Not a LONE RANGER

Mark Messier left unfinished business in Vancouver to return to the town that reveres him.

Messier and the New York Rangers didn’t have much success during his three-year absence, but with The Captain back on Broadway the playoffs could return, too.

Since Messier departed, after the Rangers were eliminated from the 1997 Eastern Conference finals, New York’s 75-year-old franchise stumbled to a combined record of 46-58-19 and failed to reach the postseason.

“I’ll guarantee you we’ll make the playoffs,” said Messier, who signed a two-year, $11-million deal to come back. “I don’t think anybody will be disappointed in the next two years.”

The 39-year-old champion of six Stanley Cups--including the 1994 title that ended 54 years of frustration in New York--also missed the postseason in the last three years.

However, he was part of a transformation with the Canucks.

“We gained a tremendous amount as a team, as individuals, as players and as an organization in three years,” said Messier, who scored three goals and had three assists in his first five games back with the Rangers. “Unfortunately, it takes longer when you start from the ground up.”

The Rangers’ payroll climbed to the highest in the NHL and only had failure to show for it.

“I learned a lot the last few years,” Messier said of his time with the Canucks, who were 45-63-15 with him as captain. “Hopefully I can use some of that much like the first time when I came from an experience of winning in Edmonton.”

When Messier was traded to New York in 1991, he came with the leadership many hoped would carry the Rangers to the Stanley Cup.

In his fourth season, Messier delivered what many fans thought would never come.

“As little as he wants to admit something like that, he is part of the tradition that went on here and carries the heritage with him,” said Glen Sather, who won five times with Messier in Edmonton as Oilers coach and GM.

Sather is now the Rangers’ GM, which made Messier’s return possible. Sather left Edmonton after 21 years as Oilers GM and joined New York on June 1.

Messier, the league MVP in 1990 and 1992, became an unrestricted free agent when the Canucks exercised a $2 million buyout for the final two years of his five-year contract instead of being on the hook for $6 million a season.

His departure from New York came amid a rift with then-GM Neil Smith and Madison Square Garden president Dave Checketts. With Smith gone and Sather calling the shots, Messier’s second tour with the Rangers became inevitable.

“All things put aside it was the best decision to come back to New York,” Messier said. “It was a tough decision to make and I would have loved to have stayed in Vancouver and see it through because I know what would have happened.”

When Messier made his first trip back to the Garden in an enemy uniform, he was greeted with a video tribute that highlighted his time with the Rangers.

The once and future New York captain stood by the Canucks bench, trying to cover his face that had tears freely sliding down.

“The emotions then, involved my disappointment at having moved on,” said Messier, who also cried at his welcome back news conference when Brian Leetch gladly returned the captaincy. “I never wanted to leave New York and it was a reminder at how good a time it was here.”

Sather saw firsthand the deep feelings that exist between Messier and the city of New York. It made him proud just as it did to see Wayne Gretzky embraced by Edmonton.

“It’s terrific to see it,” Sather said. “Especially for me, since I haven’t seen Mark in these conditions for so long.”

Messier, Gretzky and Sather were together for four Stanley Cups in Edmonton before the Great One was sent to Los Angeles. Messier and Gretzky were reunited with the Rangers for one season before Messier left.

The relationship Messier shares with New York has been compared with the ones forged by Maurice Richard with Montreal, Gordie Howe in Detroit and Bobby Orr with Boston.

“It’s how he handles himself and how he speaks in public,” Sather said. “The sincere feelings he expressed when he came back and accepted the ‘C’ from Leetch. There aren’t too many people who can go through something as naturally as that and not try to mask it.

“He’s honest, that’s the way he is. That’s what makes him so valuable and so acceptable in people’s eyes.”

The task in bringing respect back to the Rangers will be difficult, just as it was in his first tour. New York, which started 3-2, is saddled with expensive, veteran players whose better days might be behind them.

But with Messier, the Rangers not only add experience and leadership, they get the fourth-leading scorer in NHL history, with 630 goals and 1,090 assists.

“I knew what it meant to be a Ranger before and how tough it was leaving,” Messier said. “To be able to come back is exciting for me and my family. I’m proud to be a Ranger.”