Max Plante urges calm as NCAA spotlight grows and next season decision looms
max plante walked back into class Monday at the University of Minnesota Duluth and had to pause when a teacher congratulated him, even as the Bulldogs were still coming off a championship-game loss. The moment captured the strange split-screen of his week: Minnesota Duluth fell in the NCHC title game in double overtime at Denver last Saturday, but the team is still moving on to the NCAA tournament in Albany, New York to play Penn State this week. While that postseason run continues, he has stacked up awards and public attention that he says can feel “weird” when teammates and opponents are producing at a similar level.
Albany trip comes days after a double-overtime title loss
The Bulldogs’ immediate focus shifts to the NCAA tournament after the NCHC championship ended in a double-overtime defeat at Denver last Saturday. The next stop is Albany, New York, where Minnesota Duluth is scheduled to face Penn State this week.
Even in the middle of that turnaround, Plante described the disconnect between personal recognition and a team still processing a loss. “It took me a second to realize why she was congratulating me, because we just lost in the championship game, ” he said, describing the Monday classroom exchange at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Max Plante awards pile up, but he keeps pointing back to the room
In the past couple of weeks, Plante has been “collecting awards and honors left and right. ” Last week alone, he was named 2026 NCHC Forward of the Year, 2026 NCHC Player of the Year, and a top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.
Plante pushed back on the idea that the accolades define his season, repeatedly steering the conversation toward the group around him. “I mean, it’s really cool for me and my family, but there’s other players that are out there that are deserving of the recognition, ” he said. He added that it can be difficult receiving individual honors while watching others excel in the same stretch.
He was also named to the NCHC Frozen Faceoff all-tournament team on Saturday alongside his older brother and linemate, Zam Plante. In the same conversation, he elevated his brother’s playoff performance: “My brother has been the best player in the whole NCHC in the playoffs, ” he said.
Immediate reactions from Plante as recognition and attention spike
Speaking on the Bulldog Insider Podcast with college hockey reporter Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider of My 9 Sports, Plante laid out what matters most to him as the spotlight widens. Asked what he hopes coaches and teammates say about him, he said: “I’d rather just have the accolades from inside the team, from teammates, from coaches, opposing teams and stuff like that. ”
He described “outside noise” and “fluff” as distractions, saying he prefers staying “in the moment” with the group. He also acknowledged the very real change in day-to-day life. “Even walking around school sometimes, I get recognized more now. I’m just kind of starting to get used to it a little bit, ” he said.
There is also an unresolved professional timeline. Plante is a 2024 second-round draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings, and in a Thursday interview he addressed whether he could leave school soon. “As of right now, I’m staying, so I haven’t had the conversation with Detroit yet on where they see me, or if they even want me to play NHL next year, ” Plante said. “I still have to have those conversations, do what’s best for me after the year, with my family and all that, but I’d love to be a Bulldog again next year. ”
Quick context: a season of honors amid a live postseason push
Plante’s week sits at the intersection of individual recognition—NCHC honors and Hobey Baker attention—and Minnesota Duluth’s immediate NCAA tournament task in Albany. The public attention is rising at the same time the Bulldogs are still chasing what matters most in March.
What’s next in Albany—and after that
The next on-ice checkpoint is the NCAA tournament matchup against Penn State in Albany this week, with Minnesota Duluth trying to extend its season after the Denver loss. Beyond the tournament, Plante says his next major step is straightforward: talk with Detroit and decide what best fits his future with his family in mind. For now, the message from max plante is to keep the applause on hold while the Bulldogs’ postseason story is still being written.
