Mark Messier was hired by Rangers GM Glen Sather this past summer to be a special assistant to the club. Mark Messier was hired by Rangers GM Glen Sather this past summer to be a special assistant to the club. (Kathy Willens/Associated Press)

Team Canada is adding a Moose to its world championship roster.

Mark Messier was introduced Wednesday as the new general manager of the Canadian national team for the International Ice Hockey Federation's 2010 world championship.

CBCSports.ca senior hockey reporter Tim Wharnsby first reported the news Tuesday.

The former NHL great spent 25 years in the league with Edmonton, Vancouver and New York, winning six Stanley Cups while being touted as one of the greatest leaders to ever play the game.

"This is a huge challenge and one with a big responsibility because you're here to represent Canada," said Messier. "We know how passionate the Canadians are about their hockey and how well we want to do in international hockey to give ourselves the status of being the best hockey country in the world."

The Edmonton native has won three championships while playing for Canada, all coming during the Canada Cup tournaments (1984, 1987, 1991). He also won silver medals at the 1989 world hockey championship and the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

"We have so many great leaders in the game of hockey and they want to be involved," said Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson. "When you have talented people like Mark Messier that want to be there, that want to lead the team, I just sit back and smile."

Great One not part of management

Messier, who retired in 2005, was hired by Rangers GM Glen Sather this past summer to be a special assistant to the club.

Wayne Gretzky, Steve Yzerman, Joe Nieuwendyk and Luc Robitaille have all been part of Team Canada management at the worlds in recent years.

Gretzky will reportedly not be part of the management group for the 2010 tournament, but he still could be considered for the team's coaching staff.

When the Great One was in Calgary last month, he met with Hockey Canada officials and was given an open invitation to join the coaching staff.

"Yeah ... for sure," Messier said when asked if Gretzky is being considered for the job. He didn't elaborate beyond that, instead saying he'll focus on assembling a management team before hiring his coaching staff.

Gretzky and Messier won four Stanley Cups together with the Edmonton Oilers in 1980s and were teammates for a season in New York.

Canada last won the world championship in 2007 when it was held in Russia. The Canadians have won silver in the past two years, losing to Russia by one goal in each game.

"It has been challenging for Canadians to go over there and win in that environment," said Messier.

The 2010 world hockey championship will go from May 7-23 in Germany.

With files from The Canadian Press