Using the phrase "one of the better players in the league" implies that he IS in the top 10 or 20. If you just meant that he's still capable of playing in the NHL, say so. Don't exaggerate and say he's one of the better players. And, obviously, 90% of the players in the NHL would be welcome additions to any club in the league, so that's pretty irrelevant to say any club would want Messier. Any club would want Todd Marchant or Kirk Malty too, but that doesn't mean either of those guys are "one of the better players in the league".
Embarrass me? Go ahead. Matter of fact, I'll help you out by posting his stats over the last 5 seasons.
1999-2000 Canucks 66 17 37 54 -15 30 6 0 4 0 131 13
2000-2001 Rangers 82 24 43 67 -25 89 12 3 2 0 131 18.3
2001-2002 Rangers 41 7 16 23 -1 32 2 0 2 0 69 10.1
2002-2003 Rangers 78 18 22 40 -2 30 8 1 5 1 117 15.4
2003-2004 Rangers 76 18 25 43 3 42 1 2 3 1 104 17
ONE season of over 60 points, and only ONE twenty goal season. Somehow that just doesn't compare to the likes of Forsberg, Sakic, Jagr, Sundin, Naslund, etc.
I'd like to see how you "embarrass" me with those stats and how exactly a guy that averages 54.27 PPG (per 82 games) is "one of the better players in the league".