Plante following dad Derek’s advice ahead of 2024 NHL Draft

The 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held June 28-29 at Sphere in Las Vegas. The first round will be June 28 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS) and round 2-7 are on June 29 (11:30 ET; ESPN+, NHLN, SN, SN1). NHL.com is counting down to the draft with in-depth profiles on top prospects, podcasts and other features. Today, a profile on left wing Max Plante of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program Under-18 team in the United States Hockey League. NHL.com's full draft coverage can be found here.

Max Plante learned long ago to never be completely satisfied after a practice or game.

"It's something my father told me," he said. "Sure, he wants me to do a good job, but he also gives me little tips and tricks for how I should be playing and could be better. He knows so much about hockey and has been around the game for so long. He watches more hockey than anyone I know, so I'll always try and listen to him and follow his lead to become an even better player."

His dad is Derek Plante, who spent eight seasons in the NHL, including five with the Buffalo Sabres. Selected by Buffalo in the eighth round (No. 161) of the 1989 NHL Draft, Plante finished his NHL career with 248 points (96 goals, 152 assists) in 450 games for the Sabres, Dallas Stas, Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers. He's currently an assistant coach with the Blackhawks.

Max has remained true to dad's advice on his journey to the NHL as a left wing for USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Under-18 team this season.

The 18-year-old (5-foot-11, 170 pounds) scored 53 points (13 goals, 40 assists) and tied for the NTDP lead with two shorthanded goals in 55 games. Plante, who missed 10 games earlier this season due to a wrist injury, is committed to the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2024-25.

He scored 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 12 games against NCAA Division I opponents and 33 points (eight goals, 25 assists) in 27 games in the United States Hockey League.

"My grandpa (Bruce Plante) was the coach at Hermantown High School (Minnesota) and he used to tell me shoot and attack," Max said with a grin. "I guess I just make quick plays and use my teammates to the best of my abilities. He'd call me after games that I scored in ... he likes it when I shoot the puck."

Bruce retired as coach at Hermantown after 28 seasons and 547 wins in April 2017.

Plante is No. 43 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters eligible for the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft.

"I like Plante's progression," NHL Central Scouting's David Gregory said. "I like how he's impacting the game more significantly, all the time. I like his compete, he's go, go, go, but he's sneaky smart with the puck. When he's pushing pace and you're on the attack with him and if you get open, he finds you. He's the kind of guy that other players would love to play with because if the job is to go get the puck and get it to me, he does it. If the job is, I have the puck, give me something to do with it, he does that and he just does it with pace and intensity all the time."

Matt Gilroy, an assistant coach with the NTDP and former Hobey Baker Award-winning defenseman at Boston University, recalled a moment that perfectly defines Plante from when the club played at the Under-17 4 Nations Tournament in Switzerland in December 2022.

"We had a 5-on-3 and our coach wanted to know if we needed a timeout and I said, 'No', and 'Planter' got the group together, ran the 5-on-3, and they ended up putting it in the back of the net 20 seconds later," Gilroy said. "He's just the smartest kid out there, he gets hockey. You can tell he comes from a hockey family. He's a great kid and we'd love for him to shoot more. But we want him to keep making plays, as well."

To his credit, Plante realizes he's a playmaking-type forward but is working on playing less of a conservative style. He knows thinking too much will sometimes get you in trouble.

"All the coaches tell me to shoot all the time and I've tried to weave it into my game, but sometimes I get in my own head, and I feel like I should make one more pass ... I got to work on my shooting," Plante said. "Coach (Nick Fohr) puts me in different positions that I wouldn't normally play and that helps. It allows me to use different skill sets and play in different ways. I've certainly played with some good players, too."

Gregory appreciates Plante's self-assessment. 

"It comes across as a scout that he's responsible in all areas of the ice, which is a good thing and a reflection of hockey sense," Gregory said. "But also, I think he has the ability to have more of an impact offensively if he would take more risks. Maybe in the offensive zone, but you have to want to do that. You have to put that effort in to do it, but I think it's there for him."

Plante worked on a line with NTDP leading goal-scorer and projected first-round draft pick Cole Eiserman on several occasions this season.

"He's a great player," Eiserman said of Plante. "He's a really smart guy, who loves the game. You can definitely see that on the ice when he's making plays and finding you and he really enjoys it. It's good to see the smile on his face."