November 21st Column

http://www.sportsfanmagazine.com/sfm/topic.html?id=2294

Mark Messier and Scott Stevens - along with Al MacInnis, Ron Francis, Jim Gregory, Dave Fay and Bill Hewitt - were elected to Hockey's Hall of Fame last week, which didn't prompt a debate about who was the better leader.


Frankly, it should have. Messier is widely regarded as "Hockey's Greatest Leader" and the NHL's most wonderful ambassadors. But let's look at Messier and Stevens and their records as captains.


While Messier won six Stanley Cups, only two were without Gretzky and using him as captain. Let's not forget the last eight years he spent outside of the chase for Lord Stanley's Cup. Stevens captained New Jersey to three.


Messier missed the post-season seven consecutive times to finish his career. Stevens missed the playoffs twice in his entire career, and once was due to a concussion. In fact, the concussion might be the only reason No. 4 in red and black isn't still out there. Who knows? While Stevens had been banged up a few times the last couple years, he was a warhorse out there. But Stevens never overstayed his welcome in the spotlight. He got out when it was both his time and what his body dictated. We can debate that "Messiah" shouldn't have stuck it out for more than a year in New York.


Let's look at the final determination of great leadership: Its effect on others around you, and those up against you. While Messier inspired his teammates to some wonderful victories, he never changed the way you played the game. That's where Scott Stevens made the difference: He was more fear-instilling than when Ed Norton curb-stomps that dude in "American History X."


Ask such NHL luminaries such as Lindros, Kariya, and fellow Hall of Famer Ron Francis what effect Stevens had on their lives and careers, and that will tell you that Stevens was the better leader.


A post-script on the HHOF induction ceremony: W-T-F, Pat Quinn? Do you have that little class that you cannot applaud someone whose life achievements are being celebrated? For those who were watching Hurricanes-Panthers on VERSUS in the U.S. and Monday Night Football Canada's TSN (New Rule: No games on HHOF induction night) or just didn't care to find it, Quinn and his wife sat on their hands while Stevens was headed to the podium. What, was there a rule that anyone without a Cup wasn't allowed to be happy?


Something I am enjoying about the NHL season so far, is that the stars are being stars in the league. Look at the Top 10 Scorers...Lecavalier, Crosby, Zetterberg, Kovalchuk, Sundin, Malkin, Iginla, Brind'Amour, St. Louis and Alfredsson. But I also like seeing the fresh faces that fill up the second tier, like Mike Richards of Philadelphia, Justin Williams of the 'Canes, and "Love Train" Patrick Kane (New Rule: My 12-year-old brother can't look older than an NHL Leading Scorer) of the Blackhawks. The NHL is continuing to cycle in new meat with the usuals.


Working in an NFL stadium has provided me with the chance to meet interesting people, and to question their hockey knowledge. I have to say, the 60,000 Steelers fans that filled the Meadowlands against the Jets (Take that, Wyshynski) knew as much about their hockey team as they did their football team. Since that seems too positive an end to this column, let's share the Top 2 insults to give to a Pittsburgh sports fan:



1. "Pittsburgh, eh? Great minor-league ball club you got there."


2. "So what's it like to have the first teenage girl captaining a hockey team?"


-SFM-