On the radar: New Hampshire's undersized Darren Haydar may be just a blip on the screens of NHL scouts, but he made a big impact this college season - NCAA Player of the Year and All-American Team

Hockey Digest, Summer, 2002 by Geoff Howell

THERE IS AN OLD HOCKEY adage that says: "Big players have to prove they can't make it, small players have to prove they can." You can be assured that fans of the University of New Hampshire are believers in 5'9", 170-pound senior Darren Haydar. The Milton, Ontario, native wrapped up a stellar career this spring by finishing as the nation's leader in points per game and landing himself third all-time among Wildcat scorers.

Haydar's 31-goal, 76-point performance led the Wildcats to a season-ending No. 1 ranking and the NCAA semifinals. It also earned him player of the year honors from not only the Hockey East Association, but HOCKEY DIGEST. For good measure, Haydar was the Hockey East tournament MVP.

"I remember my assistant coach coming back from a recruiting, trip five years ago and saying, `Coach, how would you like a kid who scores goals and makes plays, but he's only 5'7" or so?'" New Hampshire coach Dick Umile recalls. "I don't care what his size is, he competes real hard. In four years, he never missed a game for us--he just put his nose in there and battled."

The UNH captain finished in the top three in balloting for the Hobey Baker Award, which ultimately went to University of Minnesota junior defenseman Jordan Leopold. Although not the blue-chip NHL prospect that Leopold is, Haydar's leadership and consistent performance over the course of the season were nonpareil.

"You can see the great leadership skills [Haydar] has just by watching him on the bench," University of Massachusetts-Amherst coach Don Cahoon says. "Everyone looks to him, and he accepts that responsibility. He is the one who says a few words to get them going."

Haydar elicits comparisons to former Boston College standout Brian Gionta due to their similar size. Although Haydar is probably not quite as fast off the mark as Gionta, he makes up for it with his stick-handling skill and agility. Like Gionta, Haydar is a former Hockey East rookie of the year who made his initial impression playing on the wing of a great centerman. For Gionta, it was Marty Reasoner. For Haydar, it was 1999 Hobey Baker winner Jason Krog.

Krog's influence played a major factor in Haydar's metamorphosis from young star to ice general. "I learned so much from watching the effort Jason gave every night and every practice, on and off the ice. He was always the first one on the ice and the last to leave," Haydar says. "I have tried to show the way by doing similar things this year. I kept telling the guys that we had to make it a 60-minute effort, unlike last year where we would let down for five minutes and blow a lead."

Unfortunately, the Wildcats ran into a buzzsaw from the University of Maine in the NCAA semifinals. The Black Bears, motivated all season long by the memory of former coach Shawn Walsh, who died early in the fall, scored six straight goals after the first 20 minutes to earn a 7-2 win. The University of Minnesota subsequently topped Maine, 4-3, in an overtime decision in the finals at St. Paul, making Leopold only the fourth player in history to take home the Hobey Baker and an NCAA championship in the same season.

Joining Haydar and Leopold to round out the top contenders for the Hobey was St. Cloud State junior Mark Hartigan. Hartigan signed a contract with the Atlanta Thrashers immediately after the season on the strength of his 37-goal, 75-point effort. Interestingly, the coaches in his own conference named him player of the year, ahead of Leopold. Like Haydar, Hartigan is a creative offensive player who can finish.

Michigan State junior goaltender Ryan Miller failed to become the first repeat winner of the Hobey, but he succeeded nearly everywhere else. He paced the Spartans to another stellar season with a goals-against average of 1.77 and a save percentage of .936. His eight shutouts extended his own NCAA career record to 26. Fears that Miller might turn pro after longtime head coach Ron Mason resigned in March were somewhat assuaged by the appointment of Rick Comley to fill Mason's shoes. Comley is a legend in his own right after a long and successful tenure at Northern Michigan.

Rounding out the nation's top trio of forwards is Michigan junior Mike Cammalleri, who missed 15 games due to the World Junior Championships and a bout with mononucleosis but still managed to put up 1.52 points per game. Cammalleri had a brilliant World Junior tournament and was named the top forward there. After shaking off the mono, he closed the season with 18 points in his last 10 games.

"Cammalleri beat us in the CCHA play-offs when Michigan was otherwise not playing at their best," Lake Superior State coach Frank Anzalone says. "He just put them on his shoulders and took to the task at hand. He was a factor on every shift and reminds me a lot of [former Michigan forward and current Edmonton Oilers standout] Mike Comrie."

Northeastern senior Jim Fahey, one of 10 Hobey finalists, challenged Leopold for honors as the nation's top defender. Like Leopold, Fahey is a rock at both ends of the ice. He should have a good chance to join Northeastern alumnus Dan McGillis in the NHL.