Editing Brian Leetch (section)

===Playing career===
After one season at [[Boston College]], he played for the [[United States men's national ice hockey team|US Olympic team]] at the [[Ice hockey at the 1988 Winter Olympics|1988 Games in Calgary]], making his NHL debut, eight days later, with the New York Rangers on February 29, 1988, versus [[St. Louis Blues|St. Louis]]. Leetch tallied his first NHL point in the game with an assist on [[Kelly Kisio]]'s goal. He finished out the [[1987-88 NHL season|1987-88]] season with 14 points in 17 games. In his first full NHL season ([[1988–89 NHL season|1988-89]]), Leetch notched 71 points, including a rookie defenseman-record 23 goals, winning the [[Calder Memorial Trophy]] as well as being selected to the [[NHL All-Rookie Team]].

As the Rangers slowly developed into a championship-caliber team, Leetch won increasing respect from fans for his quiet demeanor and entertaining, offensive-minded play. In [[1991–92 NHL season|1992]] he became the fifth defenseman in history, and the only American defenseman, to record 100 points in a season and was awarded the [[Norris Trophy]]. Leetch was the last NHL defenseman to record 100 points for a season until [[Erik Karlsson]] reached the mark in {{NHL Year|2022}}. On March 21, 1993, Leetch suffered a broken ankle after slipping on black ice after stepping out of a cab.<ref name="brooks">{{cite web |url=https://nypost.com/2015/02/07/lundqvist-isnt-alone-the-injuries-that-altered-rangers-history/ |title=Lundqvist isn't alone: The injuries that altered Rangers' history |last=Brooks |first=Larry |work=New York Post |date=February 7, 2015 |access-date=November 7, 2022}}</ref> The injury caused Leetch to miss the rest of the season, prompting a Rangers slump that caused them to miss the playoffs.<ref name="brooks" /> In [[1993–94 NHL season|1994]] he again matched his career-high of 23 goals in the regular season as the Rangers won the [[Presidents' Trophy]]. That year, the Rangers' 54-year championship drought ended with a seven-game [[Stanley Cup Finals]] victory over the [[Vancouver Canucks]]. Leetch became the first non-Canadian to be awarded the [[Conn Smythe Trophy]], and remained the only American to do so until  [[Tim Thomas (ice hockey, born 1974)|Tim Thomas]] of the [[Boston Bruins]] in 2011. Leetch was the second player in NHL history (after [[Bobby Orr]]) to win the [[Calder Memorial Trophy|Calder Trophy]], the [[James Norris Memorial Trophy|Norris Trophy]], and the Conn Smythe Trophy in his career. Only [[Cale Makar]] has matched this feat since.

Following the Rangers' Cup win in 1994, Leetch remained a fan favorite and team leader, serving as [[Captain (ice hockey)|Captain]] from 1997–2000 after the departure of [[Mark Messier]] to the [[Vancouver Canucks]] (he would return the captaincy to Messier upon Messier's return to the Rangers in 2000).

In 1996, Leetch captained the victorious [[United States men's national ice hockey team|American team]] at the inaugural [[1996 World Cup of Hockey|World Cup of Hockey]].

[[File:Brian Leetch New York Rangers 1997.jpg|right|thumb|Leetch playing for the New York Rangers in 1997]]
In [[1996–97 NHL season|1997]], he again won the Norris Trophy and the Rangers made a surprise run to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they were defeated by the [[Philadelphia Flyers]]. The next years, however, were marked by disappointing team performances that saw the Rangers miss the playoffs every year.

====After the Rangers====

In 1998, Leetch was ranked 71st on [[List of 100 greatest hockey players by The Hockey News|''The Hockey News''' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/article/the-top-100-nhl-players-of-all-time-throwback-style|title=The Top 100 NHL players of all-time, throwback style |last=Kay|first=Jason|work=The Hockey News|access-date=2018-02-08}}</ref> On June 30, 2003, as a pending free agent, his rights were traded to the [[Edmonton Oilers]] in exchange for [[Jussi Markkanen]] and a fourth-round pick in the [[2004 NHL Entry Draft|2004 draft]]. The Oilers did not sign him, and he signed a two-year contract to return to the Rangers a month later.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/31/sports/hockey-the-rangers-sign-leetch-to-a-two-year-contract.html|title=Hockey; The Rangers Sign Leetch To a Two-Year Contract |work=The New York Times |last=Litsky |first=Frank |date=July 31, 2003 |access-date=November 7, 2022 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> After the especially unsuccessful [[2003–04 NHL season|2004]] campaign, the Rangers traded most of their high-priced veterans;  Leetch was traded to the [[Toronto Maple Leafs]] just prior to the trade deadline for prospects [[Maxim Kondratiev]], [[Jarkko Immonen]], a first-round pick in the [[2004 NHL Entry Draft|2004 draft]], which became [[Kris Chucko]] (pick was later traded to the [[Calgary Flames]]), and a second-round pick in [[2005 NHL Entry Draft|2005]], which became [[Michael Sauer (ice hockey)|Michael Sauer]].

