Brian Leetch: Hall of Famer?

There's no doubt in any Ranger fan's mind that Brian Leetch had a Hall of Fame career, and will most likely be inducted on Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 3:30PM EST when the selection committee announces the newest members of the NHL Hall of Fame.

I'm sure any Ranger fan would call any member of that 1994 Stanley Cup team a Hall of Famer. However, Leetch, statistically, has shown he deserves his name to be passed down for generations in the Hall of Fame.

Brian Leetch holds over 40 Rangers records, including most career assists, most career playoff goals, most single game assists by a rookie, most single season points by a defenseman, etc. His career totals amount to 275 goals, 850 assists, 1125 points, plus-61, and 607 PIM. He played in nine NHL All-Star games between 1990 and 2002.

He also won numerous awards during his career, all listed below.

• Calder Memorial Trophy (1988-1989)
• James Norris Memorial Trophy (1991-1992)
• Conn Smythe Trophy (1993-1994)
• James Norris Memorial Trophy (1996-1997)

Of course, the most important trophy he won in all his years in a Ranger uniform was the Stanley Cup in the Spring of 1994.

Brian Leetch was a Ranger for most of his career and is still a Ranger at heart. His number two hangs from the rafters at Madison Square Garden as a tribute to his hard work and dedication to the organization, for which he played for 17 years.

Although he played for Toronto and Boston for the last two years of his career, he will always be welcome by Ranger's fans and the entire Rangers organization, and will be wished the best of luck on Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009.