Derek Plante played college hockey at the University of Minnesota Duluth from 1989 to 1993. A highly productive forward, he earned First-Team All-American honors in his senior season, leading the entire NCAA in scoring with 92 points (36 goals, 56 assists). His outstanding performance that year also earned him a spot as a top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and the USA Hockey Male Athlete of the Year award. He finished his collegiate career with 219 points, which placed him in a tie for second on the school’s all-time scoring list at the time.

After his college career, Plante played professionally for over a decade. He was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres and went on to play eight seasons in the NHL for the Sabres, Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks, and Philadelphia Flyers. He was a member of the 1999 Stanley Cup champion Dallas Stars, although he did not play in the finals. He also played professionally in Europe and Japan before retiring from playing in 2008. After retiring, he transitioned to coaching, including a return to his alma mater as an assistant and then associate head coach, and in 2022 was hired as an assistant coach for the Chicago Blackhawks.