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DULUTH — Minnesota Duluth will enter the 2026-27 men's hockey season with a leadership group built entirely from Hermantown.
The Bulldogs announced their captains Friday after a midweek team vote, naming junior defenseman Ty Hanson and junior forward Max Plante co-captains. Senior defenseman Aaron Pionk and junior center Zam Plante will serve as alternate captains.
All four are former Hermantown High School standouts.
Hanson and Max Plante move into captain roles after serving as alternates last season. Pionk will wear an "A" for the second consecutive season, while Zam Plante joins him as an alternate.
The selections give UMD a veteran leadership group with substantial familiarity with the program and with one another. Hanson, Max Plante and Zam Plante are entering their junior seasons, while Pionk will be one of the Bulldogs' senior defensemen.
The move also gives Hermantown an unusual presence at the top of a Division I program's leadership structure. All four players developed in the Hawks program before moving on to college hockey, and they now comprise UMD's entire captain group.
Hanson has developed into a significant part of the Bulldogs' defensive corps, while Max Plante has established himself among UMD's top forwards. Both were part of the leadership group last season and now take over the captaincy.
Pionk provides senior experience on defense and returns to an alternate captain role. Zam Plante, a center, completes the four-player group.
UMD will now move toward the 2026-27 season with Hanson and Max Plante wearing the "C" and Pionk and Zam Plante wearing the "A."
