Michigan State hockey coach Adam Nightingale has announced that 15 players will join the Spartan hockey program for the fall of 2023.

"We're very excited about our incoming players," noted Nightingale, who will be behind the bench for his second season in 2023-24. "They are all team-first guys and the type of players and people that our great fan base will enjoy watching. We're looking forward to the upcoming season to show our fans our growth and are hoping to see the same sold-out atmosphere we enjoyed at the end of last season."

The class consists of two graduate transfers, three undergraduate transfers, and 10 freshmen. Two of the incoming players were drafted in the 2023 NHL entry draft (goalie Trey Augustine and defenseman Maxim Štrbák), and two incoming transfers were selected in previous drafts – Red Savage in 2021 and Isaac Howard in 2022.

Six of the incoming players also hail from the state of Michigan, including the 2019 Mr. Hockey winner, Joey Larson.

The MSU incoming class of freshmen (not including transfers) ranked third in the country by Neutral Zone.

Season tickets for the 2023-24 Michigan State hockey season are on sale now at MSUSpartans.com. The October non-conference schedule includes two home series against Lake Superior State (Oct. 7-8) and Canisius (Oct. 19-20).

Trey Augustine
Freshman G 6-1, 179 South Lyon, Mich. / US National Team Development Program
Drafted by the Detroit Red Wings (second round, no. 41 overall) in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft … Played two seasons in the US National Team Development Program ... For the U18 team, posted a 2.13 GAA and .926 save percentage in 33 games, and owned a 27-1 record and one shutout … Played 23 games for the U17 squad in 2021-22, and owned a 3.23 GAA and .899 save percentage, and played four games for Adam Nightingale's U18 squad that season, with a 2.25 GAA and .922 save percentage, winning all four games ... Helped Team USA to a gold medal at the IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship in May 2023 behind a 2.85 GAA as well as earning a silver medal (playing for then Team-USA coach Adam Nightingale) in May 2022 at the World Championships … Earned a bronze medal at the 2023 U18 World Junior Championship in Nova Scotia in January 2023 with a 1.61 GAA and .934 save percentage … Product of the Honeybaked program out of Detroit, and won a U15 National Championship in 2021.

Owen Baker
Freshman F 5-10, 185 Howell, Mich. / Wateroo (USHL)
Played the two seasons prior to MSU in Waterloo (USHL) where he was teammates with fellow Spartan freshmen Patrick Geary and Gavin O'Connell … Had a 10-11-21 scoring line in 2020-21 in 62 games, and doubled his scoring output with 11-30-41 in 2022-23 … Product of Detroit's Honeybaked youth hockey program. 

Crossman
Gr D 6-3, 200 Denver, Colorado / Brown
Three-year letterwinner at Brown, with a 12-11-23 scoring line in 69 career games … As a senior, Led the team with nine goals, was tied for fifth on the team with 12 points and also scored a team-high six power play goals … Played in just 19 games as a junior due to injury, after his entire sophomore campaign was wiped out due to COVID-19 … Entered college from the NAHL, where he split the 2018-19 season with the Odessa Jackalopes and the Jamestown Rebels … Earned his degree in economics from Brown in June 2023.

Luca Di Pasquo
Freshman G 6-0, 201 Livonia, Mich. / Penticton (BCHL)
Guided Penticton to a second consecutive Fred Page Cup as the champions of the BCHL in 2022-23 … In 40 regular-season games, posted a 36-3-1 record, 1.70 GAA, four shutouts, and .922 save percentage; in the postseason was a perfect 16-0 with a 1.99 GAA, and .924 save percentage … First Team BCHL All-Star and received the BCHL's Wally Forslund Trophy for the best combined GAA … Played the 2021-22 season with the NAHL's Maryland Black Bears, posting a 16-11-5 mark with a 2.31 GAA and .924 save percentage and three shutouts … Product of the Honeybaked Program in Detroit.

