HIGHLIGHTS
- Max Plante won the 2026 Hobey Baker Award after posting 25 goals and 52 points at Minnesota Duluth
- The Detroit Red Wings prospect plans to return for his junior year instead of turning pro
- Read below for the full story on Plante’s family legacy, heart surgery recovery, and what’s next
Minnesota Duluth forward Max Plante took home the 2026 Hobey Baker Memorial Award on Friday night in Las Vegas, capping off a sophomore season that put him near the top of every NCAA scoring list.
The 20-year-old from Hermantown, Minnesota, finished with 25 goals and 27 assists for 52 points in 40 games. That tied him for second in the country in goals and third in total points. He beat out Denver defenseman Eric Pohlkamp and Michigan forward T.J. Hughes for the honor.
Plante nearly doubled his offensive output from freshman year. He had points in 29 of his 40 games and was named NCHC Forward of the Year, NCHC Player of the Year, and a first-team All-American. He’s just the 28th player in Minnesota Duluth’s 82-year history to hit 51 points in a season.
“I obviously had a great year, but a lot of props to my linemates,” Plante said. “They made a bunch of plays for me, and I was the beneficiary of it.”
The family angle is hard to ignore. His dad Derek Plante played 450 NHL games and was a Hobey Baker finalist himself in 1993, also at Minnesota Duluth. Max’s older brother Zam, a 2022 Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick, plays alongside him on the Bulldogs. And younger brother Victor committed to join them next season. That’s three Plantes on one college roster.
What makes the season even more impressive is what happened before it started. Plante underwent heart surgery last summer to correct an irregular heartbeat. He recovered in time for the fall and never missed a game.
The Detroit Red Wings, who picked him 47th overall in the 2024 draft, will have to wait a little longer to see him in the lineup. Plante confirmed after the ceremony that he’s coming back for his junior season.
“That was a huge motivator,” Plante said. “Just the fact to have a chance to play with two brothers at that high level, and try and achieve something that I haven’t achieved yet, a national championship.”
He becomes the first Hobey Baker winner to stay in school instead of going pro since Ryan Duncan in 2007. He’s also the seventh Bulldog to win the award, more than any program in NCAA history. Coach Scott Sandelin has now guided four of those seven winners, also a record.
During his acceptance speech, Plante paid tribute to Dale “Hoagie” Haagenson, the late Minnesota Duluth equipment manager and longtime program fixture. It was a small moment that said a lot about what the kid values.
Red Wings fans will have to be patient. But a prospect who recovers from heart surgery, nearly leads the country in scoring as a sophomore, and then turns down pro money to chase a title with his brothers? That’s someone worth waiting for.
