#2 Brian Leetch (Corpus Christi, Texas)
No. 2 has a Hall of Fame-resume, but he isn’t No. 1 on my list.
I understand this won’t sit well with many readers. (I’ve already been admonished by my family members.)
Feel free to express your disagreement in the comments below. All I’m asking is that you hear (read) me out before giving me the blue-seats treatment.
Leetch is unquestionably the top defenseman to wear a Rangers sweater. He’s also one of the best in NHL history, as evidenced by his election to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009.
He’s the first USA-born player to win the Conn Smythe. He’s a two-time Norris Trophy winner. He’s second in points (981) and first in assists (741) among all-time Rangers. He’s one of only five defensemen in NHL history to post a 100-point season (with 22 goals and a team-record 80 assists in the 1991-92 season).
Character-wise, Leetch was an impeccable representative of the Rangers and New York City. He never embarrassed himself or his teammates. And I’ll never forget when he graciously signed my brother’s Starline poster in the early ’90s — and at no charge.
So why is Leetch ranked second? He didn’t play hockey’s most-important position.