Michigan State University Athletics
Photo by: Michael Caples
Ryker Lee, Isaac Howard Named to 2026 U.S. Hockey Men’s National Team
5/7/2026 1:48:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Sophomore forward Ryker Lee and former Spartan forward Isaac Howard have been named to the 2026 U.S. Hockey Men's National Team preliminary roster in advance of the 2026 IIHF Men's World Championships, which takes place May 15-31 in Zurich, Switzerland.
The U.S. Men's National Team will compete in Group A, taking on Austria, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Latvia and Switzerland in the preliminary round at Swiss Life Arena in Zurich. Group B consists of Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Italy, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden.
Action for Team USA gets underway with a pre-tournament game against Germany on Sunday, May 10 in Mannheim, Germany. All games throughout the tournament will be broadcast on NHL Network.
A 2025 first-round selection of the Nashville Predators, Lee was previously named to the 2026 U.S. National Junior team where he scored two goals and tallied three points in five games at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championships in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn. Lee completed his rookie season at Michigan State in 2025-26, posting 30 points (15g-15a) over 35 games, ranking fourth on the team in scoring and second in scoring amongst freshmen.
Lee, the youngest player selected to the roster at 19 years old, is one of only three current NCAA players to be named to the 25-man team alongside Max Plante of Minnesota-Duluth and Danny Nelson of Notre Dame.
It's the second-straight IIHF World Championships roster selection for Howard, who alongside Michigan State head coach Adam Nightingale helped Team USA to its first gold medal in 92 years at the 2025 IIHF Men's World Championships in Herning, Denmark and Stockholm, Sweden last May.
Howard is coming off his first professional hockey season in the Edmonton Oilers system where he tallied 50 points (24g-26a) in 47 games for the AHL affiliate Bakersfield Condors, in addition to playing 29 games for the Oilers at the NHL level. The 2025 Hobey Baker Award winner was named to the AHL's All-Rookie team on April 15.
The U.S. Men's National Team will compete in Group A, taking on Austria, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Latvia and Switzerland in the preliminary round at Swiss Life Arena in Zurich. Group B consists of Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Italy, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden.
Action for Team USA gets underway with a pre-tournament game against Germany on Sunday, May 10 in Mannheim, Germany. All games throughout the tournament will be broadcast on NHL Network.
Congratulations to sophomore forward Ryker Lee and former Spartan Isaac Howard on being named to the 2026 U.S. Men's National Team preliminary roster ahead of the 2026 IIHF Men's World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland on May 15-31! pic.twitter.com/EMlqibwFNb
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) May 7, 2026
A 2025 first-round selection of the Nashville Predators, Lee was previously named to the 2026 U.S. National Junior team where he scored two goals and tallied three points in five games at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championships in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn. Lee completed his rookie season at Michigan State in 2025-26, posting 30 points (15g-15a) over 35 games, ranking fourth on the team in scoring and second in scoring amongst freshmen.
Lee, the youngest player selected to the roster at 19 years old, is one of only three current NCAA players to be named to the 25-man team alongside Max Plante of Minnesota-Duluth and Danny Nelson of Notre Dame.
It's the second-straight IIHF World Championships roster selection for Howard, who alongside Michigan State head coach Adam Nightingale helped Team USA to its first gold medal in 92 years at the 2025 IIHF Men's World Championships in Herning, Denmark and Stockholm, Sweden last May.
Howard is coming off his first professional hockey season in the Edmonton Oilers system where he tallied 50 points (24g-26a) in 47 games for the AHL affiliate Bakersfield Condors, in addition to playing 29 games for the Oilers at the NHL level. The 2025 Hobey Baker Award winner was named to the AHL's All-Rookie team on April 15.
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