When the news came down a few days or weeks or however long it was ago that Mike Richter and Brian Leetch, two Legends of Broadway hockey were going to be inducted into the USA Hockey Hall of Fame i had some strange feelings. Like…why werent they already inducted? Both were awesome NHL players, great ambassadors for hte game and o yea won the 96 World Cup and the Silver in 2002.Most definitely the best Americans at their positions.
Leetch Captained the 96 World Cup team with Richters big time goaltending to the Gold and probably the biggest USA hockey moment since 1980. Sure they were both part of hte 98 Olympic team that dissapointed but who cares since htey made that dramatic run in 02 to the Gold Medal game, where canda flexed their muscles and left Team USA in hte dust. But hey, the Silver is still pretty damn cool. Like you wouldnt take a silver medal. Please.
Onto the debate about best ever at their positions. Tom Barasso is the only other netminder who is even in the discussion with Richter. But i think Richters Team USA moments may compensate for his shortened NHL career plus Richter is so incredibly awesome and as far as i can tell Tom Barasso is not.
Leetch also only has one player in his way and that man is actually still playing. Chris Chelios. Chelios is a future HOFer as is Leetch but Chelio’s has never been hte two way force that Leetch was. Chelio’s is a great player and its a testament to how good he still is that he is still playing, at i believe 79 years old. Sure he didnt play at all in hte Cup this year but he lost his dentures, common mistake. Leetch i think has more USA experience, though that might be completely made up, and i love Brian Leetch so to me he is hte best US born D Man ever.
