The honors keep stacking for Tampa Bay Lightning prospect and Michigan State University forward Isaac Howard.
Howard—or ‘Ike’ as he’s commonly tabbed—on Wednesday was announced as a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, the annual honor given to the top player in NCAA Division I college hockey.
The Hobey Baker Memorial Award Selection Committee—composed of 29 voters spread between NHL scouts, college hockey coaches, officials and media members—will vote on which of the 10 finalists will be the final three candidates, otherwise known as the ‘Hobey Hat Trick’. Fans can also vote online.
Few people in the hockey realm know the 31st overall pick from the 2022 NHL Draft better than Michigan State University head coach Adam Nightingale, who said his team’s leading scorer deserves the accolades.
“I think he’s a driven kid that loves winning,” Nightingale said. “Obviously on the offensive side of the game he’s very talented, but his inner drive to be great is unique.”
Howard will lead Michigan State on Saturday when they face Ohio State in the Big Ten Conference Championship at 7:30 p.m.
A season to remember
“Great” is a fitting word to describe Howard’s 2024-25 campaign.
The 20-year-old forward has scored 24 goals and 23 assists for 47 points in 35 games for the Spartans, who enter the weekend as the No. 2 ranked team in the nation with their 25-6-4 record.
Howard’s 24 goals are the second-most by any player in MSU program history and tied him for third among all NCAA players this season.
On the second-best team in the country, Howard’s 24 goals are only slightly behind second-leading scorer Karsen Dorwart’s 27 total points this season. Howard's dynamic attack is partly why he should be considered for the Hobey Baker, according to Nightingale.
“He's been a big time driver on our team offensively, a team that's top three in scoring in the country in total goals scored. He's a lion's share of that. And when we track scoring chances every night, he's plus-nine, plus-10. And now he's killing penalties, so he's added that to his game. He's helping us on both sides of the puck,” MSU’s coach said.
“I think the impact he's had offensively on one of the top offensive teams is pretty staggering, and I think that separates him."
Nightingale knew Howard after coaching him with the U.S. National Team Development Program (NTDP) from 2020 to 2022 before Nightingale took over at MSU.
Nightingale said it often takes players time to adjust when they join the NTDP at 16 years old, and some can be overwhelmed by competing in the USHL against players upwards of 20 years old.
Howard, though, showed his potential and dedication early.
"His offensive sense, you could see that right off the bat. And that's something you can try to help guys with, but that's a gift. And then I just think I've never seen Ike come to the rink and have a bad day in four years of coaching the kid. He loves the game. He's passionate about not only offense, but I think he loves being on a winning team. He loves winning, and I think that when he does that at a high level, a unique level, I think for me that's when I was like, ‘Holy cow, this guy's got a chance.’”
Ike’s growth at MSU
Howard began his college career at the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 2022-23 before entering the transfer portal after his freshman season.
Howard opted to reunite with Nightingale in East Lansing, Michigan, and success has followed. He scored career highs with eight goals and 28 assists for 36 points in 36 games for the Spartans as a sophomore in 2023-24.
This season, the offense has exploded, particularly in the goal-scoring department. After scoring 14 goals across his first two NCAA seasons combined, Howard has nearly doubled his career goals with 24 tallies in 2024-25.
An improved two-way game has translated to Howard's elevated offensive season, Nightingale said, adding he pushes his teammates to be better.
“Every player that's offensively talented, you know that motivates them to score, but it's been good to see Ike improve his game away from the puck. That's part of maturing as a player. I just think his 200-foot game is way better, and it's leading to more offense.”
Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois has noticed Howard’s growth and touched on it during his midseason availability in January.
“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 more plays through checks, these were the things we told him he needed to continue to work on, and he’s worked on them,” BriseBois said. “Props to him for putting in the work, to Adam Nightingale and his staff 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."
Longtime NHL goaltender Ryan Miller was the last Spartan to win the Hobey Baker in 2001 after Kip Miller won it in 1990. Howard can become the third Michigan State University player to be named the top player in college hockey.
Macklin Celebrini, the first overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft by San Jose, won the award last season at Boston University.
Howard deserves to be a finalist for the Hobey Baker award according to his coach. Nightingale also said whenever Howard makes the jump to professional hockey, it will be a deserved opportunity.
"I think it’s just looking at his pedigree, looking at his trajectory of he's still a young hockey player but also having the humility to look in the mirror and say, 'I’ve got to get better at these things if I want to play in that league.' And he has. So I think he's a guy that definitely has the tools and the mindset to help a team win at that level.”
