Howard Named To Hobey Top Ten

East Lansing, Mich. -- Michigan State junior Isaac Howard (Hudson, Wis.) is among the group of standout Division I hockey players to advance into the Hobey Baker Memorial Award Top Ten.

The most coveted award in collegiate hockey, the Hobey Baker Award is given to the top NCAA men's ice hockey player in the nation. Winners are chosen not for raw skill or stats or character alone, though those are important. Teamwork. Dedication. Integrity. Exceptional play. Humility. And, above all, character. These are the values that set the game of hockey, and those who play it, apart from any other, and the values that the Hobey Baker Award honors each year.

Howard, who earned Big Ten Player of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten honors yesterday, was the Big Ten scoring champion and is among the top scorers in college hockey. He has helped MSU earn a No. 1 national ranking and a No. 2 spot in the PairWise rankings, which will determine the NCAA Tournament field later this week.

Howard aims to become just the third recipient from Michigan State to claim the Hobey – Kip Miller was the winner in 1990, with goaltender Ryan Miller claiming top honors in 2001. He is one of 18 Spartans to earn 22 Hobey Baker Award semifinalist honors, and the first since Taro Hirose in 2019. MSU has four two-time finalist honorees (Ron Scott in 1982 and 1983, Kip Miller in 1989 and 1990, Mike York in 1998 and 1999, and Ryan Miller in 2001 and 2002.) In addition, Scott (1982), Chad Alban (1998) and Mike York (1999) were Hobey Baker runners-up.

Isaac Howard

Overall, Howard has delivered 24 goals and 47 points in MSU's 35 games. He is third in the country in goals, eighth in points and third in both points (1.34) and goals per game (0.69). Howard claimed Big Ten Scoring Champion honors with 33 points, 17 assists, and 1.38 points per game in conference contests. He has the most goals for any Spartan since the 1999-2000 season when Adam Hall recorded 26 and is closing in on MSU's first 50-point season since Taro Hirose in 2018-19. Howard has scored just 19 of his 24 goals and 36 of his 47 points at even strength (four power play scores, and one empty-netter.)

Other finalists include Zeev Buium, Denver; Jack Devine, Denver; Aiden Fink, Penn State; Mac Gadowsky, Army; Ryan Leonard, Boston College; Ayrton Martino, Clarkson; Liam McLinsky, Holy Cross; Jimmy Snuggerud, Minnesota, and Alex Tracy, Minnesota State.

A voting panel consisting of coaches, officials, media, and NHL scouts will select the 2025 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner, with the recipient being announced on Friday, April 11 at the Frozen Four in St. Louis, Mo.

Players Mentioned

Isaac Howard

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