The Hartford Whalers. The Philadelphia Flyers. The Minnesota North Stars. The Los Angeles Kings.

Ten different NHL hockey teams have drafted 14 of the Harvard hockey players currently on Coach Bill Cleary's roster.

How many of them will make the pros?

With all the great Harvard teams in past years, only one Crimson graduate--Hartford's Neil Sheehy '83--is now playing on an NHL team.

Captain Lane MacDonald is Harvard's big pro prospect of the moment. Drafted in the third round by the Calgary Flames in 1985, MacDonald had his rights dealt to the Hartford Whalers last year.

The Whalers want MacDonald to come to Hartford as soon as the Crimson's season is over. Assistant General Manager Bob Crocker would like to see MacDonald in a Hartford uniform for this year's NHL playoffs. But Crocker is not likely to get his wish.

"We've talked about whether I would consider playing at the end of this year in the playoffs," MacDonald said. "Right now, I'm thinking about Europe as well as the NHL. I'm not that excited about the NHL, I'm not sure that it's all I want to do."

"I have to make a decision very soon," MacDonald continued, "but it's not like the NHL is the end-all for me. I just want to keep all my options open."

For MacDonald, the decision does not rest on money or big contracts, but on where he will be happiest next year. And he's not sure the NHL is the job for him.

"When things are going well you are treated very well in the NHL, but if things aren't going that great they become a little careless in how they treat you--sending you to the minors, getting down on you," MacDonald said. "You just don't have any control. That's a down side to the NHL."

MacDonald, who took last year off to play for the Olympic team, plays hockey with speed and finesse and is arguably the best skating player in the college ranks.

Both the Harvard and the Olympic systems--patterned after the international-style skating game--have highlighted MacDonald's talents. And like for most Harvard players, the physical game that is the trademark of the NHL would force him to make adjustments in his style of play.

"Lane's forte is his skating," Crocker said. "He is an excellent skater and a bigger player than we thought. He is also stronger for having gone through the Olympic program."

"We are hoping he would be able to make a contribution right off the bat," Crocker continued. "Tomorrow, he could skate in this league. The big question is the adjustment to the physical aspects of the game."

European teams are allowed two "imports," or foreign players, each year. Several Harvard graduates have taken advantage of that option, including 1986 Hobey Baker winner Scott Fusco and Andy Janfaza '88.