Being upset on a goal by Cornell with 10 seconds left in the first round of the NCAA hockey tournament was a gut punch for Joey Larson and his Michigan State teammates, who were among the favorites to win the national championship.
But Larson, a former Mr. Hockey winner for Hartland High School, didn’t have much time to mourn the end of what had been a special season for the Spartans.
One dream was denied, but another would quickly be realized.
Larson, 24, has foregone his final season of eligibility at MSU to turn pro, signing a one-year entry-level contract with the New York Islanders as a free agent. Larson is in Bridgeport, Conn. with the Islanders’ American Hockey League farm team hoping to make his pro debut Wednesday against Lehigh Valley.
“Obviously, it wasn’t the ending to the season we wanted,” said Larson, a forward. “We were all really bummed. Then it was super exciting finding out this was going to happen.
“Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always dreamed of playing in the NHL. It’s pretty cool to sign this contract. The work is just beginning now. This is the start of the next step. I’m excited to get to work and start proving myself.”
Larson wasn’t selected in the NHL draft when he was eligible, but he took part in summer development camps with the Vegas Golden Knights, Nashville Predators and Anaheim Ducks. While he never went to a camp with the Islanders, they took notice of him as he developed in two seasons at MSU after transferring from Northern Michigan.
“Over the last few years, I’ve built relationships with them,” Larson said. “I kind of figured I was going to sign with them once the year ended at MSU.”
Larson had 10 goals and 14 assists in 37 games this season for the Spartans, who were ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the nation for 14 out of 16 weeks. He had 26 goals and 30 assists in 75 career games at MSU after scoring 13 goals and 14 assists in 36 games as a freshman at Northern Michigan.
He played three seasons at Hartland, winning two state championships and being named Mr. Hockey in 2018-19. He moved to Chilliwack, British Columbia to play junior hockey in 2019-20, then headed back to the United States to finish his junior career the next two years in the face of Canada’s strict COVID shutdowns.
“Every stop I took helped me grow into the player I am today,” Larson said. “Everywhere I went was great. Everyone has a different path. My path might have taken a little longer than ...
