Michigan State hockey: Are we a hockey school now?

Michigan State hockey has really been carrying the major sports in East Lansing this year. Are we a hockey school now?

In the midst of the most disappointing basketball season in recent memory, and a football program recovering from immense turmoil, Spartan fans have begun to look for other programs for inspiration. That beacon of hope is none other than the Michigan State hockey program. But what would a hockey school look like here in East Lansing? What are the signs of “hockey school”?

Well, let’s break it down.

A blue blood for any sport at any school certainly has its signs. For recent instance, any blue blood sports program normally leads the school’s programs in donations, which MSU hockey did recently. During Michigan State’s Give Green Day, the hockey program received some of the most support that was disproportional to the size of the football and basketball following.

Speaking of money, hockey got a lion’s share of renovations from both school and donors, allowing Munn Ice Arena a $20-plus-million renovation to add more seating, and a well overdue gym renovation.

And of course, any program wanting to solidify itself in the landscape of its sport has to win. Coming off an overachieving 2022-23 season, the Spartans went on to win the Big Ten regular season and received a first round bye in the conference tournament. A Big Ten Tournament win and a deep NCAA Tournament run could solidify the program as the new exciting hot rod program, especially with Adam Nightingale at the helm.

The final cornerstone of any institutional program is the community embrace. During the final Michigan State basketball home game, they brought out the hockey team to celebrate their Big Ten title, and what followed was the loudest cheer of the night, even though that game ended in a close victory for the Spartans.

Tickets have been selling out, including the Big Ten Tournament game vs. Ohio State selling out in a matter of hours.

Michigan State has been craving a hero, and the hockey team has stepped up to be that hero. A school program with community, financial, and results-driven support may solidify the program at the very least to the level of the other ‘Big 2’ programs. A school with three dynamic programs (assuming the other two right the ship) can leave students with something to cheer for all school year long. Schools like Boston College have that luxury, with a blue blood hockey program, a decent football team, and an exciting basketball squad. Then there are schools like North Dakota, Minnesota, and Denver, whose excitement for hockey blows away the other two staple programs.

With time, you wouldn’t be wrong to think that MSU could become a beautiful hybrid of these two kinds of schools. Who knows, maybe one day we can convince Spartan Shadows that hockey deserves its own tab on the site, not just slotted into “More Sports”.