Patrick Geary
Freshman D 6-1, 185 Hamburg, NY / Waterloo (USHL)
Played two seasons with the Waterloo Blackhawks, where he was teammates with fellow Spartan freshmen Owen Baker and Gavin O'Connell … Played in 55 games in 2021-22, with a 4-13-17 scoring line and 94 PIMs … In 60 games in his 2022-23 campaign, posted three goals and 10 assists and 118 PIMs and was a +14 … Product of the Buffalo Junior Sabres program.

Isaac Howard
Sophomore F 5-11, 190 Hudson, Wis. / Minnesota-Duluth
Selected by the Tampa Bay Lighting in the first round (No. 31 overall) in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft … Comes to MSU as a sophomore after spending 2022-23 at Minnesota Duluth, compiling six goals and 11 assists with one power play marker in 35 games … Played for the US National Team Development Program from 2020-22 …Led U-18 Team with 69 points (25-44-69) in 52 games in 2021-22 … In 2020-21, Led the Under-17 Team with 54 points (27-27-54) in 34 games, while skating in 17 contests with the U18 squad (5-14-19) … Left USNTDP tied for 10th all-time on NTDP scoring list with 146 points, and his 88 career assists ranked tied for sixth all-time in program history … Member of Team USA in in two U18 World Junior Championships (2021, 2022) … Helped team USA to a gold medal in 2021, with a goal and three assists in five games … In the 2022 WJC (played in August, 2022), had six goals and five assists (+8) in six contests as Team USA finished fifth.

Griffin Jurecki
Freshman F 5-10, 182 Grosse Ile, Mich. / Omaha (USHL)
Played the 2022-23 season for the Omaha Lancers of the USHL, where he posted a 14-11-25 scoring line in 56 games … Assistant Captain in Omaha, and earned the team's Forward of the Year kudos … Played two seasons for the Lincoln Stars in the USHL (2020-22), where he played in a combined 87 games, and had an 13-19-32 scoring line over two seasons … Product of the Little Caesars program in Detroit … Was a captain for Little Caesars for his 15U and 16U seasons … Led LC to a national championship during his 15U season (2019).

Joey Larson
Sophomore F 6-1, 198 Brighton, Mich. / Northern Michigan University
Joins the Spartans after a year at Northern Michigan … … Opened his collegiate career with 13 goals and 14 assists in 36 games for the Wildcats, helping the squad advance to the CCHA Tournament Championship game … Earned a spot on the CCHA All-Rookie Team … Named to the Tim Taylor National Rookie of the Year watchlist … Played for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL in 2021-22, where he combined for 36-47-83 scoring line during the regular season and playoffs … Named USHL Forward of the Week for the Eastern Conference Final of the 2022 Clark Cup Playoffs … Was the leading scorer in the Clark Cup, with 4-13-17 in nine games … Was the state of Michigan's "Mr. Hockey" winner as the top player in the state in 2019 while playing for his hometown Hartland High School … Won state championships in 2018 and 2019 at Hartland, and earned First Team All-State honors in both campaigns … Product of the Little Caesar's organization, where he won a state championship in 2012, and also played for Compuware from 2015-17.

Reed Lebster
Graduate Student F 6-0, 187 Grand Rapids, Mich. / UMass
Veteran of 112 college hockey games at UMass, helping the Minutemen to a National Championship in 2020-21 … Comes to MSU with a career 28-29-57 scoring line … Had career bests in points (22), assists (14), and power-play goals as a senior … Played three seasons in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Des Moines Buccaneers (2016-19) … Saw action in 178 career games, contributing 84 points on 43 goals and 41 assists … Enjoyed a breakout year offensively in 2018-19, more than doubling previous career best in points with 25 goals and 26 assists for 51 points over 62 regular season games and five playoff contests … Earned his degree in finance from UMass in May 2023.

