Report: Rangers add Prospal, Messier

According to the New York Post, the New York Rangers will be adding Mark Messier to their front office as a special assistant to President and General Manager Glen Sather.

In addition, the Post reports the Rangers have signed unrestricted free-agent forward Vaclav Prospal.

"I couldn't be more thrilled with the opportunity to move back to New York with my family, to learn from Glen and to work for the Rangers," Messier told the Post. "I'm going to come in and get my feet wet and get an overview of how the business runs and how the team runs and take it from there."

According to the Post, former Rangers head coach Tom Renney asked Messier about working with the team's coaching staff last season. The newspaper went on to say Messier interviewed for the Edmonton Oilers head coaching position earlier this summer.

"I think I have a pretty good eye for talent, but really, there are so many things about the management and business side of the game that I've never been exposed to,” Messier said. “So I'm going to soak it all in and learn as much as I can about what it takes on that end to build a champion."

The Post reports Prospal signed a one-year contract for $1.1 million. Prospal had been bought out by the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier this summer.

Prospal played for Rangers head coach John Tortorella before and after the Lightning's 2004 Cup-winning season in which he was in Anaheim. He scored 19 goals and 26 assists last year.

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