Brian Leetch Prepares For His First Date With Immortality

Brian Leetch was at Rockefeller Plaza tonight for a Skate With the Greats function for the benefit of the Ronald McDonald House of New York. With him were former teammates Mark Messier, Adam Graves, Mike Richter, Jeff Beukeboom, Stephane Matteau, Brian Mullen, Tie Domi, and Darren Langdon. Leetch and a few others took some time before the event to talk about his career, which will be honored at the Garden Thursday night when his number 2 is retired and raised to the rafters in a ceremony that will start at 6:30.

Leetch spoke about virtually every aspect of his career -- being drafted by the Rangers, playing in the 1988 Olympics, his first game as a Ranger, Mark Messier's arrival in New York, winning the Stanley Cup in 1994, the Cinderella playoff season of 1997, the bitter disappointment of the seasons that followed, his captaincy, his trade to Toronto, his decision to retire, and of course all the great people he met along the way and his for the city he played in. We're going to save most of it for the next issue of Blueshirt Bulletin, but here is a sampling of some of the things he and his former teammates said.

"I was able to sit down and get some rough outlines to try and gather my thoughts," he said of his preparation for the banner raising ceremony, one which everyone thought might be like pulling teeth for the normally taciturn Leetch. "I had an idea of what I want to say, like I do now. Iit's just, 'Can I get it out the way I want to, say the thank yous the way I want to?' I thought it was going to be more nervous anticipation building up to it, something that I was looking forward to getting over with. But I got such a positive reaction from all my friends, people I run into -- Ranger fans -- about how they're looking forward to it. That gets me excited. I'm excited for the night, I'm excited for everyone to have a good time. I just don't want to mess it up."

Just as Messier said at his recent Hall of Fame induction, Leetch dwells on the people who helped get him there, something you can expect to hear from him in his Garden speech. "This night is about all of those teammates, all of those people from your parents to your friends," he said. "That's the beauty of the whole thing, to be able to share that -- you don't get to this position in a team sport [by yourself]. That's the part that makes me feel good, to be able to go through that and recognize some people and share the experience with a lot of people."

Leetch was asked about being traded away from New York and not getting a chance to finish his career here. He said that in the end it was his own decision. "Tom Renney called me two years ago and expressed that he thought I'd be a perfect fit for the blue line, that I could bring a lot to the team, that I could still play," he said. "It was up to me whether I wanted to end my career in New York, and I just decided at the time that that was enough." Years of playoff disappointments had worn him down, age and injury were catching up to him, and family was becoming more important to him -- he decided that if he could not give 100% to hockey, that he had to hang up his skates.

Back at the other end of his NHL career, at the start, there was his first day with the Rangers, fresh from the Calgary Olympics where he represented the USA in a disappointing seventh place finish. "There was a note to knock on Mark Hardy's door to set up a ride," he said of his initial arrival at the Armonk Hotel after flying in from Calgary. "He's looking at me, and I'm like, 'Hey Mark, I'm Brian Leetch, I just came from the Olympic team.' He's like, 'Oh, come on in, I just got traded here myself, I don't know what's going on.' I said, 'We've gotta get to practice tomorrow.' He's like, 'Oh yeah, Marcel Dionne's gonna pick us up tomorrow.'

"So I'm in Marcel's car, we go to practice. Chris Nilan's coming in and he's giving me a hard time for finishing in seventh place. All the Canadians are giving him trouble, he's always going back and forth with Tomas Sandstrom, he's like, 'These Swedes, you gotta beat the Swedes, why didn't you beat the Swedes?' And I don't know anybody on the team. We play the first game, and I can hear the crowd chanting, 'USA! USA!' First drop of the puck, Chris Nilan gets in a fight, and they wrestle from the wing right to the boards in front of me -- I start laughing. Jeez, I'm in the NHL -- this is crazy! The Garden's chanting, 'USA!', Chris Nilan's fighting two seconds into my first game -- this is nuts!"

