Growing up in Landmark, Isaac Gordon loved to play the game of hockey. While it hasn't been the most traditional of roads, Gordon has gone from the Eastman Selects to Michigan Tech in the NCAA in just a few short seasons, with much more still to come.

"I just loved playing the game with my friends", Gordon says about his start in the game. "I fell in love with the game. I played spring hockey and minor hockey in Landmark all the way up to the Eastman Selects ranks. Then, I ended up in the United States Hockey League with Sioux Falls, and now I just completed my first season with Michigan Tech."

In his final year with the Selects, Gordon put up an eye-popping 43 goals in 41 games and totaled 72 points, plus 8 points in the playoffs. Gordon points to hard work and dedication for the spike in production. "I think during the pandemic and the lockdown, basically all I did was play hockey outdoors with my brothers and my buddies. I hit a growth spurt, too. Most of my young life, I felt like I was chasing to catch up to everybody else, but when I hit that growth spurt, I felt like I was on the same plane as everyone else but the work I put in helped me get to where I was able to go."

After moving on from the Selects program, Gordon says landing in Sioux Falls, South Dakota was where his game really found the next level. "It was a huge jump. Coming from U18 to the USHL, it took some time but we had all the things needed to be successful. Every day we'd work with the coaches, we had all the ice we could ever want and I could do the work I wanted to. I just tried to get better each and every day."

For Gordon at that point, there is a lot other than hockey to deal with. Plotting the course of your hockey career while still being productive on the ice isn't an easy thing to do, but Gordon, with a strong support network, was able to manage. "The recruiting process for college is pretty intense, especially when you're in the USHL. You're on the biggest stage for colleges to come look at you and early one, it was an overwhelming process. You're talking to schools, going on visits. There's lots of conversations with family and advisors. I ended up going on a visit to Michigan Tech. I was originally committed to Michigan State, but it just never really felt right. Through a lot of prayer and conversation with family, I decided to decommitt from there and head to Michigan Tech, which has been a real blessing."

On the ice, Gordon took another step playing NCAA Division-1 hockey but it was a bit of an adjustment period at the beginning. "The biggest thing for me was the size of the guys you're playing against every night. You're going up against 24 or 25-year-old guys. They're fully matured while lots of us Freshman are trying to put on weight. The battles, the intensity, and just how fast plays are being made, it took a bit to adjust."

Godorn plans on returning to Michigan Tech bigger and stronger next season but he's quick to add he will forever have Landmark and the Eastman Selects close to his heart, no matter where he goes. "I have a lot of pride saying I played Eastman Selects until grade 12. Someone told me a long time ago, 'if you're good enough, they'll find you'. I was stressing at that time, thinking I was in grade 12 playing AAA. I just had to remember that God's timing is perfect. Keep working, keep pushing, and if the love of the game stays the same, there's nothing you can't do."

Gordon was named CCHA Rookie of the Month for March. It's the second time this season Gordon has received the honor.