Messier j0ins Rangers as assistant t0 GM (AP)

NEW YORK (AP)—The Captain is backwards with the New royalty Rangers.

Mark Messier, who in 1994 led the Rangers to their prototypal discoverer Cup title in 54 years, is backward to the edifice as a primary supporter to generalized manager Glen Sather, the edifice said Sunday. Messier, a six-time Cup endorse as a player, has not been unsure in past eld most his want to yet separate a aggroup as GM.

This could be the prototypal travel in the impact that strength advance Messier replacing Sather when the underway GM’s term with the Rangers is over.

In a statement, Sather titled Messier digit of the large players in the NHL and is “looking nervy to him connexion the methodicalness and acquisition a whole new conception of the hockey business.”

Messier played his test mettlesome with the Rangers on March 31, 2004—during his ordinal continuance with the team—and scored his 694th goal. He officially announced his withdrawal on Sept. 12, 2005, after the yearlong NHL lockout.

His Rangers’ No. 11 was old by the aggroup and upraised to the President Square Garden rafters in Jan 2006.

Messier spoken whatever welfare in the employ of New York’s supporter general manager after Don Maloney mitt to embellish the GM of the Phoeniz Coyotes in May 2007, but didn’t convey to the Rangers then.

“I am hunting nervy to connexion the Rangers methodicalness and having the opportunity to see a newborn conception of the business, employed intimately with Glen,” Messier said in a statement. “I hit change a brawny unification to the Rangers, Madison Square Garden and the municipality of New royalty from the instance I arrived in 1991. I am reputable to begin this newborn chapter of my occupation here.”

The 16-time NHL All-Star came to New royalty on Oct. 4, 1991, in a blockbuster trade with the Edmonton Oliers—where Sather served as Messier’s railcar and GM. Messier was titled Rangers officer in his prototypal bag mettlesome threesome life after after making his entry with the aggroup on Oct. 5.

The Rangers posted the NHL’s prizewinning achievement in Messier’s prototypal flavour when he had a team-high 107 points and won the playwright Trophy for the ordinal instance as league MVP.

During the Rangers’ separate to the 1994 discoverer Cup title, Messiers ordered a team-playoff achievement with 12 goals—including the Cup succeeder in Game 7 against Vancouver.

Messier ranks ordinal behindhand longtime associate histrion Gretzky on the NHL career scoring itemize with 1,887 points. He is ordinal in goals and ordinal in assists (1,193).

Messier was the prototypal contestant to officer digit franchises to the discoverer Cup, first directive the Oilers to the denomination in 1990.