Mark Douglas Messier (pronounced /ˈmɛsi.eɪ/; born January 18, 1961) is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre of the National Hockey League and current special assistant to the president and general manager of the New York Rangers. He spent a quarter of a century in the NHL (1979–2004) with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, and Vancouver Canucks. He also played professionally with the World Hockey Association (WHA)'s Indianapolis Racers and Cincinnati Stingers. He was the last former WHA player to be active in professional hockey, and the last active player who had played in the NHL in the 1970s.
Messier is considered one of the greatest NHL players of all time, as well as among the greatest leaders in sport history. He is second on the all-time career lists for regular season points (1887), playoff points (295) and regular season games played (1756). He won six Stanley Cups, five with the Oilers and one with the Rangers, and is the only professional athlete to captain two different teams to championships.[citation needed] Due to his size and strength, he was nicknamed "The Moose" In 2007, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, in his first year of eligibility.