Michigan State hockey has seen a major renaissance under the direction of head coach Adam Nightingale. Not only are they one of the best teams in the country, but they also feature arguably the best player in the country.
Isaac Howard has proven to be one of the best players on the ice. His goal-scoring for the Spartans has been second to none. The junior forward and Hobey Baker Award candidate continues to be a driving force for the team.
The Hobey Baker is awarded to the nation's best player. MSU has had two players win the prestigious award in history, and Howard continues to put his name in the conversation for this season's award.
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β Big Ten Conference (@bigten) January 13, 2025
Isaac Howard has been having quite the season and is currently leading the @NCAA in Points Per Game! π€©#B1G x #B1GHockey pic.twitter.com/bsxh5l5mIB
Through 26 games this season, Howard was the first player in the country to reach 20 goals. He did so during the Spartans 9-3 thrashing of Minnesota this past friday, when Isaac netted two goals.
He also leads the country in points with 39, and has 19 assists on the season to go along with his 20 goals scored.
The former first-round pick of the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning has been making noise this season, and the organization's leadership has also noted Howard's performance this season. The team's GM Julien BriseBois saw what Howard could do up close and personal on Friday night, according to Benjamin Pierce a Tampa Bay Lightning beat writer.
"I've seen Isaac on video a lot this year and I could see he'd taken a step. But seeing it live, it was impressive. Even meeting with him after the game, like, you can tell he's spending time in the gym. He's got the body of an NHL man now. And not to any fault of his before, just physical maturity, young guy," BriseBois said. "There's a little more pop in his skating, and his play has really evolved. His two-way play is much better, his competitiveness and battles, being able to win battles because now he's physically stronger, being able to make plays through checks, these were the things we told him he needed to continue to work on, and he's worked on them. Props to him for putting in the work, to Adam Nightingale at Michigan State. They've done a great job with him, helping him develop and help him realize his potential. So he's trending really positively."
The Spartans have a five-point lead over Minnesota for the Big Ten lead, and the way Howard continues to play is only going the help this team reach its goals.