is there a chill in here?

Tuesday's Toronto Sun reports that Mark Messier has rather aggressive designs on the GM job in New York...

Mark Messier didn't finish the sentence.

He told reporters at the NHL all-star game that he has decided he wants to be a general manager.

In fact, he wants to become general manager of the New York Rangers!

Messier told Sun Media yesterday that he wants to take over from his former coach and GM when Glen Sather retires from the job in New York. Messier led the team to a first Stanley Cup since 1940 back in 1994.

Furthermore, Messier said he has decided to get pro-active about it.

He's planning to move back to New York and make it his primary residence and plans to talk to Sather about the idea after his Feb. 27 banner-raising in Edmonton.

"I'm going to have discussions with Glen. I don't know how long Glen is going to keep doing it. Maybe he'll continue for another five or 10 years.

"I just know New York fits best for me and my family. And this is what I know best and what I love the most," Messier said of taking two years away from the game to think through what he'd like to do with the rest of his life. He retired as a player in September 2005.

"I'm going to have discussions with Glen."

If I were Glen, that "discussion" might be a little terse.

Now aside from being "MARK MESSIER"tm why should anyone think Messier would automatically be a great or even good GM? Is there a possibility that he's not far enough removed from the game to take an objective look on players?

I have no way of knowing Messier's potential managerial style but would it entirely surprise anyone to see Messier surround himself with confidants and old friends, not unlike certain other former legends?