, I expected Edmonton to at least be in a comfortable position to make the playoffs.

So, as usual, my favorite sports team on the planet will have drama and go right down to the gun as far as making the playoffs. Missing the postseason this year would be a disaster for the Oilers, so I don't even want to think about it.

In the meantime, I'll be treated to a special night on February 27, when the Oilers raise #11 to the rafters - the jersey of their former captain and warrior, Mark Messier (Above, that's Messier hoisting the Cup, in May 1991, after the Oilers beat the Boston Bruins in five games to win their fifth Stanley Cup in seven years. It's my favorite Cup win by the Oilers - so awesome and so sweet, especially after the team traded Wayne Gretzky. I love Messier and that Cup win so much, I have the exact authentic jersey that Mess is wearing here.)

In many ways, The Messiah is my favorite hockey player of all time, but my overall favorite player is (surprise) Wayne Gretzky. But, I can't wait for the pregame pomp to honor Mess, the greatest captain in the history of team sports. I won't keep going on and on about Messier - I'll do that later on, when they raise his #11 to the rafters. I can't wait to see it. So, if the season goes in the tank (and it had better not), at least there's that little gem to look forward to watching.

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There's talk in Edmonton of a new barn for the Oilers, or retrofitting the ancient Rexall Place, where the Oilers play. The sentimental fan in me wants them to stay put, but the owners, players, coaches and fans deserve a first-class facility, and they are not playing in that now. So, stay tuned on that one.

I've vowed for years to get up to Edmonton to see the Oilers play a three-game set, and I'm renewing that vow now, especially if the city of Edmonton inks a deal to give the team a new playpen. I must get into Rexall Place, to "feel" all of that history and to see where four of those five Stanley Cups were won before it's too late.

One other quick hockey thought - things could be worse -- at least I'm not a Flyers fan. Man, does this team suck. I mean, they reeeeeeeeealllllllllllllly suck. I haven't seen a Flyers team this bad since this early '90s, before they got Eric Lindros. Not only will the team not make the playoffs, but Philly sports the worst record in the NHL, and they are in line to get the first overall pick in the draft. But, that's not much solace to Philadephians, who take their hockey pretty seriously, and the city's championship drought even more seriously.

I'm not too big into All-Star games - I usually catch the NHL's version of it if I'm around. (Actually, for the last decade, I've mostly worked on weekends, so this year it'll feel weird to have the opportunity to watch it.) But, I must say, I've never been happier to see hockey's All-Star Weekend arrive. The Oilers are banged up, big time.

So, I hope Edmonton gets healthy - right now, Jarret Stoll, Ethan Moreau and Ales Hemsky are just a few of the key players who are banged up. They are all needed for the stretch run.

It's unthinkable after last year that Edmonton could miss the playoffs. I hope this year I don't have to experience what that's like.

Go Oilers !!

Tonight's the night the Oilers turn it around or a wicked downturn

If the Oilers lose tonight, this may be their new logo to wear in the Stanley Cup Finals for game 4 Monday night in Edmonton. The Oilers need to turn it around, and turn it around in a hurry, or this series is going to be over. If they don't win tonight, they have virtually no chance to win the Stanley Cup. Win tonight, and somehow eek out a win on Monday, and we've got ourselves a series. It's a tall order, but if any team can do it, these Oilers can. Plus, the Oilers will have the best home team crowd in the NHL to feed off of. I think Oilers fans are the best in the league. Why? Because I met many of them when I traveled to Carolina for game 2.



Above are just a few of them. Of course, yours truly is in the center, sporting a Mark Messier jersey, the exact one he wore in the 1990 Stanley Cup Finals. So far, the jersey hasn't brought me luck, but I think it will, starting tonight. Yep, there were lots of Oilers fans there, and this game was in Carolina! Many fans drove more than 48 hours straight to make it to the game. It's still cheaper than buying a ticket to see the Oilers in Edmonton. Scalpers are getting upward of $5,000 (U.S.) to see a game at Rexall Place (pictured below - all decked out for the Stanley Cup Finals).





My ticket to paradise! It was well worth the trip - best time I've ever had at a hockey game, even though the Oilers got blown out.



All in all, I traveled over 1,000 miles to see my Oilers. However, I did make a few pitstops on the way and on the way home, so I drove more miles than necessary. Above is the car on Tuesday morning at 5 a.m. - all gassed up and ready for the journey. I made a magnet on my computer that I put on the car, but it flew off somewhere in Virginia. Glad I got a photo of it before it took flight.

I'll be adding a great many more photos from the trip and the game in this posting in a day or two. In the meantime, I have to get back to work - time to earn some money instead of spending it. But, the Oilers will never be far from my mind today. God, we need a win! Go Oilers. I'm confident they can still do it, but it has to start tonight. And yes, I still believe.