Successful acquisition by the Red Wings in Las Vegas: The nation's leading goal-scorer
Photo credit: NHL.com
The Detroit Red Wings acquired prospect Max Plante, 47th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas, and he has proven himself to be one of the best picks by Steve Yzerman in recent years.
Max Plante isn't a name you hear a lot unless you do research on Red Wings prospects. Originally a draft pick in the Las Vegas Dome in 2024, he was chosen from the US NDTP and is in his second year of collegiate hockey.
This year, the former 2nd-round pick has shown how high a hockey IQ he has with the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
Max Plante leads the NCAA in scoring, with 18 points this year.
To give you an idea of his prowess, two scouts have sung praises of his abilities:
Sirius Radio draft analyst Russ Cohen called him the smartest player in the draft class. USA Hockey's national teams guru John Vanbiesbrouck talked about Plante's fearlessness and hockey IQ.
The son of former NHLer Derek Plante had a productive night as a UMD Bulldog, scoring 4 points in a decisive 4-3 victory over North Dakota.
Max Plante is an Elite-level NCAA forward
The Bulldogs forward has been producing at an elite clip this season, at over a point-per-game pace with 18 points (9-9) in 9 games.
Plante has been a productive force on the lineup, playing on the same line as his brother Zam, who has 16 in nine games. His 5'11", 176-pound frame doesn't have typical NHL "size," but it will definitely be augmented once he arrives in Detroit.
They will help push him into 200-pound territory, like they did with forward Carter Mazur, who has a similar stature.
What he lacks in size, he makes up for in the ability to score and being in the right position for the team. Being born into an NHL family has given him a jumpstart in his professional hockey career.
The Red Wings have high hopes for Plante, and it looks like he's going to be ready to turn pro soon.
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