Messier hiring is smart; we'll see how smart

Ray Slover Nothing plays on Broadway without star power, and the New York Rangers are no exception to the rule. That's why they tend to accumulate hockey luminaries who far too often are dimming yet marketable bulbs. The latest of these is Mark Messier, making a triumphant third appearance before the Madison Square Garden set. Messier on Sunday was announced as the team's new assistant general manager. It is the culmination of a flirtation that began last spring when Don Maloney left the Rangers to become Phoenix Coyotes GM. And to some observers the first front-office act of Messier could be the beginning of the final act of Glen Sather as Rangers GM. Mark Messier won a Stanley Cup with the Rangers in 1994. As a player Messier was an unquestioned leader. Five Stanley Cups with the Oilers weren't enough, so he headed to New York and led the Rangers to their fabled 1994 victory. Some folks still say that produced the NHL's greatest season in rec...