By paNOW Staff

Messier goes home for “personal family matters”

Nov 8, 2014 | 4:20 PM

The Prince Albert Raiders issued a release on Saturday to announce that overage forward Marcus Messier has gone back home to attend to “some personal family matters.”

“We support Marcus’ decision to return home to deal with personal issues and will reevaluate the situation in several days,” Raiders general manager Bruno Campese said in the release.

Messier wasn’t in attendance on Friday’s game against the Seattle Thunderbirds. The team at that time, including head coach Marc Habscheid, said Messier had the flu. He wasn’t present for the post-game jersey auction either, as Raider manager Bruce Vance held his jersey as it was auctioned off.

Messier was released from the Spokane Chiefs on Oct. 2 just two games into the season, but wanted to return to the WHL. Despite receiving offers from outside of the WHL, Messier got his wish on Oct. 23 when he signed with the Raiders as a 20-year-old free agent.

“It was an opportunity I didn’t want to (give) up,” said Messier after his first Raider game on Oct. 25. “I mean, they have a lot of skilled guys, a good coaching staff and all that here.

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“I was pretty quick to jump on the opportunity. I’m glad to be here.”

Messier played in six games with the Raiders, registering a goal and an assist.

If Messier’s departure turns out to be permanent, that would make him the fourth member of the Raiders organization to leave the team for good, this year.

Assistant coach Tim Leonard also cited “personal reasons” for leaving the team on Sept. 24.

Then in October, two players left in the team in Colton McCarthy on Oct. 16 and Dakota Conroy on Oct. 19. 

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