The New York Rangers have no shortage of good defencemen, whether historically or currently. Legends like Brian Leetch and Brad Park stand out in the team’s history, and current players like Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren sit on today’s top defensive pairings. In light of that, here are some of the best Blueshirts defencemen of all time.
Best Rangers Defenceman of All-Time
Brian Leetch (Blueshirts defenceman from 1987-88 to 2003-04)
Leetch, born in Corpus Christi, Texas, was named one of the NHLs 100 greatest players of the first 100 years (1917-2017) for a reason. Now 56 years old, the Hall of Famer has no shortage of awards. Leetch helped the Blueshirts win the 1994 Stanley Cup and took the Conn Smythe Trophy that year. He also won the 1988-89 Calder Memorial Trophy and James Norris Memorial Trophies in 1991-92 and 1996-97. Leetch also took the Lester Patrick Trophy in 2006-07.
Drafted ninth overall by the Blueshirts in 1986, Leetch would become an offensive powerhouse and impressively versatile. He is the Blueshirts’ all-time defenceman leader for points (981), goals (240) and assists (741) in 1,129 games. In 1991-92, Leetch notched an impressive 102 points (22 goals, 80 assists) in 80 games played. He is also the all-time Blueshirts defenceman leader for power play goals (106).
“First ten minutes on the ice with him, I go ‘Watch out.’ There was nothing Brian Leetch couldn’t do,” said former teammate Ron Greschner in an interview honouring him.
Greschner also praised his skating ability, “Frontwards, backwards, he could skate sideways faster than most guys could skate forwards.” Greschner said.
Leetch also played in nine NHL All-Star Games. He announced his retirement on May 24, 2007.
NHL100: Brian Leetch | NHL.com
Brad Park (Blueshirts defenceman from 1968-69 to 1975-76)
Park “is remembered as one of the greatest defencemen the game has ever seen.” Another Hall of Famer and one of the NHLs 100 greatest players of the first century, his NHL career started as a second overall pick by the Blueshirts in 1966. His main offensive stats all peaked with the Rangers in 1973-74, with 25 goals and 57 assists (82 points) in 78 games.
The now 76-year-old Toronto native played in nine NHL All-Star Games in a row between 1970 and 1978. He also won the Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy in 1983-84 with the Detroit Red Wings.
“[He] probably would’ve been the greatest defenceman of all time if it wasn’t for one other guy from Boston (Bobby Orr),” said Greschner in an interview.
Park was a six-time runner-up for the James Norris Memorial Trophy, finishing behind the great Bobby Orr four times. He was behind New York Islanders legend Denis Potvin twice.
In 1975, he was emotional when he was traded to the Rangers’ rival, the Boston Bruins. It was “one of the most shocking trades in NHL history” according to the NHL.
“I used to get a police escort to and from the ice in Boston because that’s how much I was hated,” Park said in an interview.
But Park was a very reputable defenceman, and his career kept going on strong in Boston. The second-most points in a season of his NHL career came in his 1977-78 season with the Bruins, with 22 goals and 57 assists (79 points) in 80 games.
He ended his time in the NHL with the Red Wings in 1984-85.
NHL100: Brad Park | NHL.com
Adam Fox (Blueshirts defenceman since 2019)
On the right-hand side of the Rangers’ top defensive pairing is New York State native Adam Fox. Fox was drafted 66th overall in 2016 by the Calgary Flames. Despite being only 26 years old, his NHL resume is already thorough. He won the James Norris in 2020-21, and was the first Blueshirt to win it since Leetch in 1996-97. This is not the only thing Fox has in common with Leetch. On Jan. 19, 2022, Fox became the first Blueshirts blueliner to notch at least 40 points in 40 games or less since Leetch did so in 2000-01. Fox’ stats by 40 games that season (2021-22) were 42 points (seven goals and 35 assists).
Where Fox connects to Park is that he started the 2023 playoffs with six points (assists) in his first two games. This beat Park for the most points by a defenceman in the first two games of a playoffs in Blueshirts history. Park was then a finalist for the James Norris a second time.
Fox was also on the NHL First All-Star Team in 2021 and 2023 and played in the NHL All-Star Game in 2023. He was also on the NHL Second All-Star Team in 2024. A good shot-blocker, he notched 123 in 72 games with the Blueshirts this past season. He was also a playoff asset with eight assists in 16 playoff games in 2024.
Jacob Trouba (Blueshirts defenceman since 2019)
The 30-year-old Michigan native has been the Rangers’ captain since 2022, and won the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award this past season.
Trouba is known for being a hard hitter who can prevent opposing goals with heavy bodychecks. He notched 191 hits and 184 blocks in 69 games this past season with the Rangers. His NHL career-best for both blocks and hits came in 2022-23 with the Blueshirts, when he notched a whopping 218 hits and 196 blocks in all 82 regular-season games.
That being said, Trouba is a set-up player and scoring bolsterer who notched a goal and six assists in 16 games during the Blueshirts’ 2024 playoff run.
Jacob Trouba’s Best Plays Of The 2023-24 NHL Season – YouTube
