“I think we all knew each other going into the national team,” Isaac Howard carried himself like he belonged on a bigger stage. He never questioned his abilities when he walked across top-tier talent in the locker room. Isaac, now at Michigan State, maintains his poise—in both his game and his faith in his teammates. It wasn’t arrogance, but his confidence carved through cold mornings, rough ice, and the work ethic he had built over time before earning the spotlight.
How did he turn out to be so poised? Where does that self-belief come from? A young boy from Hudson, Wisconsin, confidently steps onto the national ice, skating as if he owns the moment. The confidence comes from DNA, which was inherited through grit and love from his father, Tony Howard. Tony Howard, a former high school hockey player, has his roots in Minnesota. His father didn’t just inspire him, but passed on the lineage to his son, which shaped his hockey passion.
A Family Who Fueled the Dream
The story commenced well before Michigan State, starting at home, where his father was a coach and motivator. Tony Howard played at Harding High School in St.Paul, Minnesota. His first love was hockey, but his professional life took a different direction. After a long day at work, he would proudly lace up his old skates and flood the backyard to make a homemade rink for his son. With the glow of the porch light and the cold of the Midwest sky, he laid a foundation for hockey instead of teaching Isaac the game.
In the midst of winter, Isaac participated in a major tournament that could have garnered him significant recognition, but his skates were in poor condition, and the family’s budget did not allow for additional expenses. Rather than buying new skates, Tony patched them with duct tape and fastened them tightly to keep them from falling apart. He filled the tank with gas to reach the desired location, but the gas supply was limited to the tournament gate. A less-than-perfect evening, but Isaac learned from his father’s spirit and the hustle of his family story, which he keeps close to his heart and fuels him to this day.
While his father coached him on the ice, his mother, Crystal Howard, was his emotional support system. She worked in healthcare, but she had to balance the chaos of hospital duties with his young hockey player’s schedule. Crystal never played hockey, but her close ties to Minnesota women’s hockey legends such as Winny Brodt Brown provided her with insight—her unwavering support was felt throughout every mile she drove, every wound she treated, and every meal she packed before training. Crystal’s support was off-ice, but the encouragement she gave him was incredible.
Howard’s Journey From Backyard Rinks to Spartan Ice
Howard’s confident and tight-knit game was all thanks to his parents’ upbringing, which prepared him for a rough phase. “When I stepped foot in Michigan State,” Howard stated, “It felt like I was right where I needed to be.” Howard captured the moment with raw honesty and quiet pride. At Michigan State, he was not another winger, but he came out as a cultural leader, bringing his work ethic along with his gameplay, which elevated the entire locker room.
However, his traits never went unnoticed. Coaches had been vocal about his performance.”I’ve never seen him have a bad day at the rink. He loves winning, and I think that’s a byproduct of all the work he’s done to get to a point like this to earn such a prestigious award.” Adam Nightingale is the head coach at Michigan State. He does more than just show up; he elevates the highest.
Your #B1GHockey tournament MVP: Isaac Howard pic.twitter.com/dCh9Ysa83w
— Big Ten Hockey (@B1GHockey) March 23, 2025
It all comes back to those backyard sessions with his father and his mother’s quiet strength during the cold morning drive. Howard once expressed, “We’re a blue-collar family, a hard-working family. My mom’s always busting her butt, and my day is too. It’s easy to see that and work hard in a different area-and that’s in hockey for me.” With every phase, Howard approaches it with pride and diligence, which echo in his upbringing—a kid who once taped up skates now belongs to the Big Ten lights.
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