Why hasn't Mark Messier tried coaching, etc.?

[The Panther]

I was wondering about this. He seems like the kind of guy who'd have been a natural coach. I remember he once seemed keen on getting into management, but those are the kind of stripes you normally have to earn. I don't think Messier has had any NHL or other-League team role since retiring, has he? Just seems odd. Granted, he doesn't need money. Is it just a thing where if he can't get exactly the cushy position he ideally wants, he won't take anything?

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[Howie Hodge]

Good question.

He was reportedly asked to coach The Rangers in 2002; even though he was still playing.

He and Gretzky both expressed an interest in coaching The Rangers in 2013......

Why Messier and Coaching haven't become a match is seemingly odd indeed...

 

[brachyrynchos]

In 2013 after Tortorella was let go by the Rangers, Sather approached Messier about becoming coach. Sather supposedly formally interviewed two candidates, Mark and Vigneault, choosing A.V. because of his experience. Messier has coached Canada in both the Deutschland and Spengler cup both 2010.
Messier seemed more interested in becoming GM, in 2007 expressing a strong interest. Sather wasn't ready to step down. A few months later, NYR assistant GM Don Maloney left and there was alot of talk about Messier getting the job, it ended up going to Jim Schoenfeld.
He had a position with the Rangers from 2009-13 as Special Assistant to the GM, and said that him leaving had nothing to do with not getting the coaching job.

 

[brachyrynchos]

Yeah, maybe he wasn't willing to start at the bottom and work his way up by getting more experience behind the bench, or maybe he just didn't want to. Great leaders on the ice don't aways translate to being a great coach, (Trottier, for example). Also, how well would Messier be able to take criticism and blame if his players and team weren't doing well?
With Vigneault most likely gone after this season, and with the Rangers rebuild, Messier would probably be a much better candidate as coach had he gotten experience whether in the minors or as an assistant. Sometimes ego gets in the way, and didn't want to risk having his image/legacy tarnished.

 

[alko]

There was talk few years ago, he could be the new Head coach for Slovak National team. What a silly idea.

 

[sr edler]

Perhaps he looked at the track record of Goring, Trottier, Gretzky, MacT and Lowe and felt it's not worth it.

And why would he make a good coach in the first place? Because he was a good player? Because people respect (or "respect") him? I'm not buying it....

Perhaps he should try a coaching stint in Vancouver to try to restore his reputation in the city. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[JMCx4]

At least in the near term, I'm guessing his focus will be on moving ahead with redeveloping the Kingsbridge Armory property in the Bronx & opening the Kingsbridge Armory National Ice Center. Whenever/if ever that project is up & running, maybe he'll take a shot in hockey ops somewhere.

 

[The Panther]

Perhaps he looked at the track record of Goring, Trottier, Gretzky, MacT and Lowe and felt it's not worth it.

As coaching goes, MacT was awesome! 7 of his 8 seasons coaching Edmonton were winning seasons, including 4 in a row in the pre-revenue-sharing NHL when the Oilers' players were still being paid in monopoly money. Then, right after the Lockout, he coached them to a 41-win season and then within 1 win of the Stanley Cup.

He's exactly the kind of coach Messier should be looking at as an example!

(Admittedly, MacT's brief reign as GM does not look good mainly due to his firing of Kreuger -- by Skype -- and subsequent hiring of Eakins. But hey, even Scotty Bowman crapped out in Buffalo.)

 

[Theokritos]

Didn't Messier coach Team Canada (or some Canadian junior national team) a few years ago?

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

As others have said, I think his unwillingness to pay his dues as assistant coach/ minor league coach/ assistant GM hurts him. I'd never want to hire someone with that little relevant experience to the top job

 

[JackSlater]

Didn't Messier coach Team Canada (or some Canadian junior national team) a few years ago?

Messier was the GM of the Canadian team at the 2011 IIHF World Championship. It was a particularly weak team.

