Harris: The upward trajectory continues

Every player falls in love with hockey at a different time.

For some, it's the first time they score a goal and hear the roar of the crowd. For others, it's when they finally taste the sweet champagne of victory with their minor league team.
But for Jordan Harris, the love of the game gripped him from the first moment his skates carved into a freshly cleaned patch of ice, at the tender age of two-and-a-half years old. He was helped along by his father, Peter, who played professional hockey as a goaltender in the ECHL. Much like his father, and his brother Elijah, Jordan originally wanted to guard the net, but his skill set -- most notably his elite skating -- called for a different role.
"I loved it from the very start," said Harris. "Coming from a hockey family definitely drew me to the game, but everyone pushed me to play a more mobile role; defense or offense."
The decision would pay dividends for the 2018 third-round pick. Not only has he become one of Northeastern's most important players, averaging between 25 and 30 minutes of ice time per night in all situations, he's also in the process of becoming one of the undisputed leaders on the team, thanks to his stoic demeanor and ability to lead by example. It's part of the reason his coach, Montreal native Jim Madigan, is so excited to see Harris return to Northeastern for a third season.
"Besides being a really good player, he's a tremendous young man," said Madigan. "This year he was voted in as an alternate captain as a Junior, and even last year he was part of the leadership group. That says a lot about him. He does most of his talking through his actions on the ice.

In other words, he commands respect, rather than demanding it.
While nearly doubling his offensive output from his freshman season may seem like a significant step forward for Harris -- and there's no denying it is -- it's his maturity and exemplary attitude that has impressed Madigan the most.

It's easy to lose sight of what many of these highly-touted prospects must deal with when joining the NCAA, particularly when they're 18 years old, as Harris was in his rookie year. Doritos make way for nutrition plans, while nights out on the town make way for long days in the gym. And then there's the academia aspect, which adds yet another demanding element to the game plan.
But there's a significant upside to this process. Yes, it takes more time, and there's a lot of hard work and dedication involved, but the results tend to speak for themselves. Not to mention, you rarely hear about a prospect spending too much time in the NCAA, whereas rushing a player has a long history of backfiring in professional sports.
"I'd say confidence is the biggest plus," explained Harris. "The NCAA allows players to work on their weaknesses, all the while helping them mature in other key aspects of life, many of which are off the ice."

That confidence away from the rink has led to increased confidence on the ice, though not without a level of determination and intelligence that will serve him well in his aspirations towards a hockey career.
"He constantly pushes for more," said Madigan. "And that's why he's such a well-rounded player, at a high level, too. That doesn't mean he's just average everywhere; he excels at everything he does. We're excited that he's coming back," because he brings so much to our team offensively and defensively. His skating is already NHL-level right now, and I believe he has what it takes to become a good NHLer."

Part of that belief is born from Harris' steady progression in the NCAA ranks, where the pressure and expectations can be a little less intense than other leagues.
"The Connor McDavids and [Alexis] Lafrenieres of the world, they should be going straight to the NHL. They're good enough. But many players need time to develop," continued Madigan. "A lot of college players hit their prime a little later, and they need the runway provided by the NCAA to get there. It gives them more development opportunities, and not just when it comes to hockey. It provides them more development opportunities academically, socially, and emotionally. That allows them to become better players."

The NCAA path has also given Harris a Beanpot title, one of the highlights of his young hockey career to date -- a highlight that gave him a taste of what's to come in Montreal, especially when you mix in the potential from the other players on the organization's highly-touted prospect list.
"There's definitely a lot of talented young players, which makes it exciting," said Harris. "Even myself, I said, 'Wow, you can see the growth in these young players' during their playoff run. And then there are all the young players pushing for spots, players that can make a difference."

While his humble approach to life prevents him from admitting it, there's no doubt Harris' name should be added to the talented young players list. Beyond his talent, which is undeniable, he has the type of vision and intelligence which allows him to execute plays at a high speed, another boon to his NHL potential.
Speed is key, maintaining proper gap control is crucial, and dedication to your craft is essential, but it's all for naught if the brain can't handle the overload of information that inevitably comes with playing such a fast-paced game.
"He's really intelligent," said Madigan. "He reads the play so well. Our sport isn't like football where you can diagram every play. You have to be able to think quickly. As a coach, when you have players with hockey sense, you have to let them play.

"For example, with Jordan when he's transitioning from offence to defence, a lot of times he'll simply pivot in the neutral zone and angle off the rush or pressure the puck carrier rather than trying to get back into the defensive zone to stop a shot. He can do that thanks to his great skating -- and his intelligence."
A smart, talented, humble young man who oozes confidence and reliability is exactly what you want from a prospect. But it doesn't guarantee an NHL career.
It does, however, give prospects a leg up on the competition, seeing as there's more to being a professional hockey player than just putting up points.
And though Harris prefers to remain in the moment, he does look forward to donning bleu-blanc-rouge in the near future, and eventually enjoying his first strides on Bell Centre ice.
"I can only imagine what it would feel like," said Harris. "I've heard from so many different players how special it is to play in Montreal. The energy from the fans makes it a completely different animal. It's a dream, and I hope it happens one day."
If he maintains course and applies the same type of hard work he's displayed in his two seasons at Northeastern, both on and off the ice, Harris' dream may soon turn to reality.