Be A Player: Rewind | Brian Leetch

Originally aired January 29, 2001, this episode features Brian Leetch, the prolific, long-time New York Rangers defencemen who made his mark on the ice, and in the community with “Skate with the Greats”.

Brian Leetch

Calder Memorial Trophy (1988-89)
James Norris Memorial Trophy (1991-92, 1996-97)
Stanley Cup Champion (1993-94)
Conn Smythe Trophy (1993-94)
Lester Patrick Trophy 2006-07)
Hockey Hall of Fame Inductee
Named among NHL’s 100 Greatest Players
1,205 GP (247, 7811,208)

The year was 2001, the host was Brett Lindros, and the player was Brian Leetch. 

This week's episode features Brian Leetch, the prolific, long-time New York Rangers defencemen and former captain who made his mark on the ice and in the community as one of the founders of the annual “Skate with the Greats which supports the Ronald McDonald House New York. The organization provides a temporary home and support services for families and children affected by pediatric cancer.

Leetch skated in 1,205 NHL games while filling out an impressive trophy case which included a Calder Trophy, two James Norris Trophies, a Stanley Cup, and a Conn Smythe Trophy.

Then and now

"Skate with the Greats" recently hosted its 24th annual event, with Hall of Famer founders Leetch and Rod Gilber on hand at The Rink at Rockerfeller Center, and raised over $800,000 while hosting a fun and memorable event for the families undergoing hard times.

Since retirement, Leetch's No. 2 has been retired to the rafters of Madison Square Garden in 2008. That same year, Leetch was inducted alongside former teammate and Stanley Cup champion, Mike Richter, into the Unites States Ice Hockey Hall of Fame. The two were also teammates on the 2002 Winter Olympic team which brought home silver, and the World Cup of Hockey championship in 2006. In 2009, Leetch was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame for the third year in a row that a member of the 1994 Stanley Cup-winning Rangers team was inducted into the hall of legends.

In 2017, Leetch was hired by the Rangers as a hockey operations advisor, working on prospect development while assisting with on-ice development for the NHL club and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.