The Hockey News’s Ismail Fasih spoke with Red Wings prospect and University of Minnesota-Duluth captain Max Plante about the upcoming college hockey season.

Plante has returned to UMD after winning the Hobey Baker Award in no small part to play alongside his brothers Victor (a Red Wings prospect) and Zam (a Penguins prospect)…

“That was definitely a big factor,” Plante said in an interview with The Hockey News. “I knew the team we were going to have coming back this year was going to be good. I think it weighed on me heavily just knowing that I had that good of a year … that hockey-wise, I probably could’ve been ready to turn pro, but I don’t think there is a big need to rush and I knew the opportunity might never be there to play with both brothers. Especially at this high of a level; and not only those two but the group of guys we have.”

Though Plante is staying put in Duluth, he is not out of the Red Wings’ attention. The highly coveted prospect is still subject to regular check-ins, who are so far loving Plante’s progress at Minnesota-Duluth.

“So far, during those meetings, (I am asked) just to keep (continue) doing what I am doing,” said Plante.

Plante might not have originally been viewed as as a highly coveted prospect in the 2024 NHL Draft, but Detroit took a chance on him as a playmaker with elite passing skills and wound up picking him 47th overall in the second round. That is a far cry from the elite goal-scorer he is now as his 25 goals topped the highly competitive NCHC conference in the 2025-26 season.

“A big testament to why I am scoring more goals is the guys whom I’m playing with pass me the puck a lot, so I’m put in situations to score more,” said Plante. “Obviously, just keep working on my shot. My shot’s definitely been getting better (after) putting in the time and hours and … that’s been a big thing for my game.”

Plante told Fasih that he and the Bulldogs fully believe that they can make a run at an NCAA title this upcoming season:

“Yeah, I think it’s just the belief they’ve had not only in me but with everyone on our team,” said Plante “We show up every week and it doesn’t matter how we did the week before, our coach makes sure we’re ready to work on Monday and if we’re not, he’ll let us know, so I think it is just the continued pushing. My dad used to coach here at UMD and would tell us that once (UMD head coach Scott Sandelin) gets good players, he makes them better if they’re willing to work.  That’s the group we have here and myself, I like the work part of it because (I know) I’m getting better and coach Sandelin is perfect for that because he is so competitive.”

The interview continues, and Plante deferred credit for his superb 2025-2026 season in an interview with the Duluth News-Tribune’s Matt Wellens:

“Just because I won the big award, I think we had a lot of guys that didn’t get as much recognition — Zam, [Jayson Shaugabay],” Max Plante said. “I think Shaugs is probably making himself into the most underrated guy in college hockey. Ty [Hanson] was an All-American. He didn’t get that much talk either. (Adam Kleber) was defensive defenseman of the year.

“We have a lot of guys that maybe don’t get talked about as much, but I think it’s cool that we have that kind of group.”