updated 9:53 p.m. ET Jan. 24, 2008

NEW YORK - Only at Madison Square Garden does No. 2 fit so perfectly between 11 and 35.

It happened Thursday night when the New York Rangers retired Brian Leetch’s famous number. They raised a banner next to those of Mark Messier and Mike Richter, the stellar defenseman’s teammates on the 1994 Stanley Cup championship team that ended 54 years of waiting.

“I have felt this building shake, starting in the blue seats and filling this arena,” Leetch said during the 51-minute ceremony before the Rangers’ 2-1 shootout victory over the Atlanta Thrashers.

Then the 11-time All-Star, who was the NHL rookie of the year, twice the league’s top defenseman, and the MVP of the 1994 playoffs rocked the house again.

Always one to deflect praise and attention away from himself, Leetch stunned the packed arena by announcing a secret he held that the Rangers will retire the No. 9 of longtime teammate and ultimate fan favorite Adam Graves, who stood a few steps away at center ice.

“I said, ’If you want me to do it, I’d love to it,”’ Leetch recalled.

No one played more games as Leetch’s teammate than Graves, who suited up 690 times. He didn’t put up Hall of Fame numbers in the way Leetch, Messier and Richter did, but Graves’ humanitarian side and passion for the game always resonated with the adoring public.

Messier, who had already begun to cry in introducing Leetch, shed more happy tears for Graves, his teammate in Edmonton and New York.

“The only thought that came to my mind was how humble I felt,” Graves said. “Wearing that jersey was gift enough. Having this opportunity, I’m lucky.”

It was an honor that many figured would never come for Graves, who saw Pavel Bure wear the No. 9 after his departure from the Rangers. Graves’ ceremony will be held next season.

“That kind of made me calm because I knew I had that to come and it was going to be exciting,” Leetch said. “I knew Adam was going to be blown away.”

Leetch clapped and smiled widely as his teammate and close friend was feted on his night, clearly thrilled that he could even upstage himself.

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“I was foggy. I had no idea,” Graves said. “It caught me off guard and I was like, ’Go back there, it’s your night.”’

Leetch is second in Rangers history with 1,129 games played in 17 seasons from 1988-2004, first with 741 assists, second with 981 points, and first among defensemen with 240 goals and 981 points.

He clutched his 2-year-old son, Sean, in his arms as the banner was raised over the goal on the east side of the rink, beside tables holding the Stanley Cup, and the Calder and Norris Trophies that Leetch won.

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Always in control, Leetch never really came close to tears. He left that to Messier, who has become almost as famous for his weepy speeches as he is for bold victory guarantees.

“I had a lot of advice from friends who said, ’If you start forgetting what you want to say, just start crying. Just break down and everyone will feel bad and you can just cover up,”’ Leetch said.

When Messier got choked up in lauding Leetch, calling him “the greatest Ranger ever,” one fan yelled in the otherwise silent building “There it is.”

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