Editing Mark Messier (section)

===Edmonton Oilers (1979–1991)===
The WHA folded after the conclusion of the 1978–79 season, and four of the six remaining teams [[NHL–WHA merger|were admitted into the NHL]]; both the Stingers and the Bulls were not included in the merger and instead joined the minor [[Central Professional Hockey League|Central Hockey League]]. The players were dispersed to teams that had already owned their NHL rights, or were allowed to enter the [[1979 NHL Entry Draft]]; being under 20 years old Messier was eligible for the draft, and was selected in the third round, 48th overall, by the [[Edmonton Oilers]].<ref>{{harvnb|Klein|2003|p=25}}</ref> He refused the Oilers' initial contract offers, a four-year [[two-way contract]] or one year at $20,000 plus an option for a second year, instead wanting four-years at $50,000 per year, but ultimately signed what the Oilers offered.<ref>{{harvnb|Klein|2003|pp=26–27}}</ref>

During his first year in the NHL, Messier had several discipline issues, and at the end of October, he missed a team flight and was subsequently re-assigned to their CHL affiliate, the [[Houston Apollos]], for four games.<ref>{{harvnb|Klein|2003|pp=31–32}}</ref> On returning to Edmonton, Messier moved back in with his parents, living at their St. Albert home.<ref>{{harvnb|Klein|2003|pp=25–26}}</ref>

Messier was a fierce, tough competitor whose intense leadership in the dressing room was as important as the goals he scored on the ice. He was not initially known as a scorer, but his offensive numbers increased steadily over his first few years with the Oilers. In [[1981–82 NHL season|1981–82]], he registered his only 50-goal season. For most of his tenure with the Oilers, he played on a line with [[Glenn Anderson]].
[[File:Stanley Cup - Basil Pocklington x'es.JPG|thumb|Messier's name engraved on the [[Stanley Cup]], as a part of the 1983–84 [[Edmonton Oilers]]]]
Initially a left-winger (he was named to the NHL First All-Star Team in [[1982–83 NHL season|1982–83]] on the left wing), Messier switched to centre in the 1984 playoffs, and the results were spectacular. In Game 3 of the [[1984 Stanley Cup Finals|1984 Finals]], for example, with his Oilers trailing the four-time defending champion [[New York Islanders]] by a goal, it was Messier's goal on a brilliant end-to-end rush that sparked a comeback by the Oilers. By the end of the series the Oilers had won their first Stanley Cup and Messier had earned the [[Conn Smythe Trophy]], awarded to the most valuable player of the playoffs.

In 1984, Messier was suspended for ten games for cracking [[Jamie Macoun]]'s cheekbone with a sucker punch from behind during a game against the Calgary Flames on December 26. Messier was retaliating for having been boarded by Macoun earlier in the game, but the NHL ruled that he had instigated the fight.<ref name="hockeydraftcentral.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1979/79048.html |title=1979 NHL Entry Draft – Mark Messier |publisher=Hockeydraftcentral.com |access-date=March 9, 2011}}</ref>

On September 6, 1985, Messier lost control of his [[Porsche]] and totaled it by hitting three parked cars. He was later charged with [[Hit and run (vehicular)|hit and run]] and careless driving, for which he paid a fine.<ref name="Klein 82">{{harvnb|Klein|2003|p=82}}</ref>

He won four more Cups with the Oilers, 1985, 1987, 1988, and [[1990 Stanley Cup Finals|1990]], for the last of which he captained the Oilers to a five-game victory over the [[Boston Bruins]]. Though the Oilers had been a 1980s powerhouse, the 1990 victory, which came two years after [[Wayne Gretzky]] was traded away, surprised many.  Messier also won the [[Hart Memorial Trophy]] as league MVP that season, edging out the Bruins' [[Ray Bourque]] by just two votes, the narrowest margin in the award's history.<ref name="hockeydraftcentral.com"/>

Though Messier was actually under contract to the Oilers until 1993, his agent and father Doug Messier unsuccessfully pressed Oilers President and GM [[Glen Sather]] for a new deal in the summer of 1990.<ref name="Klein 82"/><ref>{{harvnb|Klein|2003|p=130}}</ref> After the 1990–91 season, Messier was upset that the Oilers were willing to let [[Adam Graves]] leave the team. Messier issued a public trade demand during the Canada Cup tournament saying that he wanted out if the Oilers were not willing to do what was necessary to keep important players.<ref>{{harvnb|Klein|2003|p=137}}</ref> On October 4, 1991, in one of many cost-cutting moves by Edmonton management, Messier was traded to the [[New York Rangers]] for [[Louie DeBrusk]], [[Bernie Nicholls]], and [[Steven Rice]].