I don't expect that Messier would be a good coach. Maybe, possibly, if he was insulted with a great tactical assistant.

 

[Terry Yake]

great players rarely, if ever, make successful head coaches

gretzky, trottier, magic johnson, isiah thomas, mike singletary, etc.

plus messier seems like the type who would rather take a FO role

 

[tony d]

Don't know, guy was one of the better leaders in NHL history so I figure he would make a good coach should he ever try it.

 

[blood gin]

I think he tried to muscle his way into coaching the Rangers after Tortorella was fired but not sure if he was ever seriously considered. He stormed off from the Rangers after being rebuffed that but both sides have since mended fences. Not sure why he thought he thought he deserved the job just like that without at least a few years toiling somewhere as an assistant or in the minors. Rangers made the right move going with Vigneault.

 

[blood gin]

Don't know, guy was one of the better leaders in NHL history so I figure he would make a good coach should he ever try it.

Doesn't usually work that way.

 

[Killion]

Perhaps he looked at the track record of Goring, Trottier, Gretzky, MacT and Lowe and felt it's not worth it.

And why would he make a good coach in the first place? Because he was a good player? Because people respect (or "respect") him? I'm not buying it....

Perhaps he should try a coaching stint in Vancouver to try to restore his reputation in the city. What could possibly go wrong?

.... ya, Vancouver... that'd work out well..... And no, I'm not seeing him as being Coaching Material. ... I dont believe he has the disposition for it.... Willing to be proven wrong though, and the only way that happens is if someone hires him & he's willing. Everything else pure conjecture, speculation. He'd certainly command respect from the players but I seriously question his patience with younger guys, that he'd be playing head games, and rather like the very worst of a Mike Keenan type. Hard to say but you can color me skeptical.

 

[tarheelhockey]

My guess is he would be another Roy, trying to intimidate young players who weren't even alive yet when he was in his glory days. That doesn't fly for long.

Messier has never struck me as a great hockey mind or someone who could bring a group together over the long term. More of a guy who leads by example, which is nearly useless in a coaching position (with the exception of personal fitness and general professionalism).

 

[Peiskos]

Maybe he just has no interest in that and would prefer to just enjoy his retirement. The guy is just shy of 60 and has an estimated net worth of $55 million. I'd be kicking back enjoying life too if I were him.

 

[a79krgm]

IMO, today's superstar's are far too wealthy to seriiously consider coaching when they reitre. There's just too many hobbies to spend your time with when you have that much money. (example, various causes, horse race breeding , sports team ownership, etc.). The best coaches are the ones that need the money and can't do much else besides coach hockey.

 

[brachyrynchos]

Messier must've really thought he was gonna coach. In an interview on YES, Brian Leetch said he was set to be one of his assistants, going so far as writing up plans for the Rangers defensemen. Leetch thought Messier would be a great coach. Messier, in a separate interview on the same network, said he was disappointed he did't get the position, but not upset or mad. He also said he didn't want any preferential consideration for the coaching vacancy. Sather thought Messier would be a good coach, too, but knew Messier had no experience.

 

[Sorry]

The league would probably frown on a team cross checking people in the face and jumping at their heads every game.

 

[blood gin]

The Rangers down the road would've been faced with an even more delicate situation, how do you fire Mark Messier if things don't go well? Gets difficult with a franchise icon like that. That's how most coaching tenures end after all.

 

[Jim MacDonald]

I picture Messier more of a guy on the ice, in the tracksuit, yelling instructions and teaching the game as oppose to a guy in a suit with a management kind of job...just kinda what I envision to be more natural.

 

[Rass]

Because he would have replaced himself with Mike Keenan already.

 

[The Panther]

Because he would have replaced himself with Mike Keenan already.

Where does this "Messier loves Keenan" thing come from, anyway? Messier played 25 pro seasons and was coached by Keenan for about 9% of his career. He also helped eliminate Keenan teams from the playoffs three times.