Red Wings 47th overall draft pick Max Plante was particularly talkative during his post-draft media availability, and both the Free Press’s Helene St. James and the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan took note of Plante’s remarks–as well as those of Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman and assistant GM/director of amateur scouting Kris Draper regarding the plucky playmaker.
“He has tremendous hockey sense and he moves the puck very well and is a very deceptive skater,” Steve Yzerman said. “He moves well on the ice. But I really liked his hockey sense and his creativity.”
Kris Draper, the team’s assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting, called Plante, “a character kid. You can tell he grew up around the game. The hockey sense of where he can play up and down the lineup is something that we kept coming back to that.”
Plante had a feeling the selection was coming.
“When they said my name, there were so many people, so for them to pick me out was pretty cool,” Plante said. “I had a good interview with them [at the combine] and I talked to them throughout the year. Actually in my interview, they asked me a five-pick range of when I get picked, and I said 42-47, and I think I was picked somewhere in there.”
He was: No. 47.
Plante is the son of former NHL forward Derek Plante, who won a Stanley Cup in Dallas in 1999 during an eight-year NHL career. Grandfather Bruce Plante is a legendary high school coach in Hermantown, Minnesota, where the Plantes come from.
“I’m very lucky and fortunate to be around such great hockey people,” Plante said. “I’d say my dad probably watches more hockey than anyone probably in the world. Growing up, after I’d skate on the outdoor rinks I’d come home and my dad would be watching hockey, so there was nothing else on the TV. I’d just be watching hockey.”
As for the draft, Max said his dad offered simple advice.
“Be yourself and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Plante said. “My dad taught me pretty much everything I know about hockey.”
Plante is headed to Minnesota Duluth to play collegiately. He’ll join his brother Zam there.
“I’m really excited to go play with Zam,” Plante said. “Two years off of playing with each other, we probably miss playing with each other, playing give and go hockey together. Hopefully we get to play together this year at Duluth.”
