Big-game experience driving Red Wings prospect Trey Augustine’s development
The term “clutch gene” is often thrown around a lot in sports. An athlete who can rise to the occasion in big moments is indispensable for any team.
At just 20 years old, Detroit Red Wings goaltending prospect Trey Augustine has seen the limelight at various levels, setting himself apart from other goaltenders of his age.
This past weekend at the 59th Great Lakes Invitational, one of the premier in-season tournaments in college hockey, Augustine was a key part of Michigan State’s second straight championship and 14th in tournament history. In wins against in-state rivals Ferris State and Michigan Tech, he turned away 53 of the 56 shots he faced and was named to the all-tournament team.
Even in the final against the Huskies, which was scoreless through the first half, Augustine stated that he zeroed in on staying in the moment, a central focal point throughout his career.
“I would just say to myself, ‘Just take it one play at a time,'” Augustine told the media after the win in Grand Rapids on Monday night. “Just keep it small and tight so I can keep focused on it. Obviously, [Michigan Tech was] going quite well tonight, and our guys did too. In a game like that, just kind of one play at a time, one shift, one save, just have a positive impact on whatever you may be doing.”
Dating back to his days with the U.S. National Team Development Program, Augustine has found himself playing against the best players of his age and beyond, standing out, making him one of the most intriguing prospects to follow.
After helping the United States take home silver at the 2022 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship, the South Lyon, Mich. native won gold at the U-18s the following year, along with grabbing the bronze at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. His performances caught the eye of the Red Wings’ brass, leading to the Original Six franchise taking Augustine in the second round of the 2023 NHL Draft.
Augustine used his newfound fame only to revitalize what had been a meddling program at Michigan State. With a young and talented backstop coming into his own, the Spartans went on to win the Big Ten Regular Season and Tournament titles for the first time in the team’s history, and he was named the conference tournament MVP.
Last season, Augustine earned Big Ten Goaltender of the Year honors, helping MSU sweep the Big Ten Championships for a second year in a row, on top of being a finalist for the Mike Richter Award as the country’s best netminder.
In the middle of his college tenure, Augustine was continuing to show out on the international stage. He played outstandingly at the 2024 and 2025 World Juniors, pushing the Americans to back-to-back gold medals for the first time in the country’s history.
If you’re keeping count, that’s four international gold medal games, two college conference championships, an in-season tournament title, and a partridge in a pear tree, for a person barely old enough to vote. He even played half of the U.S.’ games at the 2024 IIHF men’s World Championship.
Even on the biggest stages in the game, Augustine admits that he tries to block out the noise and keep things simple.
“I try and just approach every game the same,” Augustine said. “At the end of the day, I’m just going out there playing hockey, just trying to keep my focus on that and just trying to keep the moment like just every other moment is, even though it may be a gold medal game or a championship here. Just kind of staying level-headed and just focus on the job I have.”
The 2025-26 season has seen another great start for MSU, currently standing at No. 3 in the NCAA as we come to the turn of the New Year. Augustine has been a huge reason for the team’s early success, posting a 12-4-0 record, with a 1.69 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage. He currently sits second in the nation in save percentage, third in wins and tied for fourth in GAA, while his three shutouts place him tied for first.
Spartan head coach Adam Nightingale, who served as Augustine’s head coach at the USNTDP during the 2021-22 season, recognizes his netminder’s mental strength as one of his best qualities.
“He truly is a next-shot goalie,” Nightingale said. “He doesn’t get flustered. He understands that it’s not a perfect position, and stuff’s going to happen. … I think that calmness, too, for our team, it’s huge. He’s scrambling all over and making saves, but he makes it look easy. So there’s a little bit of calmness on the bench…he is just focused.”
Following MSU’s surprising opening-round upset in last year’s NCAA Tournament at the hands of Cornell, many wondered if Augustine would turn pro and sign with the Red Wings. However, he elected to return to East Lansing for his junior season. Nightingale mentioned that, along with the chance to stay home for the holidays for the first time in four years, the opportunity to be a veteran goaltender appealed to Augustine.
“I get being a pro – that day’s coming for him for sure – I think that for just his mental side of it, really enjoying it. … For Trey, he’s never been the elder goalie. Hopefully, he has a career where he is one of those guys and where he’s gotta learn how to mentor a younger goalie… he’s always been the younger guy. His game has grown each year he’s been here, and I think that’s another reason he decided to come back. He was getting better every year. He’s definitely playing really well for us and is a huge part of the team.”
The one thing that Augustine has yet to accomplish in the “amateur” ranks is to win an NCAA Championship – something the Spartans haven’t accomplished since former NHLer Justin Abdelkader and company won it all in 2007. Even with a national title as the goal, Augustine is approaching the second semester like he does a game.
“At the end of the day, just take it one day at a time. Whether it’s practice or a game…just maximize the moments, whatever it may be, and just really take advantage of time together and just see where it can take us.”