It's a good 33 years since Rangers general manager Neil Smith began devising how to construct the deal of his lifetime.

Actually, Smith required the entire summer of 1991 to pull off what Neil called "The Biggest Day in the 66-year history of the New York Rangers."

It wasn't until October 4, 1991 that the Blueshirts acquired Mark Messier from the Edmonton Oilers.

In return, Smith relinquished Bernie Nicholls, Steven Rice and Louie DeBrusk as well as future considerations for the hoped-for "Messiah."

Mark was just as thrilled as New Yorkers were when the news broke.

"New York was the only place I could see myself coming to," Messier later would admit. "For these reasons – the challenge, playing for an Original Six team and living in the city. It's all that I wanted."

Rangers fans wanted one more thing and in 1994 Messier delivered the Blueshirts their fourth Stanley Cup!