Just a couple of weeks after becoming the latest Michigan State hockey star to win the coveted Hobey Baker Award, Isaac Howard joined forces with his head coach on Team USA.
That's right, just ahead of the IIHF World Championships in Denmark and Sweden, Howard has been announced as the newest member of the team, joining Adam Nightingale who was named an assistant coach earlier this offseason.
MSU hockey's official account announced the news on Wednesday afternoon.
Howard had one of the most impressive seasons in program history, notching 52 points over the course of the Big Ten title season, averaging 1.41 points per game. His 26 goals and 26 assists for the Spartans were good enough to win him the Hobey Baker and he was also obviously a first-team All-American, the Big Ten Player of the Year, and a first-team All-Big Ten member.
With a chance to head to the pros following the season, Howard announced that he would be returning for one more year with star goalie Trey Augustine.
Michigan State could very well be the preseason No. 1 team in the country.
Team USA got a good one here as Howard isn't just a great player, but he's a great teammate and there's a reason why everyone is excited to have him back. He's been one of the best players the program has seen in years and he's a major reason for the resurgence of MSU hockey.
Just in case you needed another reason to tune in to the IIHF World Championships from May 9 through May 25, having two Spartans on Team USA has to help.