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'Hartie for Hobey' campaign falls short
Hartigan looks ahead to next year as rookie season ends due to injury; former linemate Nate DiCasmirro signs with the Edmonton Oilers
 Media Credit: Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalists Mark Hartigan of SCSU, left, and Darren Haydar of New Hampshire, right, applaud Jordan Leopold of Minnesota, center, as he is named the award�s recipient for 2002 Friday in St. Paul.
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To say Mark Hartigan's last two weeks have been hectic would border on ridiculous.
He finished up his college career with a loss to Michigan 17 days ago. Two days later, he flew to Atlanta to sign a pro contract with the Thrashers. He made his professional debut Tuesday in Calgary. Then on Wednesday night in Denver, his year ended when he tore his hamstring during the Thrashers' loss to the Avalanche.
He returned to Atlanta the following day to undergo treatment on the injury. On Friday morning, he hopped on a plane and headed back to Minnesota for the Hobey Baker Award ceremonies at the Touchstone Energy Plaza, adjacent to the Xcel Energy Center.
"It's been wild," he said while signing autographs for a long line of fans there to watch the ceremonies. "I can't even really try to explain it."
Hartigan didn't win the Hobey Baker Award. That went to Jordan Leopold, the all-everything defender for Minnesota. Hartigan, who didn't expect to walk away with the award, said Leopold deserved to win.
"Look at where his team is (the national championship game)," he said. "There is no doubt that he should have won it."
The ceremony, which was broadcast live on Fox Sports Net, took place in a jam-packed room of roughly 2,000 hockey fanatics. This was the first year that the award was presented with the top three finalists, labeled the Hobey Hat Trick, all present.
Hartigan, who didn't know until late Thursday if he was going to make it, was the first finalist to be introduced. As he slowly limped down the aisle, the small contingent of SCSU administrators and fans in attendance showed their support. But when Darren Haydar, whose team lost the day before to Maine, and Leopold were introduced the place rocked.
"There are enough people here from Minnesota and New Hampshire," he said. "But where are all the St. Cloud fans?"
Hartigan didn't mind as much though, his day was already complete. He returned to St. Cloud for the weekend. "I gotta go out with the guys," he said.
Earlier that day, he was picked up at the airport by Linda DiCasmirro, who had just dropped her son Nate off. Hartigan's linemate for most of his final season in St. Cloud had signed a contract with the Edmonton Oilers earlier that morning and was off to Hamilton, Ontario, to join the Oilers' top minor league affiliate. DiCasmirro couldn't be reached for comment.
Hartigan will hop on a plane today and head back to Atlanta for the final two weeks of the season. After that he's coming back to St. Cloud to move his things out of his apartment. Then he's going to Calgary, where he will live with DiCasmirro to train for the upcoming NHL season.
Nick Clark can be reached at: [email protected]
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