University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey fans already knew what the National Collegiate Hockey Conference announced Monday afternoon – Max Plante was the best forward in the league this season.

Plante was named the NCHC Forward of the Year by the conference, the first Bulldog ever to lay claim to the award. The Hermantown, Minn. native is also a finalist for NCHC Player of the Year, and last week was named an First Team All-NCHC selection. The Detroit Red Wings draft pick leads the NCHC with 48 points (1.30ppg) in 37 games this season, with his 23 goals also first in the conference and his 25 assists seventh. His six game-winning goals is the most in the NCHC and ranks third in the NCAA, while he has one hat trick and carries a +16 plus/minus. In conference play, Plante finished fifth with both 12 goals and 25 points, including a trio of game-winners, while adding 13 assists. 

Currently in fifth the nation with 48 total points, Plante's 23 goals rank fifth in the NCAA. He also sits seventh with eight power play goals, and ninth with a 1.30 points per game average.  Plante has posted 14-multiple point games, including ing three games with four points and five with three points or more and has been a crucial part of UMD's second-best NCAA-best power play that currently boats a 29.3 conversion rate, and has registered eight power play goals and six assists for 14 power play points.

The UMD alternate captain was the NCHC's October Forward of the Month, and was also named the HCA's Forward of the Month for October, and in addition to earning a NCHC Forward of the Week nod back on Oct. 7, 2025, was also named to the NCHC Preseason All-Conference Team. He was also a member of the 2025 U.S. World Junior Team.

Plante will find out Thursday if he will become the second-ever Bulldog named the NCHC Player of the Year. Fourth-seeded UMD will face the second-seeded University of Denver on Saturday for the NCHC Frozen Four Championship in Denver, Colo. inside Magness Arena. The puck is set to drop at 7:00 p.m. CST.