Now, Howard is coming back for his senior year — continuing the pursuit of what the Spartans narrowly missed last season: a national championship.

The Wisconsin native has found success not just in college, but also on the international stage. He helped Team USA win gold at the 2024 IIHF U20 World Juniors, scoring the game-winning goal in the final. He also starred with the U.S. National Team Development Program from 2020 to 2022 — following a prolific run at Shattuck-St. Mary’s between 2018 and 2020.

Those formative years laid the groundwork for the player Howard is today — a Hobey Baker finalist and one of the most dynamic skaters in college hockey.

Shattuck-St. Mary’s

During his two-year stint at Shattuck-St. Mary’s in Faribault, Minnesota, Howard was a firecracker.

He played for the program’s 14U and 16U AAA teams, combining for 142 points. He also skated with the Minnesota Kings during his 15U year, tallying 31 points. At Shattuck, Howard posted 78 points in his 14U season and added 64 more at the 16U level.

The United States National Team Development Program

Howard took off during his time in red, white and blue.

In his first season with the U.S. NTDP, based in Plymouth, Michigan, Howard played 34 games with the U17 team and 17 with the U18s, recording 73 points on 32 goals and 41 assists.

He kicked into another gear in 2021–22 with the U18s, leading the team with 33 goals and 49 assists for 82 points.

Howard’s junior-level dominance made him a first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, selected 31st overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tampa retains his rights until August 2026, after which he’ll be eligible for NHL free agency.

Minnesota Duluth

Howard joined Minnesota Duluth for the 2022–23 season, fresh off his first-round selection by the Lightning.

In his freshman year, he posted six goals and 11 assists, recording just two multi-point games. He scored in his collegiate debut against Arizona State and added three assists against Denver but didn’t receive any postseason accolades.

Michigan State University

After a quiet year with Duluth, Howard entered the transfer portal and made his way to East Lansing — reuniting with MSU head coach Adam Nightingale, who had briefly coached him at the NTDP. From the start, Howard made his presence known.

In his sophomore season — his first with MSU — Howard tallied eight goals and 28 assists, an 11-point improvement from his freshman year. He logged several two-point outings and one three-point night, but didn’t record a multi-goal game during the 2023–24 campaign.

Howard’s junior year was a breakout in every sense. He finished with 26 goals and 26 assists — the first Spartan to eclipse 50 points in a season since Taro Hirose in 2018–19. Tripling his goal total from the year before and nearly doubling his points, Howard led MSU in every major scoring category.

Howard’s two-way game also took a leap. He earned time on the penalty kill and anchored the power play, often stationed to the goalie’s left and ready to strike.

Howard had 14 multi-point games, including a five-point explosion against Penn State in January — scoring four goals and adding an assist in a 6-4 win in Happy Valley. He also tallied four points in the Big Ten Tournament championship game with two goals and two assists — including the double-overtime game-winner.

He ended the season with several accolades including the Big Ten Scoring Champion, the Big Ten Player of the Year, All-Big Ten First Team honors and a nomination as a top three finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, aiming to make history as the first Spartan to win in 24 years. 

The Hobey Baker Award ceremony will air Friday, April 11 at 6 p.m. ET on NHL Network and will stream live on the Hobey Baker website.