"I can feel it in my blood": When Mark Messier recalled his mom Mary-Jean's premonition before Oilers dethroned Islanders to win 1984 Stanley Cup

It was a proud moment for Alberta-born Mark Messier when he was part of the Edmonton Oilers' first ever Stanely Cup win in 1984.

Messier topped it off with the Conn Smythe trophy, being adjudged as the MVP of the Stanely Cup Playoffs. They had to battle the four-time defending champions, New York Islanders for the title, but as per Messier's mother, it was always going to be them.

In 1983, Edmonton were swept in the Stanley Cup Final by the Isles who won their fourth consecutive title. There was a repeat of the showdown the following year, only this time the Oilers were coming off a record-breaking regular season points finish. They knew they had it in them to dethrone the Islanders dynasty and they did by winning 4-1.

Before traveling to New York ahead of the showcase series, the Hockey Hall of Famer visited his mother, Mary-Jean Messier, who had given him the assurance that she was feeling good about their chances.

"I really don't know what to say. Say it was a close, I went to my mother's place before I went to Long Island. I asked her what she thought about the series. And usually, she doesn't say it too much, but she said, 'No, I can feel it in my blood.'

"And, that's all I needed to hear. And we went out there, and I can't say enough of you guys. We just, just a tremendous effort by everybody in this, you know, this is just a kicker. I'll tell you. If there was one goal, it might be remembered above all others in this final, it was a goal. And Mark Messier scored in the second period," Messier said in the presentation in 1984.

Mary-Jean passed away on July 16, 2020. Her obituary has a special note for her hometown of Edmonton.

Mark Messier's words about winning the Stanley Cup for Edmonton

When the Oilers won the title in 1984, they became the franchise with the shortest amount of time since its foundation to win the Cup. Mark Messier, who grew up in the Canadian state of Alberta, felt immense pride in bringing the trophy home.

“Being born and raised in the city and knowing the hockey passion, watching Saturday night games in the Original Six myself, I understood the culture here.

"And five years later, I'm lifting the Stanley Cup. I'm thinking this is incredible, I can't believe this is happening. It was an incredible time for all of us,” Messier said in an interview with Edmonton Sun in 2014.

Mark Messier scored 26 points in 19 games during the 1984 playoffs. After dislodging a team like the Islanders from their dynasty reign, the Oilers would make one of their own winning a further four titles in the next six seasons.

Messier would turn into team captain after Wayne Gretzky's trade before himself moving to the New York Rangers and captaining another Stanley Cup-winning franchise.