In Good Company

With today's announcement of this year's Hockey Hall of Fame inductees, Brian Leetch adds another Rangers jersey to that prestigious locale. He, along with his 2009 co-inductees - Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille - is well-deserving of the honour, and provides some lustre to a Rangers organization that often hasn't had much.

He was drafted by New York, won the Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year) there in 1988/89, picked up two Norris Trophies, played almost his entire career for the Blueshirts, and was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner (playoff MVP) in 1994 when the boys won it all. He's the New York Rangers success story that's been sadly elusive over most of the franchise's history, and it was awfully sweet to see him make it into the Hall within his first year of eligibility. In fact, considering the pedigree of this year's class, all four may have gotten in on their first try. If so, then wow! What a year!

Congratulations to all four great players, but most especially to the point-producing defenseman from south of the border whose quiet and respectful demeanour, both on and off the ice, always made him seem more like a Canadian than an American!