Messier remembers his first day as a Ranger when it was Leetch picking him up to take him to his first practice. "I was staying in the city, first game that I was here," he recalled. "I was riding with him to practice. Sometimes, not a lot of words need to be said. It became very evident to me very quickly what kind of commitment Brian had. That's what you're really looking for, someone to grab an oar and start paddling in the same direction as you are, and everybody else gets swept up into it. He was the guy. Nobody did it better."

Leetch recalled how he and Richter, the Rangers' goalie for so many of his games here, would joke around on the ice to keep each other loose. "We used to say stupid stuff to each other, we used to laugh," he said. "I remember I gave the puck away to Brett Hull one time in the slot -- I was trying to ice it up the middle and he got it, rips it right off the crossbar. He [Richter] goes to me, 'I had it, Leetchie, I had it.' And I said, 'I know you did Mike.' We used to do stuff like that, keep things light in front of the net -- he's a goofy kid anyway, it helped me to lighten up."

"Brian was a guy, I would just shake my head," Richter said. "He knew where he was gonna park and why -- 'Thursday's delivery day, so you have to park over on the side.' I'm just happy to have pants on going to practice, and he knows where he's gonna park and why. And that's the way he was on the ice. He really knew what he could do, what he couldn't do, and anticipated so well. Nobody can prepare themselves for the kind of night like he's going to have tomorrow. But it's really important, particularly for a guy like Brian, who's publicly acknowledged for all that he brought to this organization, to this city, and even honestly to this game -- one of the best who's ever put on skates at his position. He deserves every bit of credit he gets for a career that is remarkable. I certainly benefitted a lot from his skill. He was out there covering my ass an awful lot. Only half of my jersey would be going up there if it wasn't for that guy."

Graves remembers Leetch from a time before anyone else knew him. "We played against each other in an under-18 tournament in Colorado Springs, a two-game tournament," he said, guessing that it took place in 1985, when the two were 16 or 17. "A lot of times you look back, you see a guy's name, you say, 'Oh, I didn't realize I played against him when I was 14 or 15.' I'll never forget saying to him, 'Good luck,' when we were shaking hands at the end of the tournament. We definitely controlled the series -- Canada had a good team -- but he was far and away the best player on the ice. I'll never forget that. I remember Brian Leetch -- I was tracking him that year."

Leetch, a big all-around sports fan known for his love of the Yankees, was asked for a prediction for the upcoming Super Bowl, but he declined to give one. "I love being around sports history, and the Patriots are going for that," he said. "But I also know watching the Giants play, how playing well at the right time, believing in your team -- I have no idea what's going to happen in this game, no idea, I really don't. You'd think the way the Patriots' season's been -- but that game the Giants played against them, that was one of the most exciting games of the year. That's why they play them, that's why you watch them -- anything can happen."

Messier was not as reluctant to make a blod prediciton. "24-21," he said, in the Giants' favor. Asked if he was willing to guarantee that result, he said, "No, because I can't do anything about it. The Giants are playing as well as anyone going into the playoffs, and every team strives to be peaking at that time." But we're not here to talk about football, we're here to talk about hockey, Ranger hockey. Tomorrow night, another piece of history will be made at the Garden when Brian Leetch is forever immortalized with his number 2 placed alongside the other leaders of the Rangers' 1994 Stanley Cup team -- Messier's number 11 and Richter's number 35, as well as of course Rod Gilbert and Eddie Giacomin.

To read more about Leetch, see the Daily News -- an expert panel declaring him the best Ranger ever, and John Dellapina's top ten Leetch moments -- plus the Journal News here, here, and here, Newsday, Times here and here, Post, Record, Star-Ledger, AP, NY Sports Day, NYR.com, and NHL.com. Video of Leetch and Messier from last night can be found at MSG.com here and here. Mitch Beck lauds Leetch and provides a copy of his Blueshirt Bulletin article from last year at Howlings. Don't forget the early start time of 6:30, set by the league so that TV broadcasts can start promptly at 8:08 -- the Rangers will be fined if the ceremony runs overtime.

