Messier, Trottier perform ceremonial puck drop before 2024 Stadium Series

Day two of the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series kicked off with the help of two New York Stanley Cup champions.

Former New York Rangers legend Mark Messier and former New York Islanders star Bryan Trottier performed the ceremonial puck drop before the New York showdown at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

Messier and Trottier both wore their respective jerseys as they linked arms and walked onto the ice.

The two Hockey Hall of Famers posed for a picture with Rangers captain Jacob Trouba and Islanders captain Anders Lee before dropping the puck.

Before the game, Messier was joined by his formers head coach Mike Kennan in the Rangers locker room. The two gave heartfelt speeches to the players before they introduced the family of Steve McDonald, a former NYPD police officer. McDonald's wife, Patti Ann, and son, Connor, read out the Rangers starting lineups.

Messier played ten seasons with the Rangers from 1991-97 and 2000-04. He helped the Rangers to their 1994 Stanley Cup championship.

Trottier played 15 seasons for the Islanders from 1975-90. He was apart of all four of the Islanders Stanley Cup championship teams from 1980-83.