Junior defenseman Ty Hanson and forwards Max Plante and Zam Plante were named to the 2026-27 National Collegiate Hockey Conference Preseason All-Conference Team on Tuesday. The full six-player team, which was selected by media, was made up of the three Bulldogs and a trio of University of North Dakota sophomores.

Max Plante was an unanimous selection to the Preseason All-NCHC Team, getting all 33 votes possible. Plante was also named to last year's 2025-26 Preseason All-NCHC Team. Recently named a team captain, Plante is coming off one of the biggest individual seasons in recent Bulldog history, and was named the program's seventh Hobey Baker Memorial winner in April. The 2026 USA Hockey's Jim Johannson College Player of the Year, the Hermantown, Minn. product was a 2025-26 CCM/AHCA Hockey West First Team All-American, the College Hockey News Player of the Year, the 2025-26 National Collegiate Hockey Conference Player of the Year and UMD's first NCHC Forward of the Year. Plante also earned an All-NCHC First Team selection and was named to the NCAA Tournament Albany Regional All-Tournament Team.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. 

Hanson was the second-highest vote-getter in on the preseason squad with 26 votes. Also named a team captain earlier this month, Hanson had a breakout season as a sophomore both on and off the ice. A 2025-26 CCM/AHCA Second Team All-American, 2025-26 All-NCHC Second Team selection, as well as a 2025-26 NCHC Offensive Defenseman of the Year Finalist, the Hermantown, Minn. native was also a 2026 NCAA Tournament's Albany Regional All-Tournament Team pick. While the defenseman has never missed a game in his UMD career and played in 76 consecutive skates, has recorded 50 points over his first two seasons (14g, 36a) and his 36 points as a sophomore ranked second in the nation among all blueliners. Hanson also had a team-high on ice time average of 25:37 (also the sixth most ice time average in the nation) last season.

Zam Plante was named an alternate captain for 2026-27 and last season was a All-NCHC Third Team honoree last season and finished the season as the NCAA's fifth-best scorer with 51 points on 20 goals and 31 assists (the seventh most in the nation). The Hermantown, Minn. native had 10 power play goals (fourth most in the NCAA) for the nation's third best power play and ended the season on a career-long seven-game scoring streak (6g, 6a) with 12 points over that span. 

Media members voted for three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender on their ballot with each vote worth one point. The top three vote-getters at forward, top two defensemen and highest vote-getting goaltender make up the NCHC Preseason All-Conference Team. A total of 33 ballots were submitted by media members covering each NCHC team, as well as select national college hockey media. On Wednesday, the 2026-27 NCHC Preseason Media Poll will be revealed. It will first be counted down on the NCHC's X/Twitter account, @TheNCHC, beginning at 1 p.m. ET, and will be fully revealed by 2 p.m. ET.

2026-27 NCHC Preseason All-Conference Team

F: Max Plante, Minnesota Duluth, Jr. - 33 votes (unanimous)

F: Zam Plante, Minnesota Duluth, Jr. – 18 votes

F: Cole Reschny, North Dakota, So. – 17 votes

D: Ty Hanson, Minnesota Duluth, Jr. – 26 votes

D: Keaton Verhoeff, North Dakota, So. – 23 votes

G: Jan Špunar, North Dakota, So. – 17 votes

The Bulldogs will open up the 2026-27 season against Long Island University on Oct 2-3 at AMSOIL Arena. The Friday-Saturday series will get underway that Friday at 7:07 p.m.