NEW YORK (AP) — Hall of Fame defenseman Brian Leetch and former You Can Play executive director Patrick Burke are joining the NHL’s department of player safety.
In moves announced by the NHL on Thursday, Leetch is taking the position of manager of player safety that had been held by Rob Blake, who was named assistant general manager of the Los Angeles Kings last month.
Burke will serve in the new position of director of player safety.
Leetch, who spent the majority of his career with the New York Rangers, ranks eighth among NHL defensemen with 1,028 career points.
Burke, a former Philadelphia Flyers scout, is one of the founding partners of the You Can Play Project, which fights sexual orientation discrimination in sports.
Burke, the son of former NHL executive Brian Burke, stepped down as executive director of You Can Play on Tuesday, but is still involved with the organization.
