Brian Leetch enters the Hockey Hall of Fame today and that has even casual Ranger fans busting buttons. Leetch managed to capture the hearts of hockey fans in New York and around the NHL by being an American, a skillful defenseman, a potent offensive threat, a penalty-killer extraordinaire and a gentleman. Admittedly, being an American is a fact of birth, but being a talented hockey player, and on an original six team to boot, makes you stand out. Being a talented, American, offensive defenseman and a gentleman, makes you exceptional – and Brian Leetch is exceptional.

Leetch’s jersey hangs from the rafters of Madison Square Garden, his number retired, along with a handful of other Ranger greats. Retiring his jersey and his induction into the Hall of Fame is a tribute to his on-ice statistics, and there are many of which he can be proud, but more importantly, a tribute to Brian Leetch, the man. In an era when a professional wrestling mentality ruled the NHL, Leetch was a throw back to the days when finesse, clean checking, a hard shot and end-to-end skating ability were the rule, rather than the exception. On June 14, 1994, when 54 years of misery came to an end and hundreds of thousands of Ranger fans drew a collective sigh of relief, Mark Messier achieved sainthood and every Ranger fan cheered for the fact that Brian Leetch would get to know what it was like to be on a Stanley Cup champion. If anyone deserved it, he did. His goal in Game 7 of that series not only reinforced that belief, but metaphorically represented his career – grace under pressure. It would mean that unlike Donnie Baseball of the Yankees, Leetchy would get to carry the pot of gold.

If this piece ended here, enough would have been said to justify the Hall of Fame induction – but there is more. Brian Leetch spent a career proving Leo Durocher wrong, Nice Guys Do Not Finish Last. How many pee-wee through junior hockey defensemen fantasized about being Brian Leetch? How many coaches and hockey Dad’s sat their budding defensemen down at the Garden or in front of a VCR (remember those?) to watch Brian Leetch play and demonstrate how it’s done? How many charity events were successful because Brian Leetch gave his time and energy, signed autographs, donated equipment or simply lent his name to the event?

True ambassadors of a sport, the players that exemplify the best of the sport and bring attention to the game in a positive way, are a rarity. Professional sports compete for the entertainment dollar with all forms of entertainment, which in a City like New York is quite extensive. This is no easy task, because hockey is simply not America’s sport. Brian made hockey leech into non-hockey fans here in New York and all over this country. Judging by attendance around the league and the TV ratings, more like him better turn up, and soon.