Welcome back to hockey season in East Lansing, and here at Spartans Illustrated, we are prepared to bring you even more this season.

You'll notice in the season preview below, it is not just myself talking about this Michigan State hockey team, as we have added Jake Behnke to the staff. Jake is a player I literally scouted during his time at Hartland High School (yes I feel 35 going on 80 saying this) and he will add great perspective to our coverage here.

The Spartans get their 2024-2025 season rolling this weekend, with a two-game series on the road at Lake Superior State. Friday's game is scheduled for 6 p.m. Eastern Time and Saturday's is set for 4 p.m. Eastern Time.

We will begin next week with proper opponent previews, but due to limited information as no games have been played yet, we decided to not dive too deep on this series and focus more on the campaign as a whole.

MSU should sweep the Lakers, as the Spartans should show clear talent advantage, and should be 2-0 entering a humongous series with Boston College next week on a football bye week. With MSU ranked No. 4 in the preseason, and BC ranked No. 2, so we will have plenty to preview next week — trust us.

Without further ado let's dive into our season preview together!

Jake: The Michigan State Spartans are returning nine forwards from last year with three lines remaining intact. The three lineup regulars missing from this roster include Nicholas Müller, Reed Lebster and Jeremy Davidson. To help fill these positions, the Spartans will look to their five newcomers. One of their most notable incoming additions is junior transfer forward Charlie Stramel, who transferred in this offseason from the Wisconsin Badgers. Stramel, listed at 6-foot-3 and 223 pounds, was drafted 21st overall by the Minnesota Wild in the 2023 NHL entry draft and should add size and toughness to this offense, along with some finesse around the net.

The Spartans top-two leading scorers will be back this year in Isaac Howard and Karsen Dorwart. Howard led the team last year with 36 points (eight goals, 28 assists) in 36 games played, with Dorwart not far behind with 35 points (15 goals, 20 assists) in 38 games played. Both players join goaltender Trey Augustine as preseason first-team All-Big Ten selections. The Spartans had one of the fastest and most explosive offenses in college hockey last year and I fully expect that to be the case again this upcoming season.

Jeremy: As a former defenseman, I am going to lean heavily on my colleague, Jake — a guy who popped over 50 goals in MHSAA action in three years — to evaluate what the Spartans have up front. I will add the biggest point to be encouraged by is with three full lines intact coming back, chemistry will be a huge asset to such a talented roster and when it gets to Big Ten play, that could be a help in stacking early points while other teams are still molding together.

Jeremy: On defense there is a large, Artyom Levshunov hole left on the roster, after Levshunov signed with the Chicago Blackhawks, following going second overall in the 2024 NHL Draft. It’s a huge hole to fill, literally and figuratively, as Levshunov was wise beyond his years, playing top minutes and looking calm as can be in any situation.

This defense corps will be built upon the sophomore class of Patrick Geary, he of Big Ten playoff game-winning-goal fame, and Maxim Strbak. Both players are NHL draft picks (Buffalo Sabres for both) and coming into a sophomore season where they are more equipped to be leaned upon heavily.

Round out those two with a tremendous junior leader in Matt Basgall, and an exciting Russian freshman in Vladislav Lukashevich, who will not have the offense (or frame) of a Levshunov, but was a vital late pickup in the summer to help plaster a small hole in the drywall.

Jeremy: Trey Augustine. What else is there to preview (with no disrespect to Luca Di Pasquo, who is more than ready to be in net for starts scattered throughout the season)?

Augustine is a huge reason this article will get more clicks, that more people are aware of MSU hockey and that tickets will be nearly impossible to get all season in Munn Ice Arena. The Detroit Red Wings' draft pick played 35 games as a true freshman last year, and was one of the youngest players in the NCAA as well. He won a gold medal with the USA in the World Junior Championships in Sweden, and is entering the season as unanimous B1G Goaltender of the Year in preseason awards. There is a world where if the Spartans hold up well against Boston College next weekend Augustine plays himself into early Hobey Baker Award consideration, and it will be deserved.

The aforementioned Di Pasquo, also a sophomore, will be in net for Augustine for sure at the Great Lakes Invitational games while the World Junior Championships are happening. Di Pasquo had a similar save percentage last season in his four appearances (.910 versus Augustine's .915) and may be a preview of your starting goaltender in 2025-2026 if Augustine is to jump to the professional ranks, so these games have some extra intrigue to watching.

Top Goal Scorer

Jake: Joey Larson.

Jeremy: I agree with Jake. Larson had some dry stretches last season, but I think he stays hot this year and leads this team in goals.

Top Defensemen

Jake: Patrick Greary.

Jeremy: Maxim Strbak.

Best Freshman

Jake: Mikey DeAngelo from the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL.

Jeremy: Shane Vansaghi from the USA NTDP. Vansaghi has a huge frame and I think plays himself into a depth role early due to his combination of skating and frame.

Best Transfer

Jake: Graduate Defenseman Nicholas Andrews from Colorado College.

Jeremy: Charlie Stramel from Wisconsin.

Season Prediction

Jake: Michigan State hockey boasted a phenomenal 25-10-3 record last year. It will be hard to beat Michigan State's dominance in the Big Ten last year, going 16-6-2 in one of the hardest conferences in college hockey. With that being said, I believe this roster is one of the best in college hockey with the Spartans' many returners and intriguing newcomers. The Spartans will be tested early as they look to get revenge on preseason ranked No. 2 Boston College early in October at Munn Ice Arena. My prediction is that Michigan State finishes atop the Big Ten again, only to fall short in the Big Ten Championship prior to representing the Big Ten in the Frozen Four at the end of the year.

Jeremy: All summer, I have been preparing people for a (slight) step back from last season. Minnesota and Michigan have extremely talented rosters and this time MSU will not be sneaking up on anyone. Then, Rutger McGroarty left Michigan after his NHL trade rights were moved from Winnipeg to Pittsburgh. MSU added Lukashevich after he was available post Northern Michigan losing their head coach (Grant Potulny). Trey Augustine showed extremely well at the Men’s Senior World Championships, and, well the hype even started to build in myself. Then Rhett Pitlick left Minnesota in September.

I believe this Michigan State team will have what it takes to play consistent enough to repeat as the Big Ten regular-season champions. I believe the University of Michigan is the Spartans' biggest competition, and Augustine is the difference-maker for the Spartans. This team will be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and I expect they will play themselves to the Frozen Four.

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