There is a game tonight, by the way, as the Rangers take on Atlanta again. But Ilya Kovalchuk is going to have to miss it, suspended for the hit on Michal Rozsival that got him kicked out of the last match in the last minute of the first period (see Slap Shot and the AJC). Other game previews can be found at Newsday, MSG.com here and here, NYR.com, and Rangerland. The Denver Post reports that the Rangers were scouting the Avs-Preds game the other night even though they don't play either team the rest of the season. Miika Wiikman pitched a 1-0 shutout for the Wolf Pack last night -- see the Courant and Howlings. Prospect Park has a mid-week update.

Larry Brooks of the Post spoke to Jaromir Jagr about his present and future, with Jagr saying things that are no surprise to those who know him but which might surprise those quick to judge him with false assumptions. We don't want to reproduce too many quotes because we want you to read the article, but here are some snippets: "I would like to continue playing next year in New York, no other place, but we have to do good this year because why keep someone around if they don't do it?... Our record so far is kind of my fault, too. I take responsibility... When there are times that I think I get too much of the blame, there are also times when I get too much of the credit. That's for sure. I don't complain when people say all the good things, so I can't complain when people say bad things. I just wish if they want to say bad things, say I'm playing bad, not that I don't care."

[The image shown is an excerpt from the upcoming issue of Blueshirt Bulletin, with a photo courtesy of Getty Images, accompanying a story written by Blueshirt Bulletin reader Peter Hasapis about his encounter with Brian Leetch.]

UPDATE: Marek Malik was absent from the rink this morning, along with his equipment. Tom Renney insists he is still a Ranger and his status is an "internal matter." No further news beyond that, except for the expectation that Malik will not play tonight and Paul Mara will return to the ice. Thanks to Rangers Report and Blue Notes for the update from the morning skate.

Comments

[Bob Birge]

play the following numbers tomorrow: 1 2 7 11 35

In honor of Leetchie, I wrote the following poem. I
want to post it here. (I know it might be a bit long)

Our Leetchie”

The final member of the Blueshirts’ sacred Trinity
beloved by every Rangers’ supporter for all eternity
first there was Mike Richter, the clutch goalie
then, there was the great Mess, who was holy

Now, it’s Leetchie’s time, the life of Brian
one of the finest ever seen in N.Y., we ain’t lyin’
a Connecticut Yankee, his star always shined bright
yet he was so quiet, never craved the spotlight

If Leetchie had his way, he wouldn’t have a night
but we all know that just wouldn’t be right
he wouldn’t want all the attention, all the acclaim
still, the pride of Cheshire achieved greatest fame

During that wonderful year of ninety-four
when he made every Ranger fan’s spirit soar
with a performance for all the ages
the humble superstar earned his wages

For 17 seasons, a Ranger, true blue
good times and bad, through and through
with such pride he wore that sweater
No. 2, nobody ever did it any better

Now his famous jersey will soon hang
forever in the Garden rafters with the gang
Eddie and Rod, Mike and mighty Mess
he was the best, every Ranger fan will confess

During that time, that unforgettable spring
the way he moved the puck made us sing
thank you, Brian, for all the great times, the joy
we remember your Ranger debut, just a boy

You grew up in the Garden, there you became a man
winning the heart and soul of every Ranger fan
thank you, Brian, for the way you played the game
with such elegance and grace, always the same

Though slight of build, in the biggest game of all
he came through as always, standing proud and tall
from the left circle, he scored the first goal
that helped the Rangers win that cherished bowl

On that most special of nights, 14th day of June
when all Rangers fans were singing that happy tune
he won the Conn Smythe, smiling from ear to ear
then the chant Ranger fans waited so long to hear

“Nineteen-Ninety-Four!!! Nineteen-Ninety-Four!!!that night, that moment, remember forever more
thanks, Brian, for your professionalism, your class
to you, we raise a toast from our wine glass

To our Leetchie, most beloved Ranger of them all
three years time, you will be enshrined in the hall
the memory of that Cup victory will never fade
remember the 1.5 mill who turned out for the parade?

