Max Plante is officially the best player in college hockey.

The University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey sophomore was crowned the 2025-26 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner Friday night inside the Presidio Ballroom at the Park MGM Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada, becoming the seventh Bulldog in program history to earn the coveted honor. 

"It feels surreal," said Plante about hearing his named called Friday night. ?"I guess it was really a lot like the draft. You can't even really believe it. It feels like a dream. ?But it is your name and know when your name's called you, you got to stand up. And I was just super special to look around and see my family and they were all right there, so it was really cool."


Named a 2025-26 CCM/AHCA Hockey West First Team All-American right before the Hobey Baker Award was announced, Plante was named the College Hockey News Player of the Year earlier this week. The Hermantown, Minn. native was chosen the 2025-26 National Collegiate Hockey Conference Player of the Year – just the second Bulldog ever to land the honor, and became UMD's first NCHC Forward of the Year. Named to the NCAA Tournament Albany Regional All-Tournament Team less than two weeks ago,  Plante also earned a All-NCHC First Team selection. Plante finished the season with 52 points – the most by a Bulldog since 2011-12 – and his 26 goals – the second most in the NCAA to date – is the most since Mike Connolly put up 28 in 2010-11. One of just 28 players to have compiled 51 or more points in a single season in UMD program history (82 seasons,) Plante ranked third in the NCAA in total points (52), game-winning goals (6), eighth in power play goals (8) and points per game (1.30 ppg). 15 games this season Plante registered two or more points, including five with three or more. With a time on ice average of 21:50, Plante also owned a plus/minus rating of +19 and had his first career hat against the University of Omaha on Nov. 14. Against teams in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Plante had 15 points (6g, 9a) in 14 games, a 1.04 ppg, and that included three points in two NCAA Tournament games.


Bulldog head coach Scott Sandelin didn't hide how much Plante meant to the program this past season.


"Pretty, pretty cool, I mean, special for him, obviously, for their family and again, another one for our program," said Sandelin, who now has coached four Hobey Baker winners at UMD.?"We're recruiting good players, right? But again, you know, there's so many great players in the country and even this year, there could have been five guys or six guys that probably could have won that award. But you know, I felt just Max was very deserving, because it was an important year for our program, and he was one of the catalysts to help kind of get us back on track and where we kind of want to head with the program moving forward."


Plante will become the first Hobey Baker winner since University of North Dakota's Ryan Duncan in 2007 to return to his college team following his win. He told the media Friday night he plans to return to UMD next season to play with both his brothers -- current sophomore Zam and incoming freshman Victor.


"I plan to come back next year," said Plante. "Just the fact to have the chance to play with two brothers at that high level a level and to try to achieve something that I haven't achieved at and win a national championship. That's kind of the goal, really, that I had coming into college hockey. Obviously, there's a lot of work to do before we get there, but to be able to do that with not only my brothers, but guys that I've gotten I know really well in my two years at UMD and they're kind of like brothers now. ?So it's a super special place to me and I just kind of want to give it one last go."



UMD's seven Hobey Baker winners is the most in the NCAA -- the Bulldogs now have three more than the next closest programs – Boston College, Harvard and the University of Minnesota all have four winners. Bulldog head coach Scott Sandelin has been the UMD bench boss for four of the honorees -- Plante, Scott Perunovich (2019-20), Jack Connolly (2011-12) and Junior Lessard (2003-04).

Plante is just the third UMD sophomore to win the Hobey Baker.

UMD's Seven Hobey Baker Memorial Award Winners:

Max Plante
2025-26
Recipient

Scott Perunovich
2019-20
Recipient

Jack Connolly
2011-12
Recipient

Junior Lessard
2003-04
Recipient

Chris Marinucci
1993-94
Recipient

Bill Watson
1984-85
Recipient

Tom Kurvers
1983-84
Recipient