Messier in Vancouver

[CBJ goalie]

similarly.

I mean there's lots of canucks rumours: jeff brown and mclean's wife, bure's mob ties, kevin weeke's wallet... but never this.

Ok, maybe Messier didn't tap Bure, but I heard he had a thing for Gary Coleman.....

 

[Hoof Hearted]

I think part of the hate for Mess stemmed from the Rangers winning over us in 94, he was the enemy. Plus the fact that he shamelessly mauled Linden at the end of game 6 I think it was didn't do much to endear him to Vancouver.

I didn't think he was that bad when he was here, aside from the frequent drop passes to nobody that he made.

 

[Jinsell]

The simple fact was the Team just wasn't that good before Messier Got there,

You're right, the Canucks were on the decline at that point in time, but when Messier got there the team became a lot worse. There is no denying that...the numbers and stats say it all.

Bure Wanted out & was saying how he wanted to go to a city that was not a "Fish Bowl" Messier Convinced him to stay.

Bure's relationship was already very strained with the Canuck higher-ups at this point. Don't get me wrong I like Bure; he was the Canucks' most exciting player, a superstar and all. However, if it was Messier's doing to keep a guy who didn't want to be here, had problems with management, and REFUSED to play for the team, then I give him full credit.

The whole situation was a disaster from the GM down to the coaching Staff. You should be thanking Messier to help shape that Franchise for the future success they are having now, His Finger prints are all over them.

Coming from a Rangers fan I'm not convinced. Messier did a ton for your franchise and there is no denying that he is a great player. The simple fact of the matter is he did **** all in Vancouver. Now it's not entirely his fault (management problems and Keenan screwed things up as well), but the idea that Messier helped shape this franchise to what it is today is totally laughable. He was there for 3 miserable chaotic years and the minute he went back to NY, the Canucks started to turn around. Mark Messier was great in Edmonton and New York, but he sucked in Vancouver, plain and simple. His contributions to what's happening to the Canucks franchise today are minimal if not non-existant.

 

[Blane Youngblood]

The Canucks were meant to be contenders when Messier was signed. They had one injury filled season but were supposed to return to contension when they got Mess. The roster of:

Naslund - Messier - Bure
Gelinas - Linden - Mogilny
Sillinger - Zezel - Noonan
Brashear - Scatchard - Walker

Lumme - Hedican
Ohlund -McCabe
Aucoin - Ledyard

McLean
Irbe

would be considered cup contenders before the year started. The team was a good mix of veterans and up and comers.

There was a divide in the locker room because after a game one day when Linden was trying to lift his team Messier actually told him that he should stop talking because he's never won anything. From then on the room was toxic and the season went horribly.