A torn deltoid ligament in the right ankle sustained during a Nov. 6 matchup with Princeton sidelined him for 24 games, though, so this time around, when the Rangers came knocking, Jessiman was ready to make the leap.

Before that injury-shortened junior campaign, he had played 68 games and amassed 80 points, 39 of which came on goals. Jessiman’s 47-point freshman season made him the highest-point-producing Dartmouth rookie ever.

“Dartmouth has been the best experience of my whole life,” said the 6’6 Jessiman, “academically, socially, and hockey-wise.”

But now it’s time to move on, and “for me, a scoring-type player,” said Jessiman, “I’m pretty excited about the new rules.”

The elimination of the two-line pass rule “creates a more open game in terms of breakaways, and I also think they’re going to be cracking down on the clutch-and-grab, which should be nice.”

LEAVING THE NEST

Recent graduates Noah Welch and Ryan Lannon signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins Wednesday. Welch was a second-round pick of the club in 2001, while Lannon was taken in the eight round of 2002.

Maki said that other members of the Class of 2004 are looking to break in as well. Goaltender Dov Grumet-Morris, a 2002 fifth-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers, is getting ready for Philadelphia’s camp at the end of August, while Tom Cavanagh (San Jose Sharks ’01) and Brendan Bernakevitch (free agent) will also be looking to play next season, the latter possibly for Calgary’s AHL affiliate in Omaha, Neb.

—Staff writer Rebecca A. Seesel can be reached at seesel@fas.harvard.edu