Chris Higgins (ice hockey)

Did You Know?

• On September 11, 2019, Higgins returned to the Vancouver Canucks organization as an assistant director of player development.
• On December 23, 2020, the Canucks reassigned him to serve as the team's Skills and Development Coach.
• Listed at 6 ft tall and 203 lb, Higgins plays mostly in the style of a power forward and was compared early in his career to Dallas Stars forward Brenden Morrow.

Playing career

Higgins played four years of high school hockey for Avon Old Farms in Avon, Connecticut, graduating in 2001. He then opted to play in the NCAA with the Yale Bulldogs, also considering offers from Boston College and Harvard University. In 2001–02, he began a two-year stint with Yale, recording a team-leading 31 points over 27 games as a freshman, earning ECAC Rookie of the Year, All-Rookie, and Second All-Star Team honors. In the off-season, the Montreal Canadiens selected him 14th overall in the 2002 NHL entry draft, making him the first ECAC Hockey player chosen in the first round since Normand Lacombe in 1983.

Returning to Yale, he improved to 41 points over 28 games, leading his team in scoring again, and earned ECAC Player of the Year (co-recipient with David LeNeveu) and First All-Star Team honors, plus NCAA East All-American recognition. He signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Canadiens on May 22, 2003, and made his NHL debut on October 11, 2003, in a 4–0 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. After being a healthy scratch and then assigned to the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL, he recorded 48 points over 67 AHL games in 2003–04.

Due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, he remained in Hamilton and improved to 51 points. In 2005–06, he made the Canadiens' roster out of training camp, scored his first NHL goal on October 6, 2005, against Kevin Weekes, and finished the season with 23 goals and 15 assists.

International play

Higgins played in back-to-back World Junior Championships during his college career. In 2002, he recorded four goals and two assists over seven games, helping the United States reach the quarterfinal, where they lost to Russia 6–1. The following year, he matched his points total with three goals and three assists; after losing the semifinal to Canada 3–2, the United States lost the bronze medal game to Finland by the same score. He made his first appearance for the American men's team at the 2009 IIHF World Championship, scoring his only goal in a 4–3 overtime loss to Switzerland. The United States lost the semifinal to Russia and then the bronze medal to Sweden 4–2.

Personal life

Hailing from Smithtown, New York, Chris Higgins was the second of five kids. His dad, Robert, worked as a New York City firefighter, while a younger brother became a New York City police officer. As a kid, he took part in the 1996 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Connecticut Yankees and returned for the 1997 edition with the New York Islanders minor squad. During his minor hockey days, he shared the ice with Mike Komisarek and Eric Nystrom—future teammates in Montreal and Calgary, respectively—and they’ve stayed close ever since.

In his teens, Lithuanian coach Aleksey Nikiforov taught him at hockey camps. Despite growing up on Long Island, Higgins rooted for the Montreal Canadiens, following his father’s lead, and idolized goalie Patrick Roy and captain Kirk Muller. He moved away to play high school hockey at Avon Old Farms in Connecticut, then spent two years at Yale University studying political science and playing for the school’s team. Higgins has one daughter.