2023 Detroit Red Wings second round draft pick Trey Augustine is a sophomore at Michigan State. When he got there, the Spartans had never won a Big Ten championship. As of last night, in Augustine's two seasons in East Lansing, MSU has won four Big Ten titles: two regular season crowns and two tournament championships, becoming the first program in conference history to pull off that double in consecutive seasons.
MSU goalie Trey Augustine protects the net against Ohio State, Saturday, March 22, 2025, during the third period of the Big 10 Hockey final at Munn Ice Arena. MSU won 4-3 in double overtime. (© Matthew Dae Smith/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
To secure the latest title, Augustine had to make 38 saves, and the Spartans needed double overtime, but after over 95 minutes of hockey, Isaac Howard—tied for fourth in the nation in the scoring—scored the goal State needed to clinch a 4–3 victory over Ohio State in front of another rabid crowd at Munn Ice Arena.
In truth, it wasn't Augustine's sharpest performance down the stretch. MSU took a 3–1 lead early via a Tanner Kelly goal, but Augustine conceded a pair of late goals he'd likely want back—both of them broken plays around the net whacked home by Buckeyes. However, Augustine rallied to stop all 15 shots he faced in the two overtimes to do what he's done everywhere he's played: win titles.
Of course, for Augustine and the Spartans, the biggest title is the one still out there, the one they couldn't capture a year ago, the national championship. MSU will enter the NCAA Tournament as the second overall seed and the number one seed in the Toledo Regional.
In all likelihood, the Spartans will play an opening round game against ECAC champion Cornell, and if they win that, it will likely secure a date with the winner of Ohio State and Boston University for a place in the Frozen Four.
After their Big Ten double a year ago, State fell short in their regional final game to arch-rival Michigan, and this time around, MSU will be after a different fate. It's been a messy season at the top of men's college hockey this year, but with Augustine in net and Howard's firepower, along with one of the deepest forward groups in the sport, the Spartans are well positioned to make a run at their first national championship since 2007.
Whenever the Spartans run does come to an end (victorious or not, the season will end by Apr. 12), Augustine will have a decision to make: Stay for a third year in East Lansing or turn professional. In all likelihood, the latter option would entail a season or so with the Grand Rapids Griffins, rather than a leap straight to the Red Wings.
Whenever Augustine does make the leap to the pros, one thing is clear: Detroit has a serial winner at its disposal in the South Lyon native.
