Following Thursday night’s game against the San Jose Sharks, MSG network is airing a special one on one conversation between New York Rangers head coach David Quinn and Hall of Famer Brian Leetch.
In the lexicon of New York Rangers history, few players hold a candle to Hall of Fame defenseman Brian Leetch. The defenseman had the most decorated career of any Ranger, winning the Calder Trophy, two Norris Trophies, the Conn Smythe and a Stanley Cup.
On the other end of the spectrum, David Quinn is fresh as a daisy in Rangers’ history. The 35th head coach in franchise history came in at a turning point for the team. The Boston University product was brought in to groom the next generation of talent to help return the team to contender status.
Both Quinn and Leetch played college hockey around the same time in the mid to late 80s at rival schools Boston College and Boston University. However, the two had actually met before college as prep school players in Connecticut.
Bluelinestation was given advanced notes prior to the airing of the interview, here are a few highlights.
Excerpts:
When Leetch and Quinn met for the first time it was when the Hall of Famer came to tour Kent School. The Kent School is a post-high school, pre-college hockey education forum that functions in a similar vein to junior hockey in Canada for players ages 16-18. Leetch remembers the first time they met:
"“I remember you coming to meet us and you had the same deep voice. Probably the same size [laughs]. And you were big and had the same personality, friendly. And we had a connection with your teammate. You were great, it was a real reassuring kind of visit because you took us around, made the same jokes that you would normally make with anyone else. It was fun.”"
While Leetch is considered one of the best American hockey players of all time, Quinn firmly believes that the Boston College Product is the best to ever do it.
"“I think he’s [Leetch] the greatest American player. There was nothing he couldn’t do. His skating was elite. His hockey sense was elite. But I think the most underrated part of your game was your toughness. The thing that made you so elite was that you had world-class skill and world-class toughness. And that’s so difficult to find.”"
While the two former players both accomplished a lot at the amateur level, the world is totally different now. Quinn talks about how current Buffalo Sabre captain and former Boston Universtiy Terrier Jack Eichel reacted to missing out on making the World Junior Championships as a freshman:
"“I think the biggest difference is the distractions. When we were growing up and first got into the league, there was no social media. I remember sitting down with Jack Eichel when I first got to BU and the poor kid didn’t make the World Junior Camp going into his senior year. And he was all torn up about it because he’s reading the internet, his rankings. When the game ends, for you and I, we thought about what our coach thought and what our parents thought to a certain degree. Now a guy, game ends, he wants to read what the internet says or Twitter and everything. I think it really effects a lot of players who aren’t mentally prepared for that.”"
Catch the entirety of Quinn and Leetch’s conversation Thursday night following the conclusion of the game against the Sharks. The feature titled “Connections: Quinn and Leetch,” will be covered in greater depth following the initial airing.