The city was emotionally perturbed. The man who broke the New York Rangers 54-year curse of heartache had left Broadway to sign on with the Vancouver Canucks. It was such a massive story that Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, of “Mike & the Mad Dog,” who never discuss hockey, went on about it all afternoon.
Mark Messier was gone.
Joe Sakic remained the only hope, whom the Rangers signed to an offer sheet. Despite much of the hockey world thinking Sakic to New York was in the bank, former general manager (at the time) Neil Smith opposed them.