“It comes down to if I feel like playing. That’s the only thing.”MARK MESSIER
He’ll massage his achy joints and scratch his hairless head and wonder if his body and brain can stand one more whirl around the National Hockey League. And then, some time between today and September’s start of training camp, 42-year-old Mark Messier will say whether he’ll return to the Rangers next season.
That’s all the future Hall of Famer would share about his playing status yesterday at the team practice facility, where a sixth-straight, playoff-less spring started solemnly.
“I’m not going to comment on any of my future plans because I have no idea whatsoever,” Messier said. “It comes down to if I feel like playing. That’s the only thing.”
Beyond his invaluable leadership, Messier’s 18 goals and 22 assists in 78 games this season show he can still skate and stay healthy at the highest level.
But the team’s continuing failure to meet organizational expectations trumped any joy over his on-ice numbers, even on a day when Messier and the rest of the Rangers received personal highlight tapes.
“No one can go home and feel good about this year,” Messier said. “It’s quite evident that we didn’t play to what we feel is our potential.”
As for keys to improvement, well, the 24-year NHL veteran had no specific answers. He did dub coaching as “the most underrated part of the game” and joined several teammates in hoping head coach Glen Sather would consider continuing in that role next season.
Messier later added that coaching the Rangers next year doesn’t interest him.
Sather, also the team’s president and general manager, held off on personnel and coaching decisions yesterday. He singled out Messier from his roster, however, praising his captain’s courage.
“Mark played three quarters of the year with one hand,” the coach (for now) said. “He was great. We’ve got to talk about [his future] at the same time I make a decision about what I’m going to do.”
A couple of lockers down from Messier, Brian Leetch sounded far more certain of his spot on the next Rangers roster.
Leetch, the team’s best player since returning from a deep ankle bruise that cost him 31 games, predicted no obstacles between him and another contract with the team. He even expressed willingness to sign without a no-trade clause.
“I want to stay,” Leetch said. “Glen wants to work something out. I really like it here, and I’m sure something will get done.”