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Max Plante delivered one of the most decorated seasons in Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs men's hockey history, and it culminated Friday night with college hockey’s highest individual honor.
The sophomore forward from Hermantown was named the 2025-26 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner at the Presidio Ballroom at Park MGM Las Vegas, becoming the seventh player in program history to receive the award.
“It feels surreal,” Plante said. “I guess it was really a lot like the draft. You can't even really believe it. It feels like a dream. But it is your name and know when your name's called you, you got to stand up. And it was just super special to look around and see my family and they were all right there, so it was really cool.”
Plante’s honor capped a dominant season in which he emerged as one of the nation’s most complete offensive players. He finished with 52 points, the most by a Bulldogs player since 2011-12, and his 26 goals ranked second in the NCAA. His production placed him third nationally in total points and among the leaders in game-winning goals (6), power-play goals (8) and points per game (1.30).
He recorded at least two points in 15 games, including five outings with three or more, and posted a plus-19 rating while averaging 21 minutes, 50 seconds of ice time per game. Plante also notched his first collegiate hat trick Nov. 14 against Omaha.
Against teams that qualified for the 2026 NCAA tournament, Plante totaled 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 14 games, including three points in two tournament appearances.
The award followed a string of major honors for Plante. He was named a CCM/AHCA First Team All-American, College Hockey News Player of the Year and National Collegiate Hockey Conference Player of the Year — just the second player in program history to earn that distinction and the first Bulldogs forward to be named the league’s top player. He also earned All-NCHC First Team honors and was selected to the NCAA Albany Regional All-Tournament Team.
Bulldogs coach Scott Sandelin said Plante’s impact went beyond statistics.
“Pretty, pretty cool, I mean, special for him, obviously, for their family and again, another one for our program,” Sandelin said. “We're recruiting good players, right? But again, you know, there's so many great players in the country and even this year, there could have been five guys or six guys that probably could have won that award.
"But you know, I felt just Max was very deserving, because it was an important year for our program, and he was one of the catalysts to help kind of get us back on track and where we kind of want to head with the program moving forward.”
Plante said he plans to return to Minnesota Duluth next season, with the opportunity to play alongside his brothers, Zam and incoming freshman Victor.
“I plan to come back next year,” Plante said. “Just the fact to have the chance to play with two brothers at that high level and to try to achieve something that I haven't achieved at and win a national championship. That's kind of the goal, really, that I had coming into college hockey.
"Obviously, there's a lot of work to do before we get there, but to be able to do that with not only my brothers, but guys that I've gotten to know really well in my two years at UMD and they're kind of like brothers now. So it's a super special place to me and I just kind of want to give it one last go.”
Minnesota Duluth now has seven Hobey Baker winners, the most of any program in NCAA history, three more than Boston College men's hockey, Harvard men's hockey and Minnesota Golden Gophers men's hockey, which each have four.
Sandelin has coached four of those winners — Plante, Scott Perunovich (2019-20), Jack Connolly (2011-12) and Junior Lessard (2003-04).
Plante also becomes just the third sophomore in Bulldogs history to win the Hobey Baker, further cementing his place among the program’s elite.
