The Bulldogs surprised the league last year, finishing in a tie for third. Unfortunately, star forward Chris Higgins has left Yale and signed a contract with the Montreal Canadiens. Higgins was named ECAC Co-Player of the Year last year, and had 72 points in just two seasons.
Yale lost a large section of their defensive unit, but the remaining Bulldogs will be top performers. Jeff Dywer and Joe Callahan are going to be leading the defense this year, and the younger players all have great potential. Dwyer has been named to the 2003-2004 Preseason All-Conference Team, providing a relatively average team with an individual honor. In goal, Mike Gartner and Peter Cohen will find depth with the addition of freshman Matt Modelski.
Without Higgins, Yale will be looking to some of the freshmen to step forward and put the puck in the net. There are nine returning Bulldogs to the front line. Ryan Steeves, Vin Hellemeyer, and Mike Klema will be asked to boost their play as well. Yale will most likely not find similar success as they did last year without Higgins. If they are able to stay healthy and get solid play from the entire team, they could still be a contender for home-ice come playoff time.
