The St. Paul Pioneer Press’s Jess Myers reports that several former NHL players are attending the World Junior Summer Showcase in Minneapolis to scout potential draft picks and signings…as well as their own sons…
Detroit Red Wings assistant general manager Shawn Horcoff has been a particularly interested observer, not only looking for future stars to play in Motown, but having a vested interest in one particular U.S. winger.
After a solid first season of college hockey at Michigan, Will Horcoff was selected 24th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, and in addition to vying for a Big Ten title with the Wolverines and a gold medal with Team USA, he’s certainly a candidate to emulate his father, who skated in more than 1,000 NHL games with the Oilers, Stars and Ducks over a 14-season pro career.
“It just shows how fast time flies. It seems like just yesterday I was watching him play,” Will Horcoff said. “It’s kind of crazy that now the roles are reversed and he’s watching me. But he has been a great guide my whole life, and he has taught me so much about how to be a player and a man.”
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A few sections over from where Horcoff and Michigan head coach Brandon Naurato were talking, former Chicago Blackhawks assistant coach Derek Plante — now scouting for the Ottawa Senators — watched intently as Team USA battled penalty troubles and Team Sweden on Wednesday afternoon.
His son Max, who will be a sophomore at UMD this season, has not been on the ice for the Americans due to a nagging injury. But Max played a role in Team USA’s gold medal and is widely expected to make the final 2026 roster for the Americans.
The elder Plante, who was a star for the Bulldogs and a member of the 1999 Stanley Cup champions in Dallas, said getting paid to watch hockey when your child is in the mix is a special thing.
“It gets me in the rink, anyway,” Derek said, with a smile. “I don’t have a lot of decision-making power for him, but it’s fun to watch all these games. I got to watch Max grow up, and also I’ve seen a lot of these kids grow up. I get to know a little bit more about them as a scout.”
