Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: N'ime oge ezumike, ndị Montreal Canadiens họpụtara Higgins nke iri na anọ n'ozuzu na 2002 NHL Entry Draft. Ọ ghọrọ onye egwuregwu ECAC Hockey mbụ a họpụtara na agba nke mbụ nke NHL Entry Draft kemgbe Normand Lacombe na
1983 (Ndị Buffalo Sabres họọrọ ya 10th n'ozuzu). N'ịlaghachi na Yale maka otu oge ọzọ, ọ ka mma na isi ihe 41 karịa egwuregwu 28, na-eduga ndị otu ya n'ịgba akara maka afọ nke abụọ n'usoro. Higgins nwetara ECAC Player nke Afọ (onye na-anata ya na Cornell Big Red goalie David LeNeveu) na First All-Star Team na-asọpụrụ; a makwaara ya na mpaghara na NCAA East All-American Team.