The Second Coming? New York Rangers Lyon Cometh

The New York Rangers have announced their team of prospects that will play in the annual Traverse City (which is in Michigan for those of you scoring at home) tournament which starts September 13. The roster includes defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti and forward Artem Aninsimov, both of whom are top prospects. Also Lyon Messier (yeah, Mark’s son) will be on the team.

So is this the second coming? Is General Manager Glen “The Savior” Sather bringing Rangers’ fans a new "anointed one"?

So far the scouting reports on Lyon are not too glowing, but hey, they said Mark would never make it in the N.H.L. and how did that work out? Ironic, that Lyon is a defenseman and described as not as rugged as Mark. That kind of reminds me of how it was with Gordie and his son, Mark Howe. Gordie was a tougher than a two-dollar-steak forward, while his son Mark was one of the better two-way d-men around during the 1980s. Mark Howe even made it into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

I'm not saying that Lyon Messier is going to become a great defenseman in the N.H.L., but it's kind of ironic that there have been so many similarities between Mark Messier and Gordie Howe and now there is a similarity between the sons. I do find it kind of funny when they say that Mark's kid isn't as tough as dad, because not many people in general were or are as tough as Mark Messier. Same goes for the Howes; Gordie quite possibly was the meanest person ever on a sheet of ice, so how could his son come even close to approaching that level of toughness.

Nonetheless, above is a video of young Lyon doing his best impression of his pops.