NCAA Stock Watch: Isaac Howard has gone supernova for Michigan State

With under three months to go until the NCAA Frozen Four, the stars are officially out to play. Focusing on four Hobey Baker finalists, this Stock Watch features some of the top-scoring prospects across the NCAA—with a distinctive winger flair. Not to be forgotten, a newcomer to the NCAA with draft-eligible status has started to make some waves in the Big Ten Division.

Stock Rising 📈

Isaac Howard, LW, Michigan State University (Tampa Bay Lightning)

It feels like it was just yesterday when Isaac Howard walked down the steps of the Bell Centre, confidently clad in an ivory suit, turtleneck, and a large American flag belt buckle.

While the Tampa Bay Lightning prospect didn’t possess the same swagger in his freshman year at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, Howard eventually transferred to Michigan State University, where the good times started to roll.

After a successful point-per-game sophomore season, the American-born forward entered this year in supernova fashion. Racking up 40 points across 28 games, Howard has lit the lamp 21 times, good for second in goal-scoring in the nation.

This wasn’t without self-improvement efforts on Howard’s part. Tampa Bay Lightning General Manager Julien BriseBois believes preparation and added strength have been significant factors in this jump in development.

Howard’s skill set revolves around a mix of soft and hard skill advantage creation. He’s explosive, physically demanding to handle, and a threat to score from anywhere on the ice. If he faces pressure, Howard simply leans into his man, overpowering him. From there, Howard’s brilliant off-puck support means he racks up chances as he adjusts into dangerous shooting lanes, leveraging his one-touch shooting. He adds deception into the mix, working curl-and-drag wrist shots that present nasty angle changes for a goaltender to contend with—when he starts to fire through screens and defensive triangles, he simply becomes unfair.

There’s no doubt Howard's tools, tank-like physical profile, and off-puck smarts will lead to goal-scoring at the professional level. While he will face stouter defenders and his skating won’t be as much of an advantage creator, all signs point to a top-six projection for the Lightning.

Aiden Fink, RW, Penn State University (Nashville Predators)

Going down as David Poile’s last draft selection of his career, Aiden Fink has come a long way from being the 218th pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Rolling out of the AJHL after a monster draft-plus-one season, Fink walked into Penn State University and led the Big Ten team in scoring. A year older, the former Brooks Bandit has reached new heights, sitting third in the nation for points per game and fourth in goal-scoring. Fink is on such a tear that he has recorded 11 goals in his last 10 games.

The Calgary-born right winger’s game revolves around his robust motor and heightened pace. He plays at an extremely high tempo, never stops sprinting, and is a dogged, relentless forechecker who leaves no breathing room for puck-retrieving defenders. His shooting is the highlight of his offensive game. Possessing a whippy release, Fink loads and transfers his whole body through his wrister, blending look-offs and finishing with pinpoint precision.

Fink’s size remains the biggest hurdle when projecting him to the next level. While he is skilled around the net at the NCAA level, professional defenders will only get bigger and faster, leveraging more physical advantages against his 5-foot-10, 160-pound frame. A hip-tilted forward skater, he bends heavily at the waist, presenting a chest-down posture—this may add further limitations in a tighter environment. Still, Fink remains a prospect who has only grown in value, and if his motor-based game translates, he could have a middle-six future in the NHL.

Jimmy Snuggerud, RW, University of Minnesota (St. Louis Blues)

When Jimmy Snuggerud entered the NCAA in 2022, he joined a University of Minnesota team that featured Logan Cooley, Matthew Knies, and Jackson LaCombe—an unreal situation for a scoring freshman who operated well above a point-per-game average. As the Gophers became younger the following season, Snuggerud’s production and play stagnated as new, higher-end additions found their place in college hockey.

Fast forward to the present, and Snuggerud, now captain of the University of Minnesota hockey program, is back to dominating play. With 17 points (11 goals) in his last 10 games, no player has scored as much as the Chaska-born winger in the NCAA this season.

