It’s rare that Michigan State hockey takes center stage at this point in the offseason, especially with the football program hosting official visits for top recruits and Spartan basketball players participating in Moneyball, but that’s a testament to how good of a job Adam Nightingale has done.
Nightingale is assembling a roster that should be in the mix for a national title next spring. In fact, there are some who believe this is a “national title or bust” season for Michigan State.
It’s hard to argue that with six first-round picks joining the roster for the 2026-27 season.
Two of those first-rounders are even projected to contend for a national award that was won by a Spartan just two years ago. Isaac Howard won the Hobey Baker Award in 2025, becoming the third Spartan to ever do so, following Kip Miller in the 1990s and Ryan Miller in 2001. Now it looks like the Spartans could have a fourth winner in 2026-27.
According to the popular College Pick NXT account, the Spartans have two guys who could win college hockey’s version of the Heisman Trophy this season: Cullen Potter and Ethan Belchetz.
Michigan State is one of two Big Ten programs with two Hobey candidates, per the account, with the other being Michigan with Michael Hage and Landon DuPont. The latter was almost a Spartan so Michigan State was this close to having three Hobey candidates this season.
With that much talent, there’s no reason this team shouldn’t be contending for a title next spring.
Michigan State could dominate the All-American teams
Assuming Potter and Belchetz live up to the hype and contend for the Hobey Baker Award, they’ll be in line to make one of the All-American teams.
But they’re not the only ones.
Ryker Lee is going to be up there as an All-American candidate along with Anthony Romani, Cayden Lindstrom, and — if all goes to plan — Joshua Ravensbergen.
Add in first-round newcomers like Chase Reid, Nikita Klepov, Jack Hextall, and Tommy Bleyl, and Michigan State will have arguably the most talented roster in the country. DuPont joining the mix would have been unfair, but now Nightingale has to game plan how to stop him in the several matchups with Michigan this upcoming season.
Michigan State had three All-Americans this past season in Porter Martone, Trey Augustine, and Charlie Stramel who have all since moved on. Don’t be shocked if the Spartans top that number this season.
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