Max Plante Earns Additional Honors for His Outstanding Second Year with Jim Johannson College Player of the Year Award

In April, Max Plante was awarded the Hobey Baker Award, recognizing him as the top player in men’s college hockey.

Less than two months later, Plante received another accolade for his impressive sophomore season at Minnesota Duluth, being named the Jim Johannson College Player of the Year by USA Hockey. He will be celebrated at the USA Hockey President’s Awards Dinner on June 5 in Denver.

“He had an outstanding year, and he was a significant contributor to our team,” stated Scott Sandelin, head coach at Minnesota Duluth. “This is certainly a well-deserved acknowledgment for the season he had.”

Established in 1994, the College Player of the Year Award honors the top American-born player in NCAA Division I men’s college hockey. In 2019, the award was renamed to honor Johannson, who won a national championship in 1983 while playing at the University of Wisconsin and spent nearly two decades as an executive with USA Hockey.

Bob Motzko, who coached Plante at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, described the Minnesota Duluth standout as an old-school type of player.

“He’s an exceptional player,” said Motzko, who has also coached at the University of Minnesota for the past eight seasons. “He alters the game with his skill and elevates the performance of his teammates. We noticed it when we faced [Minnesota Duluth] earlier in the season. He was among the top players we encountered all year.”

A native of Hermantown, Minnesota, Plante became Minnesota Duluth’s seventh Hobey Baker Award winner— the most in NCAA history—and the first since defenseman Scott Perunovich in 2020.

In 40 games this season, Plante ranked third in the nation with 52 points and was tied for the second-most goals with 25.

A First Team All-American, Plante was the second Minnesota Duluth player to be named the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Player of the Year and the school’s first NCHC Forward of the Year. His 25 goals were the highest total by any Duluth player since Mike Connolly netted 28 in the 2010–11 season.

Sandelin has been at the helm of the Bulldogs since 2000. Plante is the fourth Hobey Baker winner during Sandelin’s tenure, joining Perunovich (2020), Jack Connolly (2012), and Junior Lessard (2004).

What stands out to Sandelin about Plante is his unwavering effort on the ice.

“He’s a highly skilled player with a strong hockey IQ, but he possesses an excellent sense of the game,” Sandelin remarked. “He plays without excessive caution. He just goes for it, and that’s not something you see in many players consistently. He’s simply a hockey player, and being around him daily and observing his practice habits gives you a deeper appreciation for the kind of player he is because he is so dedicated and selfless.”

Perhaps the most significant demonstration of his selflessness and dedication to the team is Plante’s choice to return to the Bulldogs to play alongside his older brother Zam, a rising junior at Duluth, and younger brother Victor, who will join the Bulldogs this fall after spending the last two seasons with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program.

He will be the first Hobey Baker winner since Ryan Duncan returned to North Dakota in 2007 to rejoin his team after receiving the award.

“I was obviously very thrilled when he announced he was coming back,” Sandelin said. “That was even before he won the Hobey Baker. To have the chance to win, while also playing with his brothers, is a unique opportunity for him and their family.”

Sandelin described Plante as a good self-evaluator who is acutely aware of the areas where he needs to improve and the effort required to make that progress.

“He took his time with his decision,” Sandelin noted. “We had some discussions, but not many because I wanted to allow him time. He was interested in our thoughts, which is not common in today’s world. I believe that 20 years from now, he would have regretted not taking the extra year to play with his brothers. While it may not have been the primary factor, it certainly influenced his decision.”

Max’s father, Derek, was a Hobey Baker top 10 finalist in 1993 as a senior at Duluth. Derek Plante had an eight-year NHL career before becoming an associate coach at Minnesota Duluth in 2010. From 2015 to 2020, he served as a development coach for the Chicago Blackhawks, but returned to the Duluth bench for two additional seasons afterward.

Motzko has known the family for a long time, having worked alongside Max’s grandfather Bruce Plante, a renowned high school hockey coach in Hermantown. His mother, Kristi, was also a distinguished basketball and softball player at Minnesota Duluth.

“It’s a remarkable family,” Motzko said. “The level of success they’re achieving is impressive to witness. For me, observing Derek’s journey and then Max… they are remarkably similar. The talent level and their style of play are quite alike. Such players are rare.”

Max Plante recorded points in 11 of his first 13 games of the season, playing alongside Zam and Jayson Shaugabay. He concluded the season on a five-game point streak and registered at least one point in 29 of the 40 games played.

“The line he plays on has excellent chemistry, and they complement each other well,” Sandelin said. “He’s a very skilled hockey player, but he’s also very unselfish, which I appreciate. He is driven to win. I’m genuinely excited for him because this encapsulates his entire year.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.