Edmonton Oilers' Wayne Gretzky, right, and Mark Messier hold up the Stanley Cup trophy, May 26, 1988 following their 6-3 win over the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals in Edmonton. When Messier came to New York, the Rangers were bending under the burden of more than a half century without a championship. When Messier left Monday July 28, 1997, it was after he had accomplished all that he could in New York, including a 1994 Stanley Cup, evidence that sometimes miracles do happen. Now he'll try tomake one happen for Vancouver. (AP photo/Rusty Kennedy)