One day after being named a Hobey Baker Memorial Top 10 Finalist, University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey forward Max Plante has been named the National Collegiate Hockey Conference's Player of the Year. The second Bulldog ever to land the honor, Plante is the first honoree since defenseman Scott Perunovich won the award in 2019-20.

Plante, a native of Hermantown, Minn. and the program's first NCHC Forward of the Year, has spent the entire season as one of the top-point getters in the entire nation. Currently ranked fifth with  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 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 power play currently boats a 29.3 conversion rate and has registered eight power play goals and six assists for 14 power play points.

The First Team All-NCHC selection had his first career hat against the University of Omaha on Nov. 14, and has had six games with two or more goals and five games with two assists. Plante carries a +16 plus/minus, and in conference play, Plante finished fifth with both 12 goals and 25 points, including a trio of game-winners, while adding 13 assists. 

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. 

Plante and 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.