Colin Ralph's thrilling shootout heroics lead him to a pro contract with the St. Louis Blues, joining four other Spartans turning pro.
The Michigan State hockey team has officially started to feel the effects of its recent success.
After building one of the top programs in college hockey over the last few seasons, the Spartans are now watching that success translate to the professional ranks. And now, a fifth player from the 2025-26 Michigan State roster has officially made the jump.
This time, it’s Colin Ralph, who has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the St. Louis Blues.
Ralph may not have been the flashiest or most talked-about name on Michigan State’s roster. In fact, if you watched all 35 games this season, there probably weren’t many nights where you walked away saying, “Wow, Colin Ralph was sensational.”
But that doesn’t mean he wasn’t important.
For many Michigan State fans, Ralph will always be remembered for one of the biggest moments of the season — his 13th-round shootout goal against Ohio State that secured the Big Ten regular season title.
After MSU dropped game one of the two-game series, the Spartans entered the second matchup needing just one win to clinch their third straight Big Ten regular season championship. What followed was an instant college hockey classic.
From puck drop to the final shot, the game was a battle. It eventually went to a shootout, where both teams continued to trade chances in what turned into a marathon. Round after round, neither side could break through as the goaltenders stood on their heads and denied nearly everything thrown their way.
Then came Ralph.
The 6-foot-4 sophomore stepped in and delivered the exclamation point, scoring the biggest goal of his collegiate career and etching his name into one of the most memorable moments of Michigan State’s season.
That moment capped off a college career that began at St. Cloud State, where Ralph earned All-NCHC Rookie Team honors and was also named a Distinguished Scholar.
As a freshman with the Huskies, Ralph totaled eight points (one goal, seven assists) and showed enough promise to be selected in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft, going 48th overall to the St. Louis Blues.
Ralph also represented the United States on the international stage, helping Team USA win gold at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship. He recorded one assist in seven games during the tournament.
Before his college career, Ralph spent two seasons at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, where he posted 111 points in 111 games in the USHS-Prep league. During the 2023-24 season, his 58 assists led all defensemen and ranked third overall in the league. He also appeared in two games for Dubuque of the USHL that same season.
After transferring to Michigan State for his sophomore season — and what would ultimately be his only year in East Lansing — Ralph finished with one goal and 10 assists.
Still, offense was never the biggest part of his game.
Ralph made his impact in the areas that often don’t show up in the loudest way, but absolutely matter when it comes to winning. Night after night, he was reliable in the defensive zone, using his size, positioning, and awareness to make life difficult on opposing offenses.
He finished the season with a team-leading 48 blocked shots and posted a plus-minus rating of +20, further showing the kind of steady presence he brought to the Spartans’ blue line.
He was the kind of player who consistently found himself in the right place at the right time. Whether it was breaking up a rush, getting in front of a shot, or helping Michigan State shut down dangerous scoring chances, Ralph quietly did the little things that winning teams need.
Now, he’ll take that game to the professional level.
Ralph is expected to report to the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds for the remainder of the 2025-26 season on a professional tryout.
And while Michigan State continues to lose key pieces to the next level, that’s also the reality of becoming one of the premier programs in college hockey.
The Spartans will keep losing talent — because they keep producing it.
Still, with Adam Nightingale leading the way, Michigan State should once again be in position to reload, compete, and chase yet another Big Ten title next season.