MSU hockey enters the 2026-27 season with a new-look roster, new leadership and three new goaltenders while looking to build on three straight Big Ten regular-season titles.
Michigan State hockey has named senior defenseman Patrick Geary its captain, while senior winger Tommi Männistö and junior winger Shane Vansaghi will serve as alternate captains for the 2026-27 season.
Dolan Gilbert, a 2026 graduate of the Michigan State ice hockey program, has been named the emergency backup goaltender (EBUG) for the Seattle Kraken – the first in franchise history. The netminder was the third-string backup for the Spartans after walking on in December 2023.
The Michigan State hockey team’s student section — more affectionately known as the Munnsters — is adopting a new membership model for the upcoming season, akin to current Izzone memberships. Memberships allow students to purchase Munnsters tickets on a single-game basis during a selection period in September. MSU Athletics said the system is meant to include more students in the hockey student section, which has become a hot ticket due to the program's success in recent years.
Michigan State hockey has added forward Diego Johnson to its roster to replace former commit Nikita Klepov, who signed a professional contract in July and forfeited his NCAA eligibility. Johnson brings the roster back to 26 players, entering off a 46-point season in the Western Hockey League.
Michigan State coach Adam Nightingale, eight Spartans and two commits participated in the 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase which serves as a selection process for the 2027 World Junior Championship, the highest international competition for hockey players 20 and under.
MSU hockey commit Nikita Klepov signed a deal with the Anaheim Ducks, forgoing his eligibility the day after MSU announced its roster for the upcoming season. The team now consists of 25 players for the time being.
MSU hockey announced its roster of 14 returners and 12 newcomers for the upcoming season earlier today. The team contains 18 draft picks including 10 first-round picks, five from the 2026 NHL Draft.
Former Michigan State hockey captain Matt Basgall signed a one-year professional contract with the San Diego Gulls, announced by the organization July 15.
Michigan State hockey has brought in more draft picks and talent each year under coach Adam Nightingale, which was highlighted last week at NHL Development Camps. Eighteen players on the upcoming 2026-27 roster participated in Development Camps last week. An additional six former and five committed Spartans were also in attendance, spanning 19 of the 32 franchises.
Follow along for insight into the NHL Draft and MSU hockey commits. Story will be updated as the draft unfolds.
Several Michigan State hockey commits are projected to be drafted in the 2026 NHL Draft, including Top 20-Ranked prospects like Chase Reid, Ethan Belchetz, Nikita Klepov and Thomas Bleyl.The draft will be held June 26-27 at Keybank Center in Buffalo, New York. The first round will be held June 26 beginning at 7 p.m. Rounds 2-7 will begin at 11 a.m. the following day.
Michigan State hockey's sophomore forward Ryker Lee, former forwards Isaac Howard and Porter Martone and former defenseman Maxim Štrbák will represent their countries at the 2026 IIHF Men's World Championships from May 15-31 in Zurich, Switzerland.
Andy Contois will join Michigan State hockey as an assistant coach ahead of the 2026-27 season, head coach Adam Nightingale announced Friday.
The Michigan State hockey team just snagged another projected first-round commit: left winger Ethan Belchetz. Belchetz adds to the Spartans' incoming roster of high-ranked draft prospects and draft picks: Chase Reid, Mason West, Nikita Klepov, Joshua Ravensbergen.
MSU hockey is expected to return 14 players, including nine forwards and five defenseman. The Spartans have also received three transfers and are expected to fill the rest of its roster with incoming freshmen. MSU’s biggest departures came due to graduation and professional contracts as eight players signed agreements. The team also lost four players to the transfer portal, two backup goaltenders and two forwards, who did not play for more than half of the season.
Michigan State hockey has just received two commits out of the transfer portal: future-senior forward Jimmy Clark (from Minnesota) and future-junior goaltender Quentin Sigurdson (from Northeastern).
Michigan State’s freshman forwards Porter Martone, Cayden Lindstrom and Anthony Romani were the three players to arrive from the CHL, and while MSU fell short of the Frozen Four — one that saw almost 20 CHL players, including all four starting goaltenders — the trio was impactful throughout the season. Each played its role in helping MSU to its Big Ten regular-season title.
Future junior forward Cullen Potter has committed to the Michigan State hockey program for the 2026-27 season, transferring from Arizona State University.
Freshman forward Austin Baker is the fourth Michigan State hockey player to enter the transfer portal, following freshman goaltender Melvin Strahl, sophomore forward Nathan Mackie and senior goaltender Dolan Gilbert.