Moose sighting

Messier says he has a deal brewing with Rangers

Mark Messier said it's his intention to retire as a Ranger ... but not yet. Rick Stewart/Getty Images/NHLI

RYE, N.Y. (CNNSI.com) -- Mark Messier skated with some of his New York Rangers teammates on Thursday and confirmed that they would again be his teammates for his 24th NHL season.

Messier told the New York Post that he was close to signing a deal with the Rangers, but couldn't disclose any specifics.

"When I left here in April, my plan was to get away, relax, rehab and then see how I felt physically in August, which is exactly the way I went about the summer," said Messier, who is coming off offseason surgery on his left rotator cuff. "Once I determined that the shoulder was fine, then it was just a matter of getting the deal done."

Messier, who will be 42 in January, missed 34 of the final 39 games.

"I didn't talk to any other team, I had no intention of playing anywhere else. What would of happened if the Rangers had said they weren't interested, I can't say for sure, but I do know that when I came back here two years ago, it was with the intention of making this my last stop and to retire as a Ranger, and that's the way I've approached it all along.

"I'm not ready to retire, though. Why? First of all, I really enjoy it, all aspects of the game: the process of winning and putting a team together, the camaraderie, and the competition. But most important, I still feel as if I have something to offer the team. That's one thing, I wouldn't be here if I weren't confident I could contribute to a winning team.

"I watched my contemporaries in the playoffs last year, [39-year-old] Ron Francis, [40-year-old] Chris Chelios and [41-year-old] Igor Larionov, and the way they contributed, that just reinforced my feeling that if you have the desire you can be more than competitive on a championship level," Messier said. "I very much want to get back to where they were in the spring. I think with this team, I can."

Messier said he is willing to take a cut in ice time, playing behind centers Eric Lindros and Bobby Holik. He also expects to be used less on special teams.

 

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