He may have been passed over for the Rangers’ coaching job, but Mark Messier said there is no bad blood between himself and the organization.
“[That bridge has not been burned] at all,” the former Rangers captain said on a taping of the YES Network’s “CenterStage” on Monday afternoon. “The Rangers are going to be a big part of my life until the day I die. That bond has been created there.”
Messier went so far as to say he will be in attendance when the newly, now completely renovated Madison Square Garden is unveiled on Friday.
“I’m going to cut the ribbon with the team,” he said. “I don’t hold any animosity to the organization whatsoever.”
Messier detailed the conversation between he had with Rangers general manager Glen Sather. The former Rangers captain said he was mentally ready to take the coaching job, but told Sather he should do his due diligence and interview other candidates.
As it turned out, one of those “other candidates” was hired — former Canucks coach Alain Vigneault.
“I wasn’t hurt,” Messier said when asked for his reaction to being bypassed. “I was [more] disappointed, because I really kind of made my mind up that I could do this, and I knew what I was getting [into].
“I’ve been around a long time and I understand the nuances that go on behind the scenes. It gets complicated, but I don’t bear any grudges against the organization.”
The show will air Nov. 27.