Brian Leetch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brian Leetch |
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| Hockey Hall of Fame, 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leetch with the New York Rangers in 1997
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| Born | March 3, 1968 Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Defense | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shot | Left | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Played for | New York Rangers Toronto Maple Leafs Boston Bruins |
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| National team |  United States |
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| NHL Draft | 9th overall, 1986 New York Rangers |
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| Playing career | 1987–2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Brian Joseph Leetch (born March 3, 1968) is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman. He is thought to be one of the best defensemen in the history of the National Hockey League (NHL). Leetch played for 18 seasons, mostly with the New York Rangers, but also spent time with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins.
During his amazing career, Leetch won many awards. He was named the NHL's best defenseman twice, winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 1992 and 1997. In 1994, he helped the Rangers win the Stanley Cup and was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the playoffs. This award is called the Conn Smythe Trophy, and he was the first American player to ever win it.
Leetch was also a great scorer. In the 1991–92 season, he scored 102 points, which is a rare achievement for a defenseman. He also holds the record for the most goals by a rookie defenseman with 23 goals. Because of his incredible career, the Rangers retired his jersey number, 2, and he was welcomed into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009.
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Early Life and Start in Hockey
Brian Leetch was born in Texas but grew up in Cheshire, Connecticut. His father, Jack, managed the local ice rink, which is where Brian first learned to skate and play hockey. In high school, he was a star athlete in both baseball and hockey. He could throw a 90-mph fastball in baseball, but hockey was his best sport.
As a defenseman, a position not known for scoring, Leetch put up incredible numbers in high school. In just two seasons at Avon Old Farms school, he scored 70 goals and 90 assists. NHL teams noticed his talent, and in 1986, the New York Rangers selected him in the first round of the NHL draft. After being drafted, he played one year of college hockey at Boston College, where he was named an All-American player, just like his father had been.
An Amazing NHL Career
Becoming a Star with the Rangers
After playing for the U.S. team in the 1988 Winter Olympics, Leetch joined the New York Rangers. In his first full season (1988-89), he scored 23 goals, a record for a rookie defenseman that still stands today. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year.
Leetch quickly became a fan favorite for his smooth skating and offensive skills. In the 1991–92 season, he scored 102 points, becoming only the fifth defenseman in NHL history to reach 100 points in a season. For this, he won his first James Norris Memorial Trophy as the league's best defenseman.
Winning the Stanley Cup
The most famous moment of Leetch's career came in 1994. He helped lead the Rangers to win the Presidents' Trophy for the best record in the regular season. Then, in the playoffs, he was a superstar. He scored 11 goals and 23 assists, leading the Rangers to their first Stanley Cup championship in 54 years.
For his incredible performance, Leetch won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP. He was the first American player to win this award. He is one of only three players in history to win the Calder, Norris, and Conn Smythe trophies in their career.
Later Career and Retirement
Leetch remained a leader for the Rangers for many years, even serving as team captain from 1997 to 2000. In 1997, he won the Norris Trophy for a second time. He also helped the U.S. team win the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
Near the end of his career, the Rangers began to rebuild their team. In 2004, Leetch was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He later signed with the Boston Bruins for one final season, where he scored his 1,000th career point. Leetch officially announced his retirement from hockey in 2007.
Legacy and Honors
Brian Leetch is remembered as one of the greatest players of his generation. On January 24, 2008, the New York Rangers retired his number 2 jersey, hanging it in the rafters of Madison Square Garden. His longtime teammate Mark Messier called him "the Greatest Ranger of All Time."
In 2009, Leetch was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, the highest honor in the sport. He was also named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history by the NHL in 2017. His skill and quiet leadership left a lasting mark on the game of hockey.
Career Statistics
Regular Season and Playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1987–88 | New York Rangers | NHL | 17 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988–89 | New York Rangers | NHL | 68 | 23 | 48 | 71 | 50 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | ||
| 1989–90 | New York Rangers | NHL | 72 | 11 | 45 | 56 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1990–91 | New York Rangers | NHL | 80 | 16 | 72 | 88 | 42 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 1991–92 | New York Rangers | NHL | 80 | 22 | 80 | 102 | 26 | 13 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 4 | ||
| 1992–93 | New York Rangers | NHL | 36 | 6 | 30 | 36 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 | New York Rangers | NHL | 84 | 23 | 56 | 79 | 27 | 23 | 11 | 23 | 34 | 6 | ||
| 1994–95 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 9 | 32 | 41 | 18 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 8 | ||
| 1995–96 | New York Rangers | NHL | 82 | 15 | 70 | 85 | 30 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 1996–97 | New York Rangers | NHL | 82 | 20 | 58 | 78 | 40 | 15 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 6 | ||
| 1997–98 | New York Rangers | NHL | 76 | 17 | 33 | 50 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | New York Rangers | NHL | 82 | 13 | 42 | 55 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–2000 | New York Rangers | NHL | 50 | 7 | 19 | 26 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | New York Rangers | NHL | 82 | 21 | 58 | 79 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | New York Rangers | NHL | 82 | 10 | 45 | 55 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | New York Rangers | NHL | 51 | 12 | 18 | 30 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | New York Rangers | NHL | 57 | 13 | 23 | 36 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 15 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 6 | ||
| 2005–06 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 61 | 5 | 27 | 32 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 1,205 | 247 | 781 | 1,028 | 571 | 95 | 28 | 69 | 97 | 36 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | United States | Olympics | 6 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 | |
| 1991 | United States | CC | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | |
| 1996 | United States | WCH | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 4 | |
| 1998 | United States | Olympics | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2002 | United States | Olympics | 6 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2004 | United States | WCH | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
| Senior totals | 55 | 10 | 31 | 41 | 24 | |||
Major Awards and Records
Individual Awards
- Calder Memorial Trophy (Top NHL Rookie) - 1989
- James Norris Memorial Trophy (Top NHL Defenseman) - 1992, 1997
- Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoff MVP) - 1994
- Stanley Cup Champion - 1994
- Hockey Hall of Fame - Inducted in 2009
- IIHF Hall of Fame - Inducted in 2023
- NHL All-Star Game - 11 times
NHL and Rangers Records
- Most goals by a rookie defenseman in an NHL season (23).
- Most assists in a single season by a Rangers player (80).
- Most points in a single season by a Rangers defenseman (102).
- Most career assists, goals, and points by a Rangers defenseman.
- Most points in a single playoff year by a Rangers player (34).
See also
- List of NHL players with 1000 points
- List of NHL players with 1000 games played
