Throughout his extraordinary career, Mark Messier has set a new standard of hockey excellence.  A pillar of the 
incredible Edmonton Oiler dynasty that won five Stanley Cups and dominated the sport in the 1980s, a fierce competitor 
for Team Canada in international competition, and later the driving force behind the New York Rangers' return to 
championship glory, Messier's remarkable achievements on the ice, combined with his near-magical (and at times 
menacing) charisma have made him one of hockey's most commanding and intriguing personalities. 

      Now, New York Times Magazine writer Jeff Z. Klein takes readers behind the headlines and statistics for 
a revealing look at a hockey legend.  We see the young Messier as a stickboy for his father's American Hockey League 
team, and as an underaged pro in the now-defunct World Hockey Association.  We see his iron will and determination 
galvanize in the Oilers' epic battles with the New York Islanders.  And we watch as a kid from the Canadian prairies 
becomes the toast of New York City. 

      We meet a Messier who is not only a leader and a warrior, but a contemplative student of philosophy, a generous 
contributor to children's hospitals, and a man who has a complex emotional life that includes such influential hockey 
figures as Wayne Gretzky, Glen Sather, Mike Keenan, the late Roger Neilson, as well as a very private circle of close 
family and friends. 

      Drawing on his incisive understanding of the game of hockey and his sources within the NHL, Jeff Z. Klein gives us 
an intimate look at the man who may be the most fascinating player in hockey and the greatest leader in all sport.