1979 NHL Draft
Mark Messier in the 1979 NHL Draft
Edmonton Oilers selected Mark Messier 48th overall in the 1979 NHL Draft, with the 7th pick of round 3.
It was the second of the 6 picks Edmonton Oilers made in the draft. Of the 126 players selected in 1979, 103 have played in the NHL regular season. None of them has played more games than his 1756, and none has scored more points than his 1887.
- Overall pick
- 48
- Round and pick
- Round 3, pick 7
- Drafting team
- EDMEdmonton Oilers
- Date
- Age at the draft
- 18 years
The picks around it
Picks 45–51 in the 1979 draft
- 45Jody GageR68 GP · 29 PDETDetroit Red Wings
- 46Boris FistricDDETDetroit Red Wings
- 47Ken EllacottG12 GP · 2 WVANVancouver Canucks
- 48Mark MessierC1756 GP · 1887 PEDMEdmonton Oilers
- 49Bill GardnerC380 GP · 188 PCHIChicago Blackhawks
- 50John Paul KellyL400 GP · 124 PLAKLos Angeles Kings
- 51Norm AubinC69 GP · 31 PTORToronto Maple Leafs
Games and points are NHL regular season to date.
Place in the draft class
Where he came in the 1979 class
48th
of 126 players selected
27th
of 75 forwards selected
Counted in draft order across the whole draft. The position is the one listed at the draft.
First off the board
- 1Rob RamageD1044 GP · 564 PCLRColorado Rockies
- 2Perry TurnbullC608 GP · 351 PSTLSt. Louis Blues
- 3Mike FolignoR1018 GP · 727 PDETDetroit Red Wings
- 4Mike GartnerR1432 GP · 1335 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 5Rick VaiveR876 GP · 788 PVANVancouver Canucks
- 6Craig HartsburgD570 GP · 413 PMNSMinnesota North Stars
- 7Keith BrownD876 GP · 342 PCHIChicago Blackhawks
- 8Ray BourqueD1612 GP · 1579 PBOSBoston Bruins
- 9Laurie BoschmanC1009 GP · 577 PTORToronto Maple Leafs
- 10Tom McCarthyL460 GP · 399 PMNSMinnesota North Stars
+ 116 more
After the draft
The road to the NHL
Mark Messier made his NHL debut on October 10, 1979, 62 days after the draft.
1756
Games
694
Goals
1193
Assists
1887
Points
NHL regular season to date.
The team's draft
Edmonton Oilers picks in the 1979 draft
- 21Kevin LoweD1254 GP · 431 PEDMEdmonton Oilers
- 48Mark MessierC1756 GP · 1887 PEDMEdmonton Oilers
- 69Glenn AndersonR1129 GP · 1099 PEDMEdmonton Oilers
- 84Maxwell KostovichREDMEdmonton Oilers
- 105Michael ToalC3 GP · 0 PEDMEdmonton Oilers
- 126Blair BarnesR1 GP · 0 PEDMEdmonton Oilers