Max Plante, Detroit Red Wings prospect, wins Hobey Baker Award
Detroit Red Wings prospect Max Plante beat out Michigan hockey captain T.J. Hughes for the Hobey Baker Award on Friday, April 10.
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.