'Ice Man' Howard believes he's among the best goal scorers in the draft

SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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Isaac Howard became known as the "Ice Man" of the United States National Team Development Program this season. 

"I like to be cold [blooded] out there on the ice," the winger explained. "Steady and burying goals."

It's not a new nickname. 

"My dad called me that as a kid because I was always around the rink," Howard said. "And now it picked up again. I was talking to [teammates Lane] Hutson and [Logan] Cooley and we made nicknames for each other and it stuck. I like the nickname."

 The Wisconsin native likes it so much that he's wearing an "Ice Man" hat these days. 

"Some guy on Instagram designed it for me and it's probably my favourite hat right now," Howard said. "This guy has got a merch brand or whatever and he reached out with an offer and I was like, 'Yeah, I'll take a hat.'"

Howard certainly lived up to the "Ice Man" moniker at the under-18 World Championship in Germany where he led the United States in scoring with 11 points in six games. 

"That's the Holy Grail of the NTDP and that's what we work for so, you know, I was fired up," he said. "It was pretty easy to get up for it and excel at that tournament, specifically. I just seized the moment." 

Howard is a sharpshooter on the ice and straight shooter off of it.  

"A lot of hockey players, I guess, aren't super expressive or are more contained, but I say what's on my mind and try to be myself," he said. "Obviously, when you're an offensive player you have a little bit of swagger."

During a conversation with TSN, Howard didn't hold back when asked where he fits in among this year's National Hockey League draft class. The 18-year-old also explained why he'd rather be a judge than an executioner. The following is an edited