The Hermantown Six: Ty Hanson is UMD’s blueline engine
Hanson is a No. 1 college defenseman entering his prime, and UMD’s championship ceiling will be tied directly to how completely he controls the back end.
HowieHanson.com Section
Max Plante
Breaking Sports News: Plante brothers reunite in Red Wings organization as Detroit selects Victor 47th overall
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Detroit Red Wings have doubled down on one of hockey's most recognizable Minnesota families. Detroit selected University of Minnesota Duluth recruit Victor Plante with the 47th overall pick in the second round of the 2026 NHL Draft on Saturday, giving the organization NHL rights
Plante scores game-winner in World Championship exhibition
Former Hermantown standout Max Plante scored a third-period goal as Team USA defeated Germany 5-2 in its lone exhibition game ahead of the 2026 IIHF Men’s World Championship before a sellout crowd of 12,909 at SAP Arena. Plante, a sophomore forward from University of Minnesota Duluth
Howie: Max Plante on preliminary U.S. world championship roster
The IIHF Men’s World Championship annually serves as the highest-profile international men’s hockey tournament outside the Winter Olympics, drawing many of the world’s top professional and amateur players after the NHL regular season concludes.
Plante, Gajan lead Bulldogs’ 2025-26 award recipients
Howie's daily column is sponsored by Lyric Kitchen Bar. University of Minnesota Duluth honored six players with its 2025-26 men’s hockey team awards Wednesday, headlined by sophomore forward Max Plante, who capped a historic season as the Bulldogs’ most valuable player. Plante, a Hermantown native, received
Howie: Hobey in hand, unfinished business ahead for Plante and Bulldogs
A group that could have fragmented chose to remain intact, and that continuity alters expectations in a meaningful way. Teams that stay together tend to become harder to play against, not just because of talent, but because of familiarity and shared understanding.
Howie: Max Plante wins Hobey Baker
Plante said he plans to return to Minnesota Duluth next season, with the opportunity to play alongside his brothers, Zam and incoming freshman Victor.
Howie: Adversity isn’t the issue for Bulldogs. Execution and points are.
The question wasn’t how they’re handling adversity. The real question is whether they can turn good hockey into points — starting now. Because in the NCHC, effort keeps you competitive. Execution keeps you home in the first round of the playoffs.
Plante brothers, Hanson on Hobey Baker fan ballot
For Hermantown, the impact is already unmistakable. A high school program in northern Minnesota placed three of its own among the nation’s best college hockey players — simultaneously, on the sport’s biggest individual stage — reinforcing a legacy that now stretches far beyond state lines.
Howie: Max Plante is playing himself into the NHL/AHL, but only if he can stay healthy
The Detroit Red Wings are watching to see if the Bulldogs sophomore forward is ready to step into a much harsher world. Judging by the way he played this weekend, that question is starting to answer itself.
Howie: Bulldogs, Prep Hockey Notebook
UMD men's hockey is surrounding its future core with the kind of balance you rarely see in a single signing haul: scoring up front, size and skating on the back end, and a top-flight goaltender to anchor the whole operation.
Howie: Hughes trade, DECC to host World Junior Championship exhibitions
This is a bet that Hughes ages cleanly, that his body cooperates, that the cap continues to rise, and that the surrounding cast can be managed without suffocation. It’s a bet that Minnesota can finally pull off the superstar contract that doesn’t end in regret.
Howie: The Plante pipeline rolls on, with one big question left hanging
Imagine if Max Plante chooses Amsoil Arena for one more winter instead of Grand Rapids. Victor arrives. Zam continues his ascent. And all three Plantes share the same sheet of ice, wearing the same sweater, saluted by the same 6,700 who’ve been following this family saga since pee wees.
Howie: Bulldogs, Viktor Plante, Mirage, Jason Watt
There’s something quietly magnetic about Jason Watt on a Bulldogs hockey broadcast. He’s not trying to sound like anyone else. He doesn’t force energy or jargon. He just explains the game — clearly, comfortably, and with the kind of authenticity that comes only from having lived it.
Howie: Bulldogs split at North Dakota, UMD-UWS men's hoops exhibition Monday
UMD sophomore forward Max Plante continues his strong start.
Bulldogs blitz hapless Gophers, 3-0
The UMD men’s hockey team might not be ranked yet, but Friday night played like a team about to turn some heads. The Bulldogs blanked No. 12 Minnesota 3-0 at 3M Arena at Mariucci, earning their first win on the Gophers’ home ice since 2021 and extending their