After all the heartbreak, 54 long and painful years
with your brilliance, you helped wash away the tears
bringing back to old New York, hockey’s holy grail
thirty-four playoff points he scored, what a tale

To our kids and grand kids we will tell of the story
when our hockey boys achieved their greatest glory
with the slick defenseman who never had any fear
you can hear the Garden, hear them roar and cheer

When Rangers owned the city, an emotional wave
forever boys, so much to the greatest fans they gave
with Glen Sather, we will always have quite a beef
for making Leetchie, in March of 2004, a Maple Leaf

Now, he comes home, we say farewell the right way
shower him with love, a privilege to see him play
it's 1994 again, so effortless is No. 2’s skate
he gets the Cup from Mess, over is the 54-year wait.

At 10:59 p.m., in the booth, Sam Rosen did chime
with JD there that “This one will last a lifetime”
that famous sign, “Now I can die in peace,” it said
Our Leetchie, we will remember him til we are dead

[saget]

as someone who travels 2 hours to get to weeknight games, here's a big sarcastic thanks to MSG for moving the ceremony start time up to 6:30. Anyone know the reason for this?

[Dubi]

Saget, blame the NHL for this one -- they told Atlanta TV that the game would start by 8:08 so they could start their broadcast at 8:00 PM, and worked backwards from there to inculde a 45-minute ceremony and team warm ups. The Rangers will be fined if the ceremony runs long -- as Montreal was when the Larry Robinson ceremony ran overtime. Welcome to the New NHL!

[stuarta]

I loved watching Leetch play his skating ability and vision were so great..

I love these ceremonies brings back many good memories.. Leetch is pure class, low key, team first, and a very proud man.

It i great to see he is getting his day and coming back into the ranger family..

[saget]

All of a sudden the Rangers are afraid of a fine? They sued the league over control of a website. And since when does the visiting team control the TV schedule? I'd love to see the overnight ratings in Atlanta on Friday. That is the NHL for you - bending over backwards for people who don't care, and screwing the ones who do. I can think of no better celebration for 2/1/08...15 years of Gary Bettman.

[Johnny P]

Dubi, felt this was the best way to contact you. I'm in London, is there any way to watch the ceremony online tonight? Can't believe I'm not there for this one.

[Jess]

Saget

It is not being afraid of a fine it is knowing which battles you can win.

We have to choose which evil we prefer the Dolans leading an uprising against Bettman or Bettman continues to screw up the NHL.

Even I do not know which poison I would prefer.

[Johnny P]

Leetch in '94 was sublime. I'll never forget the goal he scored in Game 7 of the Finals. It seemed like it took an eternity for him shoot the puck into the yawning net. He buried it though and the rest is sweet, sweet History!

[Dubi]

A friend of mine has a pair of tickets for tonight in the blue seats on the red line that has to part with -- he's asking 300 for the pair. Send an E-mail to dubi@mindspring.com if you're interested and I'll put you in touch with him.

[cwgatti]

Nothing was better than watching Leetch go end to end. . . .
I wonder if this Sanguinetti kid will bring back those memories someday. Even when the Ranger went into the 7 year skid, it was still fun to watch Leetch play.

[ant]

"When I play bad, people don't ever just say that I'm playing bad, they always say that I don't care, or I'm unhappy, or I'm not trying, or I lost interest," said Jagr, who turns 36 on Feb. 15. "Maybe it's a compliment that people don't think that I can just play bad, I don't know . . .

Jags hit it right on the spot

[Phill]

Ant,

I was about to take that quote and post it here myself. Thank you.

Jagr might not be the greatest captain in the history of the New York Rangers, but he is a damn good player and respectfully, a damn good captain.

