Excerpted from the Wisconsin State Journal, 9/17/94.  Story by Bill Brophy.
 
        The strange summer of Kelly Fairchild, the leading scorer on the
University of Wisconsin's hockey team, came to an end Wednesday when the
center officially gave up his senior year to sign a contract with the
Minnesota Moose, an independent team in the IHL.
        Fairchild is expected to be the No. 2 center for the Moose, a new
team in the IHL.  His coach will be Frank Serratore, who was fired by
Denver University at the end of last season.  One of his teammates will be
Duane Derksen, a former all-American goalie for the Badgers, who signed
with Minnesota as a free agent this week.
        Most college hockey observers thought Fairchild would be the next
UW all-American and a Hobey Baker candidate if he returned for his senior
year.  He scored 20 goals and 64 points, best in the WCHA a year ago when
he was named to the all-league team.
        But Fairchild elected to give up his senior season, apparently last
spring when he incurred academic difficulties.  When word got out that he
might be scholastically ineligible, the LA Kings, who own his NHL rights,
didn't offer Farichild the contract he wanted and the Cohasset, Minn.,
resident elected to sign with the Moose.
        ...
        "After the season I had, I felt I had proved what I had to prove in
college hockey and it was time to move on," Fairchild said.  "I don't feel
I've been offered a contract comparable to what other people have gotten.
        "When something like this happens, it helps you see what a business
the game of hockey has become.  One day this will all take care of itself,
but it's not the way I thought my pro career would begin."
 
        ... The Badgers will start training camp Oct. 3 with only two
players -- Max Williams and Jamie Spencer -- who have scored more than 10
goals in their collegiate careers.
 
 
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