An almost painfully patient player on the puck, Snuggerud is content to outwait and exploit overreactions, possessing the playmaking and shooting skill to cripple his opponents. His two-touch and one-touch shooting, often from a distance, cause fits for goaltenders, his release being almost impossible to read due to the speed at which his wrist folds over. Snuggerud is adaptable, able to fire off the inside foot and in tight spaces, and when the shot option isn’t there, slip-feeds and layered playmaking take over.

While Snuggerud isn’t the paciest player on the ice, he’s physically developed and an excellent space creator down low on the forecheck and off the cycle. This extends into net-front play, where he is equally hard to handle. Considering his profile and right-handedness, a top-six shooter and connector role isn’t out of the question at the NHL level. His game is advanced, potentially pushing up his ETA sooner than most expect.

Cole Hutson, D, Boston University (Washington Capitals)

After dominating at the 2025 Under-20 World Junior Championships and becoming the first defenceman to lead the entire tournament in scoring, Cole Hutson has not let off the gas. With 12 points in his last eight games, Hutson’s daring offensive game has helped push Boston University to a 6-and-2 record rolling out of the holidays.  

Hutson, a freshman, is third in points per game from defenceman this season, only three points back from Sophmore and countryman Zeev Buium. He's the nexus of the Terriers ' attack, often pushing past 25 minutes in a given game. 

An uber-talented handler who blends deception off every touch, Hutson’s game is about isolating one-on-one engagements, picking apart defenders, thereby opening space for others around the ice. His deception is overwhelming, blending body feints and look-offs to create advantages. Hutson is even daring in transition, liable to dance the F1 and any other resistance into a controlled entry. From there, he finds tight passing seams, completes long-distance layers to backdoor teammates, and is unafraid to adjust to the middle, walk downhill and rip pucks with his projectable and accurate wrist shot. 

For all the dynamic play, there’s an argument to be made that Hutson is still learning when and how often he should leverage his skillset. Overcomplicating plays and looking off teammates are two sizable areas of inefficiency. These decision-making quirks aren’t so much a worry as they will likely work themselves out over time. Nevertheless, Hutson will likely have to focus more energy on defending as an undersized defender. Physical battles, winning inside position, and pushing a disruptive game under pressure are all hurdles he will have to overcome in time. 

Still, it’s safe to say that Hutson is the second member of his family to be undervalued on draft day as his breakout draft-plus one season rolls on. He has top-four, offensive defenceman upside. 

Stock Steady ↔️

William Horcoff, C, University of Michigan (2025 NHL Draft)

Whenever a 6-foot-4 draft-eligible centreman enters the scouting zeitgeist, it’s hard not to be intrigued by the profile. A member of the U18 USNTDP, William Horcoff has been a feature of Elite Prospects boards since they expanded in December. Horcoff has seen little movement after an initial 46th-overall ranking in December, only dropping two spots in our latest January rankings.

After missing time with injury in early December, Horcoff switched gears and enrolled in college at the University of Michigan. With his first appearance being the outdoor game against Ohio State, Horcoff started his collegiate career with a bang, putting together a two-point performance in limited minutes. Fast forward to February, and Horcoff has developed into a reliable depth option for the Wolverines. With seven points across 10 games, the son of former NHLer Shawn is even finding ways to contribute at a higher clip than his time with the national team.

Horcoff represents one of the rawest prospects in this draft class. While there have been moments of tentativeness in his game, higher-end playmaking flashes have dotted his tape. Deft layers, slip feeds, and centring passes born out of puck battle wins down low represent some of his best work. He understands how to shield off pressure and create advantages out of his size, and he can handle the puck in motion. While his skating and shooting are unrefined, the physical runway here is immense, and his willingness to make plays creates an exciting blend.

While Horcoff requires some imagination to project at the professional level, a more refined game will undoubtedly follow in the coming years, hopefully helping build a bottom-six projection. In this draft, that is good enough for a second-round pick.