[ant]

:)

[Nic]

leetch is without a doubt my all time favorite defensemen....being a goaltender myself....one can only wish there were more players like him out there. Im kinda pissed no channel in northern ontario will be carrying this game.....history in the making and they would rather put a radio show....on tv?
anyway enjoy it, i'll try to catch it on the net!
we'll see what happens
by the way I love the fact that renney threw avery with gomer and jj haha great move!

Go Rangers go please let the winning streak start now! hahaha

[ant]

Nic go to channelsurfing.com they most likely will have the game live

[LarryDavidNYR]

I agree...great article in the post with Jagr.

[zzyzx]

Looks like Malik is finally on his way out the door...so dreams really do come true!

[ant]

zz why u said that?

[stuarta]

read rangers report or Zipay. Malik locker cleared out and Renny said it is a internal issue!!!!!!!!!!!!

Malik situation is a ??????????????

[ant]

Thanks but they say Renney said Malik is still a ranger :(

[Anthony M.]

I would think it has to be a trade because if it were anything else they could have waited until tomorrow and get past the Leetch ceremony. If the Rangers do deal him, in order to get anything of value back, one or more prospects are going to have go with him - unless there is a real boob as a GM out there. Then again, that boob could be Slats if he moves Malik for a big contract that extends beyond this year.

[Ryan]

Great new Rangers blog out there, check it out.
http://rangersblogonline.blogspot.com/

[baals]

interesting that malik is out tonight... he played probably his best game of the season on tuesday night.

[Chris]

wow so i saw Maliks last game as a ranger on tuesday?

im so sad.

/sarcasm

[Jess]

So where in the world is Marek Malik?

Well I have been told a couple of interesting stories that makes some sense.

Rangers have tried to move Malik but nobody still in the playoff hunt is willing to pick up his cap number when others who make less will soon be available.

Those teams who did express willingness at the same time said the cost would be a solid young prospect. With Malik making what he does other teams want Prucha, Dubinsky, Staal or Girardi.

Rangers are unwilling to cut off arm to save foot which makes a trade sound hard to do.

They also are not willing to take ice time away from another kid at Hartford since they already are paying to stash 2 defensemen (Pock and Hutchinson).

Try this one on for size: With no transfer agreement in place Malik agrees to go finish the season in Russia rather than accept a demotion to Hartford. Rangers can clear his salary off their books and not lose a prospect.

It opens the door for a rumored deal with a western conference team for a defender. Those deals would be draft picks or that wonderful future considerations.

OR this one sounds more logical:

Malik was going to be scratched tonight, upon hearing the news (after playing a decent game) threw another fit and left the training center just like he did in Edmonton.

Rangers PR folks do not want the story to distract any attention from Leetch night which is why we will not see anything official until after the game in which Malik was suspended and fined a game's salary.

The only thing that I do hear from everyone that they agree on is the Rangers do want to move Malik

[oleosmirf]

well it looks like the Rangers are losing a home game next year as they will be playing 2 games against Tampa Bay in Prague next year.

[oleosmirf]

and somehow I don't think Malik is going anywhere b/c in all honesty who would want him even if made the league minimum.

[Chris QCT]

Jess - The one thing that sticks out with your second theory is that Malik would have had to pack his own equipment. I would find it hard to believe that he would do that since he has been known to get angry when he is not treated like a veteran NHL player. Veteran NHL players do not pack their own stuff (even when they're leaving the team). And with the whole Leetch evening planned, I really doubt the NYR would have their staff clean his locker out today. Especially when they seem concerned not to let this story take the night over.

To me, the fact that his stuff is gone AND he did not practice tells me that another team may own him now and does not want him to mistakenly hurt himself by participating. If he did get traded, they would want him (and his stuff) out of the NYR organization asap.

We will see....

[ORR Says "Trade to get Tootoo, and Cheechoo"]

Dont get yours hopes up, maybe he just overslept...the big lugg.

NYR better win tonight, or else !!!

