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Michigan Forever - Sept. 29 2023 - Vol. 77, Issue 04 - Ryan Kennedy
If you are a Michigan-based team in need of a cornerstone goaltender, Trey Augustine is probably your guy. The kid from the Detroit suburbs played his minor hockey locally before joining USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program in nearby Plymouth, and now he’s a freshman at Michigan State down the road in East Lansing.
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This summer, he was drafted in the second round by the Detroit Red Wings, and when he needs pro seasoning after his time at MSU, he’ll do so on the west side of the state in Grand Rapids with the AHL’s Griffins.
This is all a roundabout way of saying that Augustine, who was initially slated to attend the University of Michigan, knew exactly what he was getting into when he reopened his decision and chose the blood-rival Michigan State Spartans instead. “It’ll be good,” he said. “The state of Michigan is at its best when those two teams are good.”
The Spartans are delighted to have him on their roster. “His calming presence, you recognize that right away,” said coach Adam Nightingale. “He’s really competitive, moves really well in the net, and he’s an A-plus person and teammate.”
Nightingale is actually one of the reasons Augustine decided to flip to Michigan State. The bench boss joined the Spartans from the NTDP, and while Augustine was on the under-17 squad when Nightingale coached the under-18s, the young netminder was a call-up who made an impact, helping them earn a silver medal at the 2022 world under-18s. Last season, Nightingale took over at Michigan State – and NTDP kids have followed. “When he transferred over there, I realized it might be a possibility,” Augustine said. “Then, I went to see the facilities and the school and really loved it.”
Along with Augustine, the Spartans landed a couple of high-profile transfers over the summer in Miami University’s Red Savage (DET) and Minnesota-Duluth’s Isaac Howard (TB), both of whom also played at the NTDP. Nightingale loves how Augustine is suited for East Lansing. “He really fits the whole of our university,” Nightingale said. “We’re a humble, hardworking, blue-collar school. And there’s a comfort level having played for me before. But there’s also a comfort level for me, too. When you get an opportunity like this, you want to do it with great people, and Trey is certainly that.”
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The Spartans finished fifth out of seven teams in the Big Ten conference last year, but that was an improvement over the previous couple campaigns, when they were dead last. Bringing in an elite netminder such as Augustine is just one of many important moves that forecast brighter days ahead. And though he’s still a teenager, he has proven time and again that he can hang with older competition. Last year, for example, he made Team USA’s World Junior Championship squad as essentially the third goalie (and certainly the youngest). But, in the end, it was Augustine who played the crucial games, going 4-1-0 and leading Team USA to a bronze medal in Halifax.
When it comes to influences, Augustine likes to watch NHLers such as Frederik Andersen, Sergei Bobrovsky and Juuse Saros. The 6-foot-1 Augustine has a particular appreciation for Saros, who gets the job done without mammoth size. “He’s really relatable for the young goalies, especially,” he said. “Just the way he moves and his efficiency in the crease.”
Of course, as a freshman, Augustine will still have to prove himself – but we’re going to go ahead and make the assumption he will. “He’s got the pedigree to do it and the demeanor to do it, too,” Nightingale said. “We see it every day at practice, and I saw it with the national team, how professional he is. We have confidence in our (goalies), and the best guy is going to play, but he’s done a really good job on campus showing us what kind of goalie he is.”
So far in his career, Augustine has been the best kind of goalie: one who shows up, gets the win and moves on to the next one. If he continues that with the Spartans, the rivalry with the high-flying Wolverines is going to be on fire once again.
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