While three Nanooks have recently made the step up to the pro leagues, junior Darcy Campbell has made the biggest leap right into the National Hockey League.

Campbell played in his first game with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday. The Blue Jackets lost 3-1 at Chicago, but Campbell got more than five minutes of playing time in his debut.

Nanooks' head coach Tavis MacMillan was in Chicago on Friday to watch the game and had nothing but praise for Campbell.

"Night in, night out, Darcy was our best player," he said.

Campbell, who led Nanook defenders in scoring and was third overall, didn't secure an advisor until the night the Nanooks' season ended and had signed the contract by Tuesday, MacMillan said.

"Darcy had no intention of leaving," MacMillan said, "He's a phenomenal kid."

"Very very rarely" do college players step right into an NHL team, MacMillan said. The only other player he could think of to do so this season was Michigan's Jack Johnson, who had four assists in this season's series against the Nanooks.

Also stepping into the pro ranks are No. 1 and 2 team scorers Kyle Greentree and Curtis Fraser, who recently entered the American Hockey League.

Greentree, a junior who shared the title of Nanook captain with Fraser and senior Lucas Burnett, has already played four games with the Philadelphia Phantoms, an affiliate of the NHL Philadelphia Flyers, and acquired two penalty minutes.

His two-way contract with the club means that if his play impresses the Flyers' staff, he could be called up to play for the Flyers.

Asked if he had expected so many early signers, MacMillan said, "Greentree, we knew all along."

Greentree led the Nanooks with 21 goals and 20 assists, and was nominated for the Hobey Baker Award, which honors college hockey's top player.

"Greener possesses some skills at that level that are very hard to teach," MacMillan said. "Consistency will be the key for Greener."

Fraser, a senior, is still recovering from a hand injury he received during the Nanooks' playoffs. But he has been signed on an amateur tryout contract with the Chicago Wolves, an affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers, and has been in Chicago working on his recovery.

MacMillan said Fraser's strengths will be his emotional and physical playing style which is less applauded in the college arenas than in the NHL.

"Curtis is very good when he can let his emotions go," he said.

Also on his side is that he is a passionate player and person.

"Curtis bled blue and gold more than anyone I ever knew," MacMillan said.

Fraser's professional attitude and representation of Alaska's team were other great qualities about him.

While no more underclassmen will step up this season, the remaining seniors on the team have tentative plans.

MacMillan expects that senior Lucas Burnett will be invited to a team around July.

Burnett had lots of opportunities this season, MacMillan said, but decided it would be too difficult to finish up his double major in criminal justice and psychology.

Defender Nathan Fornataro hopes to play professional hockey in Italy. Leftwing Jordan Emmerson plans to attend law school.

Greentree, Campbell, and all of the seniors represented 54 of the team's 99 goals this season.

MacMillan assured that next year's team will be fun to watch and that many of the younger players like freshmen Dion Knelsen and Jeff Lee will step up.

"Eckford has to have a big year," he said of the sophomore defender.

He also said that there are at least eight recruits coming in next season.

As for next season, "I'm apprehensive about throwing the term ‘rebuilding' around," MacMillan said, but "it's no secret we're going to miss those guys dearly."