Defensive Pairing 1
- LD: Brian Leetch, L (C) (1987-2004)
- RD: Jeff Beukeboom, R (1991-99)
One guy is widely considered the best player in Rangers history while the other just barely made the roster.
Brian Leetch is the greatest Ranger of them all. Despite playing the position of defense his 981 points are good enough for second in team history. His 741 assists crushes the competition (Gilbert, 615). He leads the way for our defensive grouping without any hesitation.
Jeff Beukeboom, on the other hand, was a struggle to choose over some of the other choices.
There’s no question Beuke played long enough for the franchise. His career +63 with the team is also a top notch mark. Why he received the nod is thanks in part to his familiarity in playing with Leetch, his toughness, and the simple fact that he’s a righty.
Most of the great defenseman in Rangers history are lefties. This makes it challenging to pair everybody up. While Beukeboom was a fringe guy, his toughness and willingness to fight (1,157 penalty minutes which ranks second in team history), along with being a righty, got him the nod.
He also allowed us to not feel forced to take a goon up front and stick him on the fourth-line.
