‘B’ PARTY

Leetch’s bum ankle not completely healed

For the first time in 16 years, the Rangers opened a season without Brian Leetch in the lineup. That’s because, for the second time in two years, the 35-year-old defenseman was facing an extended absence because of a left ankle injury. Leetch, who missed 31 games last year with a deep ankle bruise he sustained when struck by a slapshot, now seems likely to miss at least the first three weeks of this season after re-injuring the ankle. He was struck in the same spot by teammate Bobby Holik’s one-timer in a Sept. 5 pickup game at the team’s practice rink. “Realistically, if I’m playing in October, that’d be great,” Leetch, who will wear protective padding in both skates, said Oct. 7 after taking a short spin on his own. “I’m still…

Champion RiverKings get ready to hit road

If the Memphis RiverKings, the Central League’s defending champions, want to three-peat this season, they’ll have to overcome a serious obstacle - the extended road trip. In fact, all CHL teams will have to tangle with this problem as the league expands to 17 teams in eight states, welcoming the Colorado Eagles and Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees as expansion franchises. To offer perspective, the CHL now stretches from Indianapolis in the east to Albuquerque in the west and as far south as the Rio Grande Valley near the Mexican border. “Seventeen teams presents a bit of a challenge because of the odd number, but we feel the league has a good foundation,” said CHL president Brad Treliving. “We have a back-ground and history now in a lot of areas.” The RiverKings historic run…

Leopold well-schooled for sophomore year

He was the 2002 Hobey Baker award winner, so when Jordan Leopold joined the Calgary Flames last season, expectations were high. The Flames had just traded their No. 1 defenseman, Derek Morris, to Colorado, thinking Leopold could pick up some of Morris’ minutes and his responsibilities. Instead, Leopold struggled and was farmed out soon after Darryl Sutter took over as coach. A series of injuries forced the Flames to recall Leopold and upon his return, he played much better. According to Sutter, Leopold had one of the worst minuses among NHL defensemen when he went down, but upon his return was an even-player the rest of the way. “So that tells you, it’s mostly mind over matter,” Sutter said. Leopold agreed things are more comfortable for him the second time around. “You know the system,…