Max Plante, Detroit Red Wings prospect, wins Hobey Baker Award

LAS VEGAS – If Detroit Red Wings fans need another reason to be excited about 2024 second-round draft pick Max Plante, here’s another one right here.

Plante, the sophomore forward out of Minnesota Duluth, was named the 2026 Hobey Baker Memorial Award recipient as the top player in college hockey. Plante registered 52 points over 40 games for the Bulldogs and was named the 2026 NCHC Player of the Year.

Plante’s win gives Minnesota Duluth its seventh Hobey Baker Award winner, which leads all schools.

BUILDING BLOCKS: Michigan seniors leave program better off despite Frozen Four loss

Plante beat out Michigan senior forward T.J. Hughes and Denver junior defenseman Eric Pohlkamp for the award, winning over players from two Frozen Four teams. Plante and the Bulldogs lost to Michigan 4-3 in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Hockey Tournament, knocking Minnesota Duluth out of title contention.

Hughes finished the regular season with 56 points in 39 games, second in Division 1 only to Quinnipiac's Ethan Wyttenbach (59 in 40 games). Hughes was also the team captain for a Michigan team that entered the NCAA Tournament as the consensus No. 1 team in the nation, though the top-overall seed Wolverines fell to 2-seed Denver 4-3 in double-overtime in the Frozen Four national semifinal game on Thursday, April 9.

Pohlkamp led the Pioneers in points on the season (39) as Denver advanced to the national championship game against Wisconsin on Saturday, April 11, following its national semifinal win over Michigan. The San Jose Sharks drafted Pohlkamp in the fifth round of the 2023 NHL Draft at 132nd overall.

Hobey Baker Award winners

• 2026: F Max Plante, Minnesota Duluth.
• 2025: F Isaac Howard, Michigan State.
• 2024: F Macklin Celebrini, Boston University.
• 2023: F Adam Fantilli, Michigan.
• 2022: G Dryden McKay, Minnesota State.
• 2021: F Cole Caufield, Wisconsin.
• 2020: D Scott Perunovich, Minnesota Duluth.
• 2019: D Cale Makar, UMass.
• 2018: F Adam Gaudette, Northeastern.
• 2017: D Will Butcher, Denver.
• 2016: F Jimmy Vesey, Harvard.
• 2015: F Jack Eichel, Boston University.
• 2014: F Johnny Gaudreau, Boston College.
• 2013: F Drew LeBlanc, St. Cloud State.
• 2012: F Jack Connolly, Minnesota Duluth.
• 2011: F Andy Miele, Miami.
• 2010: F Blake Geoffrion, Wisconsin.
• 2009: D Matt Gilroy, Boston University.
• 2008: F Kevin Porter, Michigan.
• 2007: F Ryan Duncan, North Dakota.
• 2006: D Matt Carle, Denver.
• 2005: F Marty Sertich, Colorado College.
• 2004: F Junior Lessard, Minnesota Duluth.
• 2003: F Peter Sejna, Colorado College.
• 2002: D Jordan Leopold, Minnesota.
• 2001: G Ryan Miller, Michigan State.
• 2000: D Mike Mottau, Boston College.
• 1999: F Jason Krog, New Hampshire.
• 1998: F Chris Drury, Boston University.
• 1997: F Brendan Morrison, Michigan.
• 1996: F Brian Bonin, Minnesota.
• 1995: F Brian Holzinger, Bowling Green.
• 1994: F Chris Marinucci, Minnesota Duluth.
• 1993: F Paul Kariya, Maine.
• 1992: F Scott Pellerin, Maine.
• 1991: F David Emma, Boston College.
• 1990: F Kip Miller, Michigan State.
• 1989: F Lane MacDonald, Harvard.
• 1988: G Robb Stauber, Minnesota.
• 1987: F Tony Hrkac, North Dakota.
• 1986: F Scott Fusco, Harvard.
• 1985: F Bill Watson, Minnesota Duluth.
• 1984: D Tom Kurvers, Minnesota Duluth.
• 1983: D Mark Fusco, Harvard.
• 1982: F George McPhee, Bowling Green.
• 1981: F Neal Broten, Minnesota.

Need to catch up on the news during your lunch break? Sign up for our Sports Briefing newsletter to get daily summaries of Detroit sports!

You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Max Plante, Detroit Red Wings prospect, wins Hobey Baker Award