For the last three seasons, Rod Gilbert didn’t know what to make of his organization. Now he does.
“The ambiance of the whole team was gone,” said the 59-year-old Ranger great yesterday after he played in the Celebrity Skins Challenge at the Meadow Brook Club, site of this weekend’s Lightpath Senior Classic, in Jericho, L.I.
“The guys, they just weren’t themselves. But I swear, with Mark [Messier] back, it’s all going to change. I’m really excited for this year.”
While some people might not be sure how prudent it was to sign the 39-year-old center to a two-year deal, Gilbert has no doubts that the move is going to pay tremendous dividends.
“Those guys definitely underachieved last year,” Gilbert said of the Rangers, who missed the playoffs for the third straight season. “But Messier is going to get to all those guys back to where they were. [Brian] Leetch and [Mike] Richter, they looked lost after Messier left. He’ll get them back into shape.”
He’s going to have his work cut out for him. The Rangers have been in disarray since their old captain left for Vancouver after the 1997 season. Nearly every move backfired and the glow of the 1994 Stanley Cup is long gone. Messier’s return is just one of several differences from a year ago.
GM Neil Smith and head coach John Muckler have been replaced by Glen Sather and Ron Low, respectively. And for a team that has been plagued because of its age, the addition of Messier will just make them older. It’s worth the risk, though, if for just one reason, according to Gilbert.
“Other than Michael Jordan, he’s the best leader I’ve ever seen in sports,” said Gilbert, who is the Rangers’ all-time scoring leader and is now their director of community relations. “No, he’s not the player he was years ago, but he’s going to make up for that. Everyone else is going to rise with his leadership. That’s going to be his main function. He’s a good player on the ice, but he’s probably more valuable doing the other things.”
Like rescuing Leetch from the suffocation of being captain and teaching Theo Fleury how to play in the Eastern Conference. Gilbert knows Messier will get it done.
“They are going to make the playoffs,” Gilbert said. “That’s not a question. I think maybe it was a blessing for Mark to go to Vancouver. Now he knows for sure how special it is to play here. The team depreciated a lot since he left, but they’re coming back and he’s going to play a big part in that.”
The Rangers hope he’s right.