gold star for USAHOF

Mark Messier

Wayne Gretzky may have been the offensive star of the Edmonton Oilers dynasty, but for many it was Mark Messier who was the fan favorite of the team. He was easy to like as he still had offensive firepower that fans love and the defensive prowess that traditionalists respect. He could check, he was a leader, and was a proven winner. The best example of this is that it was Mark Messier who led the Oilers to the Stanley Cup AFTER Wayne Gretzky was traded to Los Angeles. That was in 1990, a special year for Messier as he also won his first of two Hart Trophies (the second was in 1992).