"I think I get the unique opportunity to be back here and chase that national championship," Howard said. "I think we’re going to have such a loaded roster, so much talent. And having that ability to come back and just be grounded here, going to be trying my best to win a national championship."

Three weeks removed from a dramatic 4-3 loss to Cornell in the NCAA Tournament, the team and coaching staff are still feeling the sting of the defeat. MSU hockey head coach Adam Nightingale said that if you were to ask any coach, this is the worst time of year.

"I think this time of the year, if you ask any coach, it’s a terrible time of year to be honest with you, you want to be playing," Nightingale said. "You get pulled in other different directions outside of what your real passion is, to coach. You’re not able to do that because of the rules, so it usually takes about a month to get over that."

The process of a return

Returning to MSU after being a highly touted NHL Draft pick can be either a simple or difficult decision. For Howard and Augustine, their paths back were different.

Howard was drafted No. 31 overall in 2022 by the Tampa Bay Lightning. After posting a career-high 52 points during his junior season, discussions with the Lightning picked up, but Howard said they never saw eye-to-eye — leading him to forgo a contract and return to East Lansing with a Hobey Baker finalist nod in his pocket.

"I think with Tampa I was at a philosophical divide a little bit in the approach of my development," Howard said. "I think having another year here, for me, it’s not necessarily taking a step back. I just think being here is so good for development and many other areas. We have such good resources. Having that opportunity to come back for me was kind of a no-brainer."

For Augustine, the team was eliminated from the playoffs on Thursday, March 28, and he said he had made his decision by Monday, March 31. The sophomore goaltender said the Detroit Red Wings — who drafted him in the second round of the 2023 NHL Draft — left the decision entirely up to him.

"They made it really up to me, I could’ve signed if I wanted to. But I’m only 20 years old, so still a lot to grow on and improve still. So I don’t think coming back, there’s any downside to that," Augustine said. 

For senior forward Red Savage, however, the final season ended in heartbreaking fashion during a matchup with rival Michigan. Skating off the ice clutching his arm, Savage’s season ended with shoulder surgery in January. He is now exploring the possibility of gaining eligibility for a fifth year to help finish what the team started. With NCAA rule changes in play, his return status may not be known until the start of next season.

"Any team in the country would take Red back on their team," Nightingale said. "I think even for our group we didn’t talk about Red being out much intentionally. I think that ends up giving your team an out. And the guys, I think we had more than enough in the room to get the job done."

Since starting his coaching tenure at his alma mater in 2022-23, Nightingale and his staff have developed several NHL-caliber players. With continued support and elite strength training from strength and conditioning coach Will Morlock, players have opted to return to MSU to reach their full potential.

Others chose to leave early to begin their professional careers. Junior forward Karsen Dorwart skated his rookie lap with the Philadelphia Flyers in early April, while junior forward Joey Larson signed an AHL deal with the Bridgeport Islanders, the affiliate of the New York Islanders.

"It’s awesome to see, I think each one of them has had a little bit of a different path," Nightingale said. "We’re super proud of all of those guys, we know they’ll represent Michigan State the right way."

Next season’s roster shakeups 

Though one season has ended, the next is already taking shape through recruiting and the transfer portal. Both have made an early impact on shaping the 2025-26 roster.

Freshman defenseman Colin Ralph, a transfer from St. Cloud State, is expected to add depth to MSU’s blue line. Ralph recorded one goal and seven assists in his first collegiate season. The Minnesota native previously played at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, where he tallied 10 goals and 91 assists in 111 games. He was selected in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft by the St. Louis Blues.

He’s not the only addition expected to make a difference. With new NCAA rules allowing Canadian Hockey League players to enroll after previously playing in the CHL, MSU’s recruiting reach has expanded. That includes incoming freshman forward Cayden Lindstrom, a 6-foot-4 winger and the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. According to sources, Lindstrom is set to arrive in East Lansing after two seasons with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers.

"You look at it, it’s maybe 1,600 more players that are eligible, right?" Nightingale said. "That doesn’t mean they all, one, want to play college hockey and two, are at the level of player that can play in our conference. You’ve got to identify the players that want to do it and the ones that can do it."

MSU has lost nine players since the loss to Cornell in the NCAA Tournament. The departures include graduated defensemen David Gucciardi and Nicklas Andrews, who both signed professional contracts, and sophomore defenseman Austin Oravetz, who entered the transfer portal. On the offensive side, senior forward Tanner Kelly, juniors Larson and Dorwart, and freshman Mikey DeAngelo have all moved on — along with Savage and backup goaltender Luca Di Pasquo. The roster could look significantly different next fall.

Even with roster turnover, MSU’s approach to training, playing and coaching remains the same. The team’s potential continues to grow — and looks set to do so for seasons to come.

"We know we’ve done a lot of really good things, our process, we’ve been very consistent. I think it’s been since October of '23 since we lost two games in a row, that’s really hard to do and as a coach that’s what you’re looking for, right? You want consistency, and if you keep doing that enough and keep knocking on the door you’ll get rewarded," Nightingale said.

With a core group returning, a top-tier recruiting class incoming and a foundation of consistency built under Nightingale, Michigan State is poised not just to reload — but to contend. The heartbreak of this past postseason still lingers, but in East Lansing, belief remains that the door to a national championship isn’t closed — it’s just waiting to be kicked in.