Max Plante, a sophomore forward for the University of Minnesota Duluth, has been crowned the 2026 Jim Johannson College Player of the Year by USA Hockey, capping a breakout season that has already drawn comparisons to some of the program’s greatest talents.
Plante’s 52 points — 26 goals and 26 assists — topped the Bulldogs and placed him among the nation’s most productive scorers, earning him the 2025‑26 Hobey Baker Memorial Award, the College Hockey News Player of the Year honor, and a spot on the CCM/AHCA Hockey West First Team All‑American list. He also captured the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Player of the Year award and became the first UMD forward to receive that distinction.
Award Ceremony and International Duty
His performance helped the Bulldogs secure a top seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, where he contributed two points in the Albany Regional final and was named to the all‑tournament team. Plante’s impact extends beyond the college ranks; he has been selected for the 2026 U.S. Men’s National Team that will compete in the IIHF Men’s World Championship, marking a significant step toward international competition.
The accolades are not new to the Plante family; his father, Derek Plante, earned the same Jim Johannson award in 1992‑93, making Max the fifth Bulldog to receive the honor and the third NCHC player to do so. He will be recognized at the USA Hockey President’s Awards Dinner in Denver on June 5, where his achievements will be celebrated alongside fellow standouts such as incoming freshman goaltender Caleb Heil, who was named the 2026 Dave Peterson Goaltender of the Year.