Mark Messier calls out players who can't handle pressure.

Over the years there has been a great deal made about how difficult life can be for National Hockey League players in certain markets when compared to others. Often Canadian markets are given as the examples of undesirable areas to play in due to the fact that their fan bases are heavily invested, which can make day to day life uncomfortable for some players.

One player that had a wealth of experience in some of the NHL's highest pressure markets throughout his career has however offered up a different perspective on those very same markets, suggesting instead that both players and team can greatly benefit from having a truly invested fan base.

That man is none other than six-time Stanley Cup champion Mark Messier, and he recently revealed that the intense pressure he and his teammates felt in the Canadian city of Edmonton during his tenure as an Oiler played a pivotal role in driving that team to the level of success they achieved.

"Because of that there was this kind of really deep feeling that 'We gotta make this happen somehow' we're right on the brink of winning something special not only to us but also to the people here," said Messier on the Spittin Chiclets podcast.

Messier would go on to reveal his belief that the fans and the people he encountered on his journey to 5 Stanley Cup championships with the Oilers gave the team a significant boost on the ice. He added that he believes that type of outside pressure is a tool to be harnessed by teams who know how to properly direct it.

"Because of the 5 years that we went on this journey together, and I always say that we went on the journey together and it is true, as a team and organization if you're not walking that line together with your fan base and using that energy that they can provide, the expectations, the pressure, I think that can really benefit a team," admitted Messier.

But what about the fans that might pester you at the supermarket or give you grief after you've had a bad game? Messier seems to view that as more fuel for the fire.

"It matters if you win, it matters if you don't play good, you hear about it if you don't play good," he added.

As for the players that wilt under the pressure of the spotlight? Messier believes that those players simply shouldn't be playing in that type of hockey market.

"If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen," said the six time Stanley Cup winner.

Messier would go on to add that he feels there is a certain type of player that can handle the brightest spotlights that the NHL has to offer, indicating that he feels those star players can attain an elite level that other players may simply not be cut out for.

"That's just part of professional hockey when you're trying to get to the elite level and not everybody is made for it. A lot of players can play in the league but not everyone can play on a team that is expected to win."