by LARRY BROOKS , The New York Post

There is no doubt that Leetch, who retired following his one season in Boston in 2005-06, will be among the quartet that will be honored.

And there is no doubt that Steve Yzerman and Brett Hull will join Leetch as a member of the Class of 2009. There is little doubt that Luc Robitaille, Leetch's Rangers teammate in 1995-96 and 1996-97, will complete the foursome. If this is not the group, the committee that doesn't ever explain will have much explaining to do.

Leetch won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman in both 1992 and 1997. He won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 1989. He was a first-team All-Star twice, a second-team All-Star three times. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 1994, the only American ever to be so honored.

The Rangers retired his number 2 on Jan. 24, 2008, in honor of an unparalleled 16-year career on Broadway. He recorded 981 points (240-741) in 1,129 games with the Rangers - second in franchise all-time scoring to Rod Gilbert and second in games played to Harry Howell - before the trade to Toronto on his 36th birthday, March 3, 2004, that broke his heart.

The Rangers retired his number, but he would rather have retired a Ranger .

Again, there is no debate about Leetch deserving Hall of Fame status. The only debates are: a) whether this class is equal in stature to the Class of 2007 that featured Mark Messier, Scott Stevens, Ron Francis and Al MacInnis; and b) where Leetch ranks historically among his peers.

Leetch was battered by injuries following the 1996-97 season, but in his prime, Leetch was dominant at both ends of the ice. He transported the puck, made a great first pass and created offense off superior vision and creativity. He was very strong in his own end of the ice, tough in front. He quarterbacked the power play as well as anyone. He could shoot the puck.

Admired as a Hockey warrior by everyone with whom he shared a locker room, Leetch played in three Olympics, winning silver in 2002. He was captain of the greatest Team USA ever assembled, the 1996 World Cup squad that won the championship by defeating Canada.

In the post-Bobby Orr Era, we have 12 all-time defensemen: Leetch, Stevens, MacInnis, Denis Potvin, Larry Robinson, Ray Bourque, Nicklas Lidstrom, Chris Chelios, Scott Niedermayer, Paul Coffey, Borje Salming and Rob Blake.

Our first-team defense features Potvin, Robinson, Bourque, Stevens, Lidstrom and Leetch. Our second team includes Chelios, Coffey, Niedermayer, Salming, MacInnis and Blake.

Let the debates begin, as long as the debates don't concern Leetch's worthiness as a Hall of Famer.

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The case for Leetch

* Two-time Norris Trophy (top defenseman) winner (1992, 1997)

* Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP) winner (1994)

* Calder Trophy (rookie of the year) winner (1989) 11-time All-Star

* Drafted No. 9 overall by Rangers in 1986

* Played 18 seasons with Rangers (1987-2004), Maple Leafs, Bruins

* Had 1,028 points (247 g, 781 a) in 1,205 career games

* One of 5 defensemen with a 100-point season (1991-92)

* No. 2 retired by Rangers in 2008

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