Minnesota Duluth’s Max Plante wins Hobey Baker Award for top collegiate hockey player
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Hermantown native Max Plante won the 2026 Hobey Baker Award given to the nation’s top collegiate hockey player on Friday after a standout sophomore season at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Plante led the Bulldogs with 25 goals and 52 points, helping (UMD) the Bulldogs reach the NCAA tournament regional final. His 52 points were the program's highest total in more than a decade.
He also was named National Collegiate Hockey Conference Player of the Year and Forward of the Year.
Max Plante (@UMDMensHockey | @DetroitRedWings) speaks after winning the 2026 Hobey Baker Award! https://t.co/SGGx5zrlKj pic.twitter.com/aRwKIvRmT2
— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) April 11, 2026
With Plante’s win, Minnesota Duluth now has seven Hobey Baker winners—more than any other NCAA program since the award’s inception in 1981. He is the Bulldogs’ first winner since Scott Perunovich in 2020.
The Detroit Red Wings selected Plante in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft. Plante plans to return to Minnesota Duluth next season to play alongside his brothers, Victor and Zam, delaying his professional career for at least one more season.
Michigan forward T.J. Hughes and Brainerd native Eric Pohlkamp, a defenseman at Denver, were also finalists for the award.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
