Kammala jumla mai zuwa: A cikin kakar wasa, Higgins ya zaba 14th gaba ɗaya ta Montreal Canadiens a cikin NHL Entry Draft na 2002. Ya zama dan wasan ECAC na farko da aka zaba a zagaye na farko na NHL Entry Draft tun lokacin da Normand Lacombe a
1983 (Buffalo Sabres sun zaɓe shi na 10 gaba ɗaya). Komawa Yale don wani kakar wasa, ya inganta zuwa maki 41 a cikin wasanni 28, yana jagorantar tawagarsa a raga a shekara ta biyu a jere. Higgins ya sami ECAC Player na Shekara (mai karɓar bakuncin Cornell Big Red goaltender David LeNeveu) da First All-Star Team girmamawa; an kuma san shi a yankin a cikin NCAA East All-American Team.