MSU’s Isaac Howard named Hobey Baker Hat-Trick finalist

Michigan State University junior forward Isaac Howard has been selected as one of the top-three finalists for the prestigious Hobey Baker Memorial Award, which is given annually to the best player in college hockey. He becomes the first Spartan to reach this stage since goaltender Ryan Miller won the award in 2001.

Howard is competing against two other standout players: sophomore defenseman Zeev Buium from the University of Denver and sophomore forward Ryan Leonard from Boston College.

Howard has had an exceptional junior season at MSU, earning First Team All-Big Ten honors, being named Big Ten Player of the Year, and claiming the Big Ten Scoring Championship. He was pivotal in the Big Ten Tournament Championship, scoring the game-winning goal in double overtime and adding a four-point performance. Howard finished the season with 26 goals and 26 assists in his second year with the Spartans.

Although Howard’s return to Michigan State is expected, he is also exploring a contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning, his drafted team, according to Elite Prospects. Due to salary cap constraints, the Lightning may wait until the NHL playoffs begin, as there are no cap limits during that time. Spartan fans might see Howard in a Lightning jersey as early as mid-April.

Buium is one of only two defensemen to make the Hobey Baker top 10. The Minnesota Wild’s first-round pick (No. 12 overall) in 2024, Buium has scored 13 goals and 35 assists in his sophomore season. He sealed Denver’s regional final win over Boston College with an empty-net goal. This marks his second consecutive season as a Hobey Baker nominee.

Leonard completed his sophomore year with 30 goals and 19 assists. His NCAA Tournament run ended with a 3-1 loss to Denver. However, he made his NHL debut with the Washington Capitals against his hometown team in Boston. Leonard was named Hockey East Player of the Year and won the Walter Brown Award. Additionally, he captained Team USA in the IIHF U20 World Juniors Tournament, leading the team to back-to-back gold medals.

The winner of the Hobey Baker Memorial Award will be revealed on Friday, April 11, at 6 p.m. ET. The ceremony will be streamed live on NHL Network.