| Born: | March 3, 1968 | Draft: | 1986 Rangers, #9 overall |
| Hometown: | Corpus Christi, Texas | Position: | Defense |
| Known For: | Hall of Fame | Shoots: | Left |
| National Team: | United States |
Brian Joseph Leetch (born March 3, 1968) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 18 National Hockey League (NHL) seasons with the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins. He is generally considered one of the top defensemen in NHL history, being particularly noted for his skating, offense, and playmaking abilities. He and fellow Rangers teammate Mike Richter were inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008. Leetch was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2017 Leetch was named one of the ‘100 Greatest NHL Players’ in history.
Leetch was a two-time Norris Trophy winner as the NHL’s best defenseman (1992, 1997) and was the first American-born winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP for his performance during the Rangers’ run to the 1994 Stanley Cup championship. Leetch is one of only five NHL defensemen to score 100 points in a season with his 102-point campaign in 1991–92. He won the Calder Trophy as the NHL Rookie of the Year in 1989 and his 23 goals that season remain an NHL record for rookie defensemen.
Brian Leetch Statistics
Deeper Dive
- Brian Leetch: The Road to the 1994 Conn Smythe Trophy
- Top 4 New York Rangers in Franchise History
- New York Rangers 5 Best Defensemen All Time
- New York Rangers’ Top 20 All-Time Goal Scorers
- The 5 Best NHL Players Born in Texas
- Rangers History Archives
Achievements
- Calder Memorial Trophy (best rookie) in 1989
- Conn Smythe Trophy in 1994
- Two-time winner of James Norris Trophy in 1992 and 1997
- Last defenseman with a 100-point season (1992)
- NHL record for goals by a rookie defenseman in 1989 (23 goals)
- Played in nine All-Star Games (1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002)
- Leetch’s jersey (#2) retired by Rangers in 2008.