Most 16-year-olds have the same goals, milestones and concerns in life: getting a driver’s license, passing a class or making it through high school.

Few are thinking about playing minor league hockey in preparation for a career playing in the Ivy League — and maybe in the NHL.

Michael Tang, 16, is one of them. He is playing the 2025-26 season with the Madison Capitols, a Tier 1 junior team in the United States Hockey League in the Madison suburb of Middleton. Even at such a young age, he is projected to play hockey for Harvard University starting next fall, according to Drew Steele, the Capitols’ director of media relations and inside sales.

With a promising hockey career ahead of him, Tang is likely one in a string of unstoppable current of great athletes who made their mark in Wisconsin before hitting it big, much like Major League Baseball star Pete Alonso, Badgers hockey players Brianna Decker, Mark Johnson and Bob Suter, and former NFL quarterback Tony Romo. 

The rookie was born in the United States and lived there for a short time before his family moved to China, and later to Toronto.

He worked his way up to the Toronto Titans Under-16 AAA hockey team. From there, he became one of 46 players recruited for the USA National Team Development Program Evaluation Camp, which feeds into the USA National Team. 

The team often faces opponents similar in age. They even play the Madison Capitols and UW–Madison’s men’s hockey team on some occasions, leading to a familiar community around collegiate-level hockey. 

Madison Capitols’ Head Coach Andy Brandt and Director of Scouting Justin Friedman attended the National Team Development Program Evaluation Camp in early 2025, and saw Tang play for the first time.

The pair continued to scout him, watching game footage and making sure he was a good fit for the Capitols’ culture, says Steele.

After continuing to watch Tang, the Capitols offered him a spot on the roster for the 2025-26 season. In the United States Hockey League, which features players ranging from 16 to 20 years old, every organization can have up to two 16-year-old players on their roster every season. 

Born in 2009, Tang is one of the youngest players in the league, according to Steele, but he makes up for his youth with his game sense. 

The right-shot forward has been praised for his “hockey IQ.” Steele says Tang excels at sensing where he needs to be positioned on the ice and what the next play should be for any given moment. 

It is a skillset Tang developed that has helped him get better while being a smaller player, Steele says.

“As a rookie, I think this kid could be a big playmaker for the team and a big piece offensively,” he says. “He’ll be on the power play and trying to find out more and more ways to get involved.”

Players who sign tender agreements usually stay on the Capitols for about two seasons. Most of the players, not just tenders, go on to play NCAA Division I level. It’s a feature that leads to collegiate hockey being more competitive across the board, according to Steele. He says it helps players take their time developing with teams, like the Capitols, and then go on to showcase their skills in highly visible programs across the country.

Although hockey is his main focus in Madison, Tang has taken time to explore the historic city. Along with other teammates, he attended UW–Madison’s first home football game. 

“I think that was really special,” Tang says. “It wasn’t that good of a game, I would say. But just being there in the moment with all the people, I think it’s great.”

Tang also joined the team in volunteering for RISE, a Madison nonprofit that delivers community-based services to children, families and young adults. The team assisted with cleaning and maintaining their facilities. It is just a small part of the community outreach that the Capitols take part in. 

Drawing a crowd with sports and entertainment 

Watching talented and young players play hockey is a major draw for fans of the Capitols because the league is designed to be a development league for junior hockey players, according to Steele. Notable alumni such as Quinn Finley and Finn Brink have gone on to play at higher levels. 

To keep fans engaged even after players have moved on, the Capitols took inspiration from other sports organizations of similar size. 

In recent years, other minor league or independent teams have stepped up their entertainment during games to draw in more fans. The Savannah Bananas are the modern equivalent of the Harlem Globetrotters as a team known for sports entertainment, drawing in more than 100,000 fans during their Banana Ball tours.

The Madison Capitols aim to fuse good hockey with a fun show and create a family-friendly environment for all ages. 

During breaks, fans are invited to take part in friendly competitions, like racing each other down the ice. During another, two fans might dance for a gift card to a local restaurant.

It’s a great way to get fans to feel like they’re part of the game, says Sam Rizzo, the in-game host and emcee for the Capitols’ 2024-25 season. 

The team also supports youth hockey teams. Younger teams have the opportunity to experience a professional atmosphere when they visit the Capitols, playing scrimmages at game intermissions and sitting on the bench during warmups. 

The team has also become popular with young adults because of its “$1 Beer Nights.” These often result in sellout games for the team near UW–Madison, Rizzo says.

Rizzo says fans always brought the energy to the packed crowds at Legacy20 arena. 

“No matter if [fans] knew the teams or not, they came for a certain reason.”

“I think at the end of it, it was all really nice to everyone,” Rizzo says. “Whether they bonded over beer, whether they bonded over good hockey — it was a really fun event for people to come out and support the Capitols.”

Tang is still early in his professional journey. He continues to do his best to take advantage of the new experiences his career offers. While he’s new to Madison and focused on hockey, the newcomer is trying to earn the title of “Wisconsinite” by keeping a list of quintessential activities to try next.

“I’ve heard about the cheese curds … hopefully I can get to try some in the future,” Tang says. “I live pretty close to Lake Mendota, I definitely want to get on there before I leave.”