Hall of Fame
When Daryn McLean realized his dream of playing in the National Hockey League wasn’t possible, there were two things he wished for instead.
“I wanted to play hockey for all four years and get an education (in college),” said McLean, a Toronto native. “I didn’t want to go anywhere where I’d only play for two years. I felt comfortable I’d be able to contribute at Potsdam. It wasn’t a program with a lot of prior success, so I knew I could be part of turning the program around, which was attractive to me.”
From 1992-96, McLean became a fixture in the Bears’ men’s hockey program, playing in 99 games during his career. His career reached a peak during his final season, when the Bears won their first-ever SUNYAC championship and appeared in the NCAA Division III Tournament.
McLean, who played in an NCAA Division III All-Star game after contributing 18 goals and 26 assists that season, said the team’s 1-0 double-overtime victory over Oswego in the conference tournament semifinal was one of the most memorable moments of his career.
“To win the conference my senior year was a great accomplishment,” McLean said. “My roommate, Tony Matczynski, scored the game-winner in the second overtime of the semifinal at home. The rink was packed, and the crowd was going crazy.”
McLean ended his career with All-SUNYAC honors and 130 career points, including 63 goals and 67 assists. He graduated in 1996 with a bachelor’s in sociology and criminology.
Ed Seney, who coached at SUNY Potsdam from 1988-2002, liked McLean’s attitude and consistency.
“Daryn was a good leader and a great hockey player,” Seney said. “He gave us confidence. Coming from (junior A hockey program) Wexford, a winning program, Daryn didn’t accept losing. He was a physical presence who got the most out of his ability, and the guys followed his lead.”
McLean admitted he didn’t know much about Potsdam prior to coming to campus. He adjusted quickly, however, posting nine goals and 11 assists during his freshman season to earn team Rookie of the Year accolades.
Over the next few years, McLean said he was close with his teammates, which helped him keep “on the straight and narrow” while enjoying the Raquette River and the countryside, and playing golf.
“I was more of an athlete-student than a student-athlete, but I wanted a degree,” McLean said. “Hockey provided a discipline, because you had to attend study halls the first couple years and have a good GPA to be able to play. We were like a fraternity … we were friendly with the other teams too.”
Seney could tell McLean, a two-year captain, would be successful in the future.
“Daryn had a good sense of humor and was very genuine,” Seney said. “He was brought up well and comes from a good family. He just gets it. He could hang out with different people and not be uncomfortable.”
McLean, 38, has proven his coach right. He is now the president of Moore-McLean Insurance Group, and is involved in various children’s charities in the greater Toronto area. McLean and his wife, Amy, who he met at Potsdam, have three children – Nathan (5), Harrison (2.5) and Alexandra (6 mos.).
McLean credits his student-athlete experience with enhancing three personality traits – teamwork, leadership and competitiveness – key to running his business.
“The leadership roles between hockey and business are a good transition,” McLean said. “Also, driving sales shows a will to win, which is a big component of the job. I’m drawn to hiring former varsity athletes, especially in team sports, because they recognize teamwork. There is a lot of crossover between sports and business.”
