Red Wings’ Trey Augustine wins 2026 Mike Richter Award
One of the best netminders in the country has been honored after an incredible season.
On Friday, the Hockey Commissioners Association announced that former Michigan State Spartans goaltender and Detroit Red Wings prospect Trey Augustine is the winner of the 2026 Mike Richter Award, given to the best backstop in NCAA Men’s Hockey.
Augustine beat out former Massachusetts Minutemen goaltender Michael Hrabal (Utah Mammoth) and past Augustana Vikings netminder Josh Kotai (New York Islanders) for the award. He becomes the first masked man from Michigan State to win the award, and is the fourth from the Big Ten Conference to earn the honor – joining Notre Dame’s Cale Morris, Minnesota’s Jack LaFontaine (2020-21) and Wisconsin’s Kyle McClellan (2023-24).
It has been a long time coming for Augustine, who has been a semifinalist for the award in each of his three seasons in East Lansing. He was a top-three finalist last season, but lost out to Boston College star and current Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler.
The South Lyon, Mich. native has had another great season on one of the best teams in the country. In helping MSU stay near the top of the national polls, sitting as the No. 1 squad for several weeks, Augustine posted a record of 24-9-1 in 34 starts, with a 2.11 goals-against average, a .929 save percentage and three shutouts. He ranks fifth among qualified goaltenders in SV% and third in wins. His efforts helped the Spartans finish atop the Big Ten standings for the third year in a row. The 21-year-old was named the Big Ten’s top goaltender for the second year in a row, as well as being added to the All-Big Ten First Team for the second straight year.
Yet, it wasn’t enough to lead the team to postseason success once again. After being ousted by the Ohio State Buckeyes in the conference semifinals, MSU came short of advancing to the Frozen Four once again, losing to Wisconsin in the national quarterfinals two weeks ago.
Even though he never achieved his goal of leading Michigan State to a national championship, Augustine elected to turn pro, signing a three-year, entry-level contract with the Red Wings. In fact, the announcement came as Augustine was making his professional debut with the Red Wings’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins.
In 99 career college games, Augustine delivered a 66-25-7 record, a 2.40 GAA, a .922 SV% and nine shutouts.