Artsiom Levshunov
Freshman D 6-2, 198 Zhlobin, Belarus / Green Bay (USHL)
Played his lone USHL season (2022-23) in Green Bay, posting 13 goals and 28 assists and amassing 38 PIMs … Played for his home nation at the World Junior Championships in 2021-22, posting a pair of assists in five games … Spent two years on Team Belarus for both his U17 (2020-21) and U18 (2021-22) seasons; had a 10-16-26 scoring line with 28 PIM's and another five points in the postseason (seven games, 2-3-5) … Had 63 points on 25 goals and 38 assists in 46 games during his U18 campaign, with an additional 7-10-17 in 13 playoff games … Competed two seasons (2017-19) for the Dynamo Minsk Selects (U13, U14).

Tommi Männistö
Freshman F 6-0, 185 Riihimäki, Finland / Tappara U20
Played for Tappara from 2020-23, where he had a 16-13-29 scoring line in his final season and was a +23 for the U20 team. … Over three seasons, had a combined 17-13-28 scoring line in 26 games for the U18 squad and in 87 games for the U20s, had 27 goals and 21 assists for 48 points and 98 PIM … Played in the 2022 U18 World Championships in 2022 for Team Finland, with a goal in six games … Member of the Finnish national teams in 2019-20 (U16), 2020-22 (U18) and 2022-23 (U20) … Played in the Youth Olympic Games with the Finnish U16 squad in 2019-20 … Participated in the Youth Olympic Games Festival in 2021 and in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup the same year.

Gavin O'Connell
Freshman F 6-0, 180 Wayzata, Minn. / Waterloo (USHL)
Spent two years in Waterloo (USHL) where he was teammates with fellow Spartan freshmen Owen Baker and Patrick Geary …… In his last season, had a 24-26-50 scoring line and was a +27, with five game-winning goals … In his first season in Waterloo (2021-22), posted eight goals and 16 assists for 20 points … Played a pair of games with the US NTDP U18 squad (for then-head coach Adam Nightingale) in 2021-22 … Three-year letterwinner at Wayzata High School before heading to the USHL, and captained the team his final season … Earned All-Metro and All-Conference honors at Wayzata, and participated in the storied Minnesota High School State Tournament every season.

Austin Oravetz
Freshman D 5-9, 192 Cannonsburg, Penn. / Green Bay (USHL)
Played two full seasons in the USHL: for Dubuque (2021-22) and prior to enrolling at MSU, in Green Bay (2022-23) … Posted five goals and 16 assists with 27 PIMs in Green Bay in his final season … Had a 2-19-21 scoring line in Dubuque and was a +12 with 14 PIMs … Named to the USHL All-Academic Team … Product of the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite youth program and served as a team captain from 2019-21 … Helped his 16U team to the 2019 National Championship.

Red Savage
Junior F 5-11, 181 Scottsdale, Ariz. / Miami
Selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft (114th overall) … Joins the Spartans after two seasons at Miami, where he compiled a 13-17-30 line in 67 career games … Miami's Rookie of the Year in 2021-22 … Is a product of the United States National Team Development Program (2019-21) … With the U17 team, skated in 31 games and had an 8-18-26 scoring line … In his U18 season, produced 42 points (18g, 24a) in 47 games, ranking third on the team in both goals and points … Played for Team USA in the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, (which was rescheduled for summer 2022), contributing three points (2-1-3) … Served as an alternate captain for Team USA at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, putting up six points (3-3-6) - including an assist on bronze medal-winning goal.

Maxim Štrbák
Freshman F 6-2, 205 Kosice, Slovakia / Sioux Falls (USHL)
Drafted by the Buffalo Sabres (second round, no. 45 overall) in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft … Played his final junior season for the Sioux Falls Stampede, where he had 18 points (5g, 13a) and 51 PIMs … Played juniors for Jokerit (Finland) from 2019-2022, where he was +17 with 26 PIM in his final year, posting a goal and seven assists in 39 games … Played for Team Slovakia at the 2023 Men's U18 World Championships in Switzerland, finishing fourth and serving as an alternate captain … Played in the Ivan Hlinka Tournament on Slovakia's 2022 squad … Two-time World Junior Championship participant for Team Slovakia in both 2021-22 (Edmonton) and 2022-23 (Nova Scotia).