[dtaild]

I think any way you look at the Malik situation, he is not a Ranger for long(if not already dropped from the team)...Supposing that he did in fact storm out of the building when he was told he was being scratched, there is no reason for him to be taking his equipment with him, especially at MSG, and that would be twice in a short period of time, so you would have to think that the team will be moving him asap.. We'll probably get word tomorrow he's on Columbus or some other team out west

[Blaze]

Can someone shed some light on why Tie Domi will be at the Leetch ceremony tonight? Were they close friends?

I remember the 1st time I saw Domi play. He was still down in Binghamton and they had a game at Rye that was open to the public...The Islander rookies vs. The Ranger rookies. Domi was out of control. He must have had 4 or 5 fights that night. He was all over the ice nailing anything that moved. After the game my friends & I were out in the parking lot and out comes this little guy Domi…who obviously made quite an impression on us. We chatted him up for about 10 minutes and he gave us two of his sticks. Pretty cool dude.

[Dubi]

Another wrinkle to the Malik situation -- I just found out that Al Montoya, who has not dressed for the last two Pack games, will definitely not dress for the next, and Kenny thinks he might have to use Miika Wiikman after that too -- Montoya and Malik for ???

[Mark]

If they are getting rid of Malik they must be getting a defenseman back. They're just too thin at that position. Probably more likely that he's suspended.

[Shawn]

I'm waiting for Messier to start balling like always.

[Jess]

Malik and Montoya to St. Louis is what I am hearing for Backman and one more player reported to be a minor leaguer

[Sam]

Graves #9 going up on the rafters!!

[Jess]

I think the world of Adam Graves and am very happy to hear that they are going to retire the number 9

However it is so wrong not to honor Andy Bathgate who also wore number 9 and was truly a Ranger great.

Retire number 9 but add Bathgate too

[Matty]

I started tearing up when Leetchie told Gravie the news ... He looked so shocked!

Mess cried more than anyone tonight though lol he was tearing up when he walked out on the ice ...

The ceremony was just perfect, I loved all of it except for the booing of Dolan ... I don't like the man but can't people just give booing a break on a night like this?

Anyhow ...

Backman? So wait ... Why would St. Louis trade for Montoya when Legacy has played well .. hasn't he? Or am I mistaken? Isn't he in the All-Star game? Legacy isn't old by any means ... JD is with the Blues and would have knowledge of Montoya ...

Ok ... I also teared up when they did that video tribute after the ceremony .. that was awesome ...

[Shawn]

Well St. Louis is on a six game losing streak, perhaps they are looking to shake it up a bit, I now Legacy was a little shaking coming off an injury.

[Shawn]

I meant shaky.

[ant]

well im at da game so if malik is traded they won't announce him as a scratch ill update wheb they announce thr scratches

[Ros]

Where is all this info about Blues & Rags trade coming from???? Is it B.S ?

[dtaild]

Technology is amazing

[Jess]

Sorry Matty but the booing of Dolan even tonight is acceptable in my eyes.

The Dolans on their watch FIRED the unsung hero of the Ranger cup win Bob Gutowski who was MSG president at the time.

The Dolans refused to allow Ranger or Knick rebuilding

And no MSG teams have ever been so bad under any other ownership group

The Dolans have treated Ranger fans like trash so the booing is well deserved

[Jess]

Ant

They will not announce any move tonight since it will distract attention from the Leetch event

[oleosmirf]

Why would the Rangers trade Montoya one of the top goaltending prospects in the game for a mediocre defenseman.

I would never make that trade.

[dennis]

Guys...it's LEGACE...not legacy.

I just saw some rumors that Malik is going to CHI-Town with a prospect in what amonuts to a salary dump as the Rangers try to clear space to add Rob Blake...it's probably bunk but it's an interesting rumor.

[ant]

well malik was announced as a scrath so I duno

[Jess]

Dennis

Blake will not accept a trade to the Rangers he wants to retire a King, I think he has a no trade clause.

Ant

It was expected to see Malik as a scratch.

Hey look there is a game on

[Jess]

Think the Rangers played some gamesmanship here starting the game right at 5:08 as I am sure they could have started sooner.