Leetch was set to play the [[2004–05 NHL season|2004–05 season]] with the Maple Leafs; however, due to the [[2004–05 NHL lockout|2004–05 lockout]], the last year of his contract expired, and he became a free agent. Leetch signed a one-year, $4-million contract with the [[Boston Bruins]] before the [[2005–06 NHL season|2005–06 season]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=2123660 |title=Bruins sign defenseman Leetch to one-year deal |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=August 3, 2005 |access-date=November 7, 2022}}</ref> Although the Bruins failed to make the postseason, Leetch scored his [[List of NHL players with 1000 points|1,000th career point]] as a member of the team.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/bruins/news/montreal-beats-bruins-4-3-leetch-notches-1000th-point/c-447032 |title=Montreal beats Bruins, 4-3; Leetch notches 1,000th point |publisher=NHL.com |access-date=November 7, 2022}}</ref>

Throughout the [[2006–07 NHL season|2006–07 season]], Leetch received contract offers from several NHL teams, but accepted none.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=NHL.com |url=http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=310882&page=NewsPage&service=page |title=Leetch: Remember me as a Ranger}}{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/25/sports/hockey/25leetch.html |title=Brian Leetch Retires From Hockey |work=The New York Times |last=Zinser |first=Lynn |date=May 25, 2007 |access-date=November 7, 2022}}</ref> On May 24, 2007, Leetch officially announced his retirement, bringing his 18-year NHL career to an end.<ref name="tsn">{{cite web |publisher=TSN.ca |url=https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=208719 |title=Leetch officially retires from NHL |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080331201707/http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=208719 |archive-date=2008-03-31 |agency=The Canadian Press}}</ref>

On September 18, 2007 Leetch was announced as one of the four recipients of the 2007 [[Lester Patrick Trophy]].<ref>{{cite web |publisher=NHL.com |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/leetch-granato-fischler-and-halligan-selected-as-recipients-of-2007-lester-patrick-award/c-372455 |title=Leetch, Granato, Fischler and Halligan selected as recipients of 2007 Lester Patrick Award|access-date=June 9, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |agency=The Canadian Press |title=Leetch, Cammi Granato Among 4 Winners of Lester Patrick Award |url=http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/article/leetch-cammi-granato-among-4-winners-of-lester-patrick-award|work=The Hockey News |access-date=22 December 2017 |date=November 7, 2007}}</ref>

On January 24, 2008, the New York Rangers retired Leetch's number 2 jersey, joining fellow 1994 Stanley Cup Champion teammates [[Mark Messier]] and [[Mike Richter]], as well as [[Rod Gilbert]] and [[Eddie Giacomin]] in the rafters of [[Madison Square Garden]]. On that night, his friend, [[Derek Jeter]] of the [[New York Yankees]] congratulated Leetch for the honor of having his number retired with a video that ended with Jeter saying "So congratulations, from one number 2 to another."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/rangers-raise-leetchs-no-2-to-rafters-of-madison-square-garden/c-351151 |title=Rangers raise Leetch's No. 2 to rafters of Madison Square Garden |publisher=NHL.com|access-date=June 9, 2023}}</ref> Leetch also had the honor of announcing during his ceremony that the New York Rangers would retire his friend and former teammate [[Adam Graves]]' number during the 2008–09 season, joining Leetch and the other greats above the Madison Square Gardens ice.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rangers.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=20392 |title=No. 2 Goes to The Garden Rafters; No. 9 Next |publisher=New York Rangers |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080127160404/http://rangers.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=20392 |archive-date=January 27, 2008}}</ref>

On October 10, 2008, both Leetch and Richter were inducted into the [[United States Hockey Hall of Fame]] in Denver.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Eichel |first1=Matt |title=US Hockey Hall Of Fame Inducts Richter, Leetch, and Hull |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/46866-us-hockey-hall-of-fame-inducts-richter-leetch-and-hull |website=Bleacher Report |access-date=16 February 2022}}</ref> Both of them also played for the silver medal-winning [[United States national men's ice hockey team|U.S. ice hockey team]] during the [[2002 Winter Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The new Hall of Famers |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/the-new-hall-of-famers/c-385969 |publisher=NHL.com |access-date=16 February 2022}}</ref>

On June 23, 2009, it was announced that Leetch would be inducted into the [[Hockey Hall of Fame]]. He was honored during the November 6–9 induction weekend alongside [[Steve Yzerman]], [[Brett Hull]] and [[Luc Robitaille]].<ref name=HHOF>{{Cite web|url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/html/ind09prolog.htm#1styears|title=Hockey Hall of Fame Announces 2009 Inductees|date=June 23, 2009|access-date=June 23, 2009 |work=Legends of Hockey |publisher=[[Hockey Hall of Fame]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706135908/http://www.legendsofhockey.net/html/ind09prolog.htm#1styears|archive-date=July 6, 2010}}</ref> The induction made it the third year in a row that a member of the Rangers' 1994 Stanley Cup team has been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, following Messier in 2007 and [[Glenn Anderson]] in 2008, who was also inducted along with one of the on-ice officials when the Rangers won the Stanley Cup, [[Ray Scapinello]].

In August 2015 Leetch became manager of player safety in the NHL's Department of Player Safety, leaving after one season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/leetch-burke-join-nhl-department-of-player-safety/c-680736|title=Leetch, Burke join NHL Department of Player Safety|access-date=September 17, 2016|publisher=NHL.com|date=August 22, 2013}}</ref>