Isaac Howard knows how to make an impression.
At the 2022 NHL draft, when he was selected 31st overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Howard wore a vivid white suit, a blue turtleneck and a gold chain, tying it all together with an American-flag belt buckle. He declared himself "the best-looking guy here" during an interview with ESPN's Emily Kaplan.
At the 2024 world junior championships in Sweden, Howard scored seven goals in seven games to help the Americans win gold, including two in the championship final against the home team.
He goes by "Ike." He goes by "Ice Man," a nickname from his dad because he wouldn't ever get off the ice as a kid. He's a sophomore star at Michigan State. And he just earned free Chipotle food for a year.
Howard joined "The Drop," ESPN's hockey podcast, for a conversation that covered everything from the world juniors to Cutter Gauthier rejecting the Philadelphia Flyers to Alex Ovechkin.
"The Drop" has new episodes Tuesday and Thursday each week, available on all podcast platforms and on YouTube on the "NHL on ESPN" feeds. Enjoy!
Where does the gold medal go?
Howard: I haven't thought about that yet, to be honest. I'm thinking probably just hanging it next to my bed just so I can see that every day, you know what I mean? It's a fun thing to look at, so I'll probably just put it up on, like, a hanger in my room.
The gold-medal game was awesome against the Swedes. Obviously very intense. What was the deal with the brawl at the end of the game? And on top of that, how would you describe your teammate Lane Hutson's fighting style?
Howard: The emotions were high in that gold-medal game. They were kind of looking for something at the end of the game and a couple things led to another. And then Hutty got in a nice little scrap there and I thought he did good. Like he kind of dodged a big right hand and was able to take the guy down. And it just added to how fun the win was. Everyone on the bench was going nuts and loving it.
Did he dodge it or did it just miss him, considering Lane's listed at 5-foot-10?
Howard: I'd like to say Lane dodged him.
USA Hockey is kicking tail all over the place right now: the world junior championship this year, and then loaded national teams with NHL players for an international tournament in 2025 and the Olympics in 2026. What does it feel like to be coming up at a time when the U.S. is really making its big move internationally?
Howard: You can see it throughout the whole country. Each state, there's players coming up. The depth our country has is awesome. It's just becoming a really cool and exciting hockey country, which is awesome to be a part of.
So the team gets free Chipotle for a year for winning world juniors.
Howard: [Laughs] Oh yeah!
Do they give you a card? How do you redeem the free Chipotle for a year?
Howard: It starts next week for us. It just goes through our phone. Right on our app, they just load it in every day. I'll be looking to abuse that for sure.
Is it unlimited? Like, can you go three times a day if you wanted to?
Howard: I don't know yet. I haven't gotten the full details. But I think it's either one entree a day or one swipe a day. I'm not sure yet completely.
What's your go-to order there?
Howard: Normally it's a bowl, white rice, double chicken, black beans, guac, cheese, sour cream. And then the vinaigrette, of course, to top it off.
What is it about hockey players and Chipotle? Jack Hughes landed an endorsement deal. I know the boys on the U.S. junior team love it and call it "Chipper," right?
Howard: It's just like the perfect little meal after skates or a workout or a long day. Like, you just want to go get a Chipper bowl. It's not deep fried or anything. You're getting like real meat, chicken or steak and it's kind of just ... it's the package. So many guys like chicken and rice. Chipotle has that and it's tasty.
I would say I go to Chipotle like three or four times a week right now. I'll probably go five or six times a week now. Game days would be the only day I don't go.
You were selected 31st overall. So you're right at the border of the first and second round, but you are a first-round pick. How much does that matter to you to be selected at the end of the first round versus the second round?
Howard: It was a big relief. Like, I didn't want to have to go through that process again, you know what I mean? Wake up and head back down to the rink the next day. So I was just waiting to hear my name called. When it finally happened, it felt unreal. It's such a long process. I feel like I was there for four and a half hours, just waiting. Once you're there in person, it just goes by so slow. When I got my name revealed, it felt awesome.
One of your more famous quotes was with our colleague Emily Kaplan at the NHL draft -- you said you were the best-looking guy there, moments after you were selected. Our very important question to you: Were you the best-looking guy on Team USA?
Howard: From a nonbiased point of view, I'll have to say "yeah" on that one. You know, stick to what I believe in.
Obviously one of the biggest stories in hockey is Cutter Gauthier deciding that he is going to not play for the Philadelphia Flyers, and then they traded him to the Anaheim Ducks. What was your reaction to seeing that whole thing go down with Cutter this week?
Howard: I was a little surprised. Um, you know, I didn't know that that was in the works or anything like that. But I guess that's something that can happen. It's a business. Trades happen and whatnot. But I was definitely a little bit surprised.
Could you ever imagine knowingly making yourself public enemy No. 1 to the fans in Philadelphia like Cutter just did?
Howard: He's got a strong mind to him. I think he'll be just fine.
When you eventually get to the NHL, are there any players you're dying to match up against?
Howard: There's a ton of players. Once you're finally on the big stage playing in the NHL, there's superstars all over the league. It'll definitely be really cool to look over and face off against some guys that I grew up watching. I think that's one of the coolest parts about becoming a player in the NHL.
Who was your guy growing up?
Howard: I really liked Ovechkin. I loved his swagger, his goal scoring. He was just really fun to watch.
You grew up watching the Minnesota Wild. What will it be like to play in that arena for the first time?
Howard: Yeah, it'll be sweet. That's the rink I grew up watching. It was just like 25 minutes from my house, so me and my brothers and parents would always haul down there and catch games. It's a really fun barn. So if I got the chance to play in there, that'd be unreal.