There are other members in our "family" who literally live for hockey. (Malin, I'm speaking about you.) I love the sport but I am not wed to it. There are a few players, however, I was looking forward to seeing, now that the NHL is heading back into action. Mark Messier was one of them.

The Rangers' Captain, one of the most "rugged elegant" soldiers on ice, retired this week.

Messier is the only NHL player to captain two teams to the Stanley Cup. In 1990, he led the Edmonton Oilers to the victory. And in 1994 he was the guiding force for the New York Rangers' world championship.

He also played for the Vancouver Canucks from 1997-2000.

At the age of 44, he retires with a total of six Stanley Cup wins under his belt.

On Monday, he said:

I really had the time to take my time and see how I felt. Not come to a decision before I was ready to make it.

It's right for me and my family. I feel good about it.

I was able to play 26 years or whatever it is now and walk away healthy.

It's a tough situation because we all know how much fun it is to play.

I'm healthy and I feel good.

I feel I can play and feel I could play.

But I am retiring under the same circumstances. Health is a big part of it.

I've had a long career, I achieved a lot, there was nothing left for me to achieve and it's time to move aside and go on to something else.

Tim and I have one especially fond memory of watching Messier in action.

Actually, it wasn't a fond experience at that time, but it proves how into him and the sport we were back in the 90's.

Following in the footsteps of another Gotham legend, Joe Willie Namath, Messier guaranteed a game six victory against the New Jersey Devils in New Jersey during the Eastern Conference finals. Like Namath, Messier backed up his guarantee by scoring a hat trick in the third period to lead the Rangers a 4-2 victory and knot the series at three games apiece.

Game 7 moved back to New York and Madison Square Garden. It appeared that the Rangers had won a hard-fought game until the Devils tied the game with 7.7 seconds left on a goal by Valeri Zelepukin.

That's when the frustration would begin for at least those of us watching from San Francisco. As the game moved into two overtime periods, our local cable system began to run commercials right in the midst of the play!

Tim went ballistic.

Here it was: Game 7, double overtime and we were being shown commercials during what could be a series-winning goal.

The Rangers won the game in double overtime on a Stephen Matteau goal.

As soon as the game ended, Tim began calling ESPN and the local cable network.

Ultimately, he received an apology and an explanation from the local cable company the next day.

It turns out that no one was paying attention to the fact that the game had gone into double overtime and an automated system began running commercials at pre-set times.

Needless to say, despite the apology, that was the end of our cable television subscription. We've been happy DirecTV subscribers ever since.

Ultimately, Captain Messier would lead his Rangers to a Stanley Cup victory over the Vancouver Canucks and bring a Cup back to New York for the first time in fifty-four years.

When Tim learned that Messier had retired he came up with a brilliant idea. New York should chisel the following names at the top of the Empire State Building:

Can you see it?!

USA Today Rink Rap Reporter, Kevin Allen wrote today:

...it was actually an interview I did with Messier in Japan in 1997 that further convinced me that he is one of the most remarkable athletes of his generation.

It had long been clear to me that Messier's leadership skill added another layer to his stardom. Messier boasted an aura of success that seemed to cover those around them. Teammates simply believed that Messier would lead them to victory. He might be the most proven flag-carrier in NHL history.

As a journalist, I always admired that win, lose or draw, Messier came out and faced the media. He handled tough questions like they were lob pitches. He was analytical, patient, well-spoken and skillful at sending messages to teammates and opponents via the newspapers. If Messier said something that stirred up passions of either side, you knew it was by design.

When he was in Japan as a member of the Vancouver Canucks, Messier sat down and talked to me about the role of a team captain. He talked at length, about the importance of team chemistry and making younger players feel comfortable in a team environment. He talked about being a buffer, a shield between the coach and the players. He even explained that his cooperation with the press was also intertwined with his belief that the team captain had to do everything within his power to minimize pressure on teammates.

Messier explained that he believed that if he spent 15 minutes with the press after the game, it meant that his teammates might be spared media scrutiny. If his team lost, Messier said he felt that it was even more important that he explained what had gone wrong. If he didn't do it, he explained, then someone else on his team would. He said he believed it was part of his job description to answer the difficult questions about the team's performance...

When Mark Messier retired this week, the NHL lost not only a Hall of Fame player, but also one of the most fascinating personalities the game had known in this half century.

For Allen's entire column, go to:

One of the best articles I read this week about Messier was written by Phil Coffey at NHL.com. If you haven't seen it, go to:

It's called "Go Beyond 'The Look'."

Coffey does a masterful job illustrating the soulful side of Mark Messier.

On January 12th, #11 will be retired when The Rangers play The Oilers at Madison Square Garden.

"Moose" Messier, we'll be watching and sending you the look.

The look will be filled with tears and gratitude for making the game of hockey so darn fun to watch all these years.

May the next twenty-five years be as rewarding to you in new and different ways than you ever thought possible. Thank you for your contributions to not just hockey, but the professional world of sports.

Inspire & Be Inspired.

Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful living with "The Look."

~ Jennifer Carolyn King, Rugged Elegance, LLC