Michigan State hockey, usually seen as an average team, has skyrocketed to success in the past few years in wins and talent. Beginning on May 3rd, 2022, with the naming of new head coach Adam Nightingale, MSU has brought in and developed many talented names in talent. Probably the most notable is Artyum Leshunov, who was drafted 2nd overall in 2024 by the Chicago Blackhawks and was promoted fully from the AHL to the NHL in March of 2025. Since then, Nightingale and MSU have brought in more talent, including prospects for the NHL, such as Porter Martone and Cayden Lindstrom, who were both top-8 picks in the NHL draft.
That is not the only recent addition to the program; Munn Arena underwent a $26.2 million expansion and renovation in 2022, enhancing player facilities, crowd enjoyment, experience, and the overall program look. The facility included new player lounges, training rooms, and locker rooms, a state-of-the-art weight room, and a video theatre, alongside improvements for fans, with their updated new video boards and seating.
With these new facility upgrades, East Lansing has become a hockey capital for Michigan, having a winning record in the past few years against each top-ranked team in the country. Since 2023, the Spartan hockey team has had a much better record than in recent years, including a 4-1 record versus the Michigan Wolverines and a dominant record against them in Detroit for the “Duel in the D” series. This is leading a changing trend of the record vs Michigan in an all-time perspective. The Western Michigan Broncos have not been spared, having lost 3-1 versus the Spartans in the Great Lakes Classic Championship. The Spartans have not just had success against teams in Michigan, as they had a 5-2 record in out-of-conference games. While in conference, they shared a similar taste for success in winning puck and stick, with a 15-5-4 record dominating the conference. They also became the first team in Big Ten history to win out in the regular season and end up winning the postseason Big Ten tournament for back-to-back years, setting a new standard for the program.
This standard should be in safe hands with this year’s Spartan squad, as they have returning goalie Trey Augustine, who is widely regarded among the NCAA as one of, if not the best, goalies. Augustine has had a large amount of success outside of college as well, playing with Team USA, winning three straight World Junior Championships, and securing the title for the team as the winningest goalie in the history of the team. With Isaac Howard, aka “Ice Man,” back for another year, there is no telling how successful this Spartan team could be. Hopefully, they will be hoisting a trophy in Las Vegas.
