Max Plante named 2026 Hobey Baker Memorial Trophy winner

Max Plante named 2026 Hobey Baker Memorial Trophy winner originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Max Plante has been announced as the most recent winner of the coveted Hobey Baker Memorial Trophy.

Plante, T.J. Hughes and Eric Pohlkamp were previously named the Hobey Hat Trick finalists — the final three up to win the most prestigious award in college hockey that recognizes the top NCAA DI men's ice hockey player. Hughes represents the University of Michigan, Plante plays for the University of Minnesota Duluth and Pohlkamp is on the roster for the University of Denver. The win for Plante comes after he was named the 2025-26 National Collegiate Hockey Conference Player of the Year

The winner was announced in Las Vegas on April 10 at 8:00 p.m. EST at Park MGM.

The award ceremony coincided with the 2026 Frozen Four, also taking place in Las Vegas on April 9 and 11 at T-Mobile Arena. The Wisconsin Badgers will take on the Denver Pioneers on April 11 at 5:30 p.m. EST for the National Championship title.

Max Plante wins 2026 Hobey Baker Award

Plante was drafted in the second-round at No. 47 by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.

He finished the season with 52 points — the most by a Bulldog since 2011-12. Plante's father, Derek, was also previously named a Hobey Baker Finalist.

Against teams in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Max had 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 14 games and was named to the 2026 U.S. National Junior Team.

The sophomore is the tenth different Bulldog ever to be nominated and first to win since defenseman Scott Perunovich won the award in 2019-20.

Max became UMD's first NCHC Forward of the Year and was named a All-NCHC First Team selection. 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.

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