An outstanding second year player, the sophomore forward from Hermantown, Minnesota has been one of the top scorers in the nation all season long. Teamed up with his brother Zam and Jayson Shaugabay, the trio formed one of the most formidable forward lines across college hockey this past season. Max proved early on this was going to be a special year as he collected points in 11 of his first 13 games of the season.
As the Bulldogs closed out the season with a one-goal loss to Michigan in the NCAA Albany Regional final, Max completed the season with 25 goals and 27 assists for 52 points in 40 games. That positions him third in the nation in points and tied for second in goals. He averaged 3.8 shots per game (152 total) to finish third in the country in shots. He was also top ten in the nation in game winning goals (6), power play goals (8), short-handed goals (2) – all while averaging 1.30 points per game, eighth in the nation. Plante also produced 15 multi-point games.
Plante was recognized with a truck-load of awards including: National Collegiate Hockey Conference Player of the Year, NCHC Forward of the Year, First Team all-conference, College Hockey News Player of the Year and he was named the National Forward of the Month for October when he picked up nine goals and nine assists in his first nine games.
Max’s dad Derek was a Hobey Baker top ten finalist in 1993 as a senior for Minnesota Duluth; went on to a nine-year NHL career, plus five seasons in Europe, before landing with the Bulldogs as an assistant coach for seven years and three more seasons as an assistant with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Max competed for Team USA at the World Junior Championship for two years (2025 and 2026). The NCHC Scholar-Athlete is a Communications major and lends his spare time assisting at youth hockey clinics and learn to play programs. Max is a second-round draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings (2024).
Top Ten:
- Finished with 25 goals, 27 assists for 52 points in 40 games – Detroit draft (2nd round, 2024)
- Had 8 power play goals and 15 multiple point games – is 3rd in the nation in shots, 3rd in points and is tied for 2nd in goals
- Communications major and Scholar-Athlete – had 15 multiple point games
Player Stats
| Type | Season | Team Name | League | Goals | Assists | Points | PIM | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Season | 2025-2026 | Univ. of Minnesota-Duluth | NCAA | 25 | 27 | 52 | 23 | 19 |
| Current Season | 2025-2026 | USA U20 | WJC-20 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -3 |
| Hobey Winning Season | 2025-2026 | Univ. of Minnesota-Duluth | NCAA | 25 | 27 | 52 | 23 | 19 |
2026 Runner Up
Senior, Forward, Hamilton, Ontario
Setting a remarkable standard of consistency, Hughes has averaged over a point per game in each of the past three seasons, becoming the Big Ten’s all-time points leader in conference games. Topping Michigan in scoring for the second straight season, the team captain was named First Team all-conference and the Big Ten Player of the Year. The top-ranked Wolverines enter the Frozen Four tournament with Hughes second in the nation in scoring and third in assists. Along the way, he piled up 18 multiple point games.
- Has 21 goals, 35 assists for 56 points in 39 games – is 57.8% on faceoffs
- Is third in the nation in points per game (1.44) – is 10th in the nation in goals
- Is a free agent – Sports Management major – has 3 goals, 6 assists in 5 playoff games
Junior, Defense, Brainerd, Minnesota
Pohlkamp is the nation’s top scoring defenseman and his 18 goals so far is an NCHC record by a defenseman. That’s because he’s a prolific shooter, leading the nation with 185 shots (average 4.5 per game), 27 more than the next closest skater. He’s also launched 25 shots in four playoff games heading into the Frozen Four. Pohlkamp was recognized as First Team all-conference, the NCHC Offensive Defenseman of the Year and was a finalist for the NCHC Player of the Year. Pohlkamp leads the nation’s defensemen in points and goals.
- Has 18 goals, 21 assists for 39 points in 41 games – has 6 power play goals
- Communications major, Marketing minor –San Jose draft (5th round, 2023)
- Member of the U.S. Selects of NCAA players at the Spengler Cup tourney in Switzerland in December – played his freshman season at Bemidji State Univ.