The Michigan State Spartans enjoyed a resurgent season in 2023-24. Fueled by key transfers and one of the best recruiting classes the program had seen in years, Michigan State won the Big Ten regular-season and postseason titles. 

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Head coach Adam Nightingale was largely viewed as a program savior upon his hiring, and has done little to dissuade since. But even if you were to ask Nightingale, he knows any coach is only going to be as good as the talent he has been able to surround himself with.

Over the last two seasons, that influx of talent has allowed the Spartans to climb to heights they hadn’t seen in 20 years. Even with a few key losses off of last season’s roster, the expectations for Michigan State has risen to not only conference titles, but national championship contender.

This weekend, the Spartans will head to Buffalo for a two-game series with Atlantic Hockey’s Canisius Golden Griffins. Both games will appear right here on FloHockey as one of the most exciting non-conference series on the Atlantic Hockey calendar.

The Spartans enter the contest as the No. 4 team in both major men’s college hockey polls, sporting a 3-1-0 record with their lone loss coming in a split with No. 2 Boston College in what will probably go down as one of the best series in college hockey this year.

Their offense has been fueled by junior forward Isaac Howard, a first-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning who transferred in as a sophomore from Minnesota Duluth. Howard, aptly nicknamed “Iceman” has brought a dose of skill and a bunch of points to the lineup this season, just as he did last year. Through the team’s first four games, Howard has a team-best seven points.

While offense is a big story for this team, perhaps the biggest reason the Spartans are viewed as a serious contender is because of the sophomore that tends their net.

Trey Augustine, a Michigan native and second-round pick by the Detroit Red Wings, has been among the best goalies in college hockey the last two years and could very likely be viewed as the centerpiece of Michigan State’s resurgence.

Through four starts this season, Augustine has a .931 save percentage, stopping 108 of 116 shots against. Last season, he was 23-9-2 with a .915 save percentage and three shutouts.

The 2023-24 campaign, however, ended on a sour note for Augustine, who allowed five goals against arch rival Michigan in the NCAA regional final, missing out on a trip to the 2024 Men’s Frozen Four. 

It was a rare faltering in a big game, as Augustine has often excelled in the biggest pressure situations.

The former National Team Development Program standout, whom FloHockey first met at the 2023 World Junior Championship when he earned the starter’s role at just 17 years old, has two gold medals in international competition.

Since that first meeting with Augustine back in December of 2022, his pro prospects have only shot higher and higher.

Though USA took bronze at that World Juniors, the following spring, Augustine was integral to USA winning the gold medal at the IIHF World Under-18 Championship, basically stealing a gold medal from Sweden in the final. He had Sweden’s number again at the last World Junior Championship when he was USA’s No. 1 goalie the whole way. He posted a .936 save percentage, winning all four of his starts and securing gold for the Americans.

Augustine’s season was so impressive, in fact, he was invited to play for the senior national team as a fresh 19 year old, and got into four games playing with and against AHL players at the 2024 IIHF Men’s World Championship. He went 2-2 and had a .929 save percentage.

Fast-forward to this season and Augustine is right back to his normal, consistent self, making saves.

Why Trey Augustine Has Become A Top NHL Goalie Prospect

What is it that makes Augustine such a special prospect?

For one, his hockey sense is off the charts. Augustine’s pre-shot reads and ability to anticipate, while keeping technically sound in his movements is something that most goalies need years and years to develop. He seems to have it before his 20th birthday.

Additionally, when you speak to Augustine, his demeanor is exactly the same as it is on the ice. He is reserved and calm, but also direct. He has a clear belief in his ability to make the saves and to do what is necessary for his team.

Talk to any teammate past or present and they’ll use the word “calm” before anything else, typically. His mental toughness between the pipes gives confidence to his teammates and they’re not shy about saying as much.

When you think about Augustine’s time at the NTDP and the players he had to go head-to-head with in practice every day, Ryan Leonard (WSH), Gabe Perreault (NYR), Will Smith (SJS), Oliver Moore (CHI), Danny Nelson (NYI), Zeev Buium (MIN), the list goes on and on. He’s seen elite offensive talent on a regular basis for three years. So he's been sharpened by some of the best prospects his age group had to offer and now gets to be part of an elite NCAA program where the talent level is also remarkably high.

What makes Augustine's path to the NHL interesting is that there's another top prospect in his own system. The Red Wings selected Sebastian Cossa in the first round in 2021, and he's been on a gradual NHL track that currently has him as a third-year pro in the AHL.

On this week’s episode of Talking Hockey Sense, I got a question from a listener asking if Augustine and Cossa, currently with the Grand Rapids Griffins, could be the next Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark, who were excellent for the Boston Bruins over the previous few seasons.

At first, I thought maybe not, because let’s not forget that Ullmark picked up a Vezina and Swayman just landed a big long-term contract. That’s a really lofty goal.

However, the more I watch Augustine, the more I believe he is going to be an exceptional starter in the NHL. He’s not as big as some of the other goalies, but he’s as smart as any you’ll find. The scary thing, however, is that he’s just getting better.

Each step Augustine takes is another towards becoming an elite-level goalie at the highest possible level. Once he gets into the Red Wings system, Cossa is going to have the long head start on Augustine. I do think Cossa still has No. 1 ability, but there's going to be more pressure coming from Augustine whenever he decides to turn pro.

You always have to hedge with goalies in terms of their development. It is never a straight line and there are going to be hiccups along the way. Most NHL goalies are not going to see the league until they’re 23 or older. 

Augustine, however, strikes me as one that may not be waiting that long.

This winter, he’ll return for his third straight World Juniors and will undoubtedly be the go-to guy in net for David Carle’s U.S. roster. He will have a chance to do something no goaltender has ever done for the U.S. at that event, which is to win consecutive gold medals.

Based on how he’s playing for Michigan State very early and the experience he’s gained internationally, he’ll be very hard to bet against. If the U.S. has any chance to repeat, it’s largely going to be on the back of its goaltending.

And if Michigan State is going to reach the heights people are starting to believe they can, Augustine is likely going to be the one driving the bus.

Stay tuned for more coverage of Team USA World Junior candidates, including a number of forthcoming features (including one on Augustine) ahead of the tournament in December. 

Trey Augustine Through The Years On FloHockey

• Trey Augustine 2023 NHL Draft Profile
• Trey Augustine Speaks On First World Junior Experience
• Trey Augustine On Winning Gold At The 2024 World Juniors
• 2024 World Junior Player Evaluations: Defense and Goalies
• Trey Augustine On Preparing For Third WJC

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