Plante brothers will reunite at Minnesota-Duluth next season: 'It's always been a dream'

When Victor Plante joins his older brothers Max and Zam at the University of Minnesota-Duluth next season, everything will come full circle for their family. 

“My dad went there. My mom went there. We're from Duluth, so like, it's always been a dream,” said Victor Plante. “I always see them win those national championships, in 2011, 2018, and 2019. I mean, it's just unreal, the opportunity to go there.”

Zam, the oldest of the Plante brothers, was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2022. Max, who had a spectacular season with the Bulldogs and was named a Top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in 2024.

Before their father, Derek, played parts of 10 seasons in the NHL and won a Stanley Cup, he spent four seasons at Duluth, captaining the hockey team in his final season. Now, he’s currently a pro scout for the Ottawa Senators. 

Victor is excited for the opportunity to join his brothers at college, where it will be the first time that they will all play on the same team. Zam has been at Minnesota-Duluth the longest, and Victor appreciates his older brother’s guidance and carving out a path for him.

“He is four years older. Zam and Max went in at the same age, so they're both juniors this year. We’ve never played on the same team. I mean, just summer goofing around. I’m so excited.”

The Plante family is local to Duluth, Minnesota, and that means the entire family can attend games.

“Mom loves it. My grandparents love it because their whole family's from there. They have season tickets.”

Is there a difference between Victor’s game and his brothers’?

“I definitely shoot more than them. Max, he’s such a competitor. He works so hard, and he’s such a good passer. I feel like I shoot more and go to the net more,” he said.

“They're together all the time, and Victor was kind of a third wheel sometimes, but… what I remember is that they never took it easy on Victor. He took quite a beating in the basement, you know, with mini sticks and all that,” their dad replied. “You know, he's worked on the other parts to get quicker and all that stuff too, where Victor's probably a little bit more all around. Like, he'll shoot a lot more than Max would.”

Before Victor gets to the NCAA, though, he’ll follow in his brothers’ footsteps and be drafted into the NHL this June. He’s a projected second-round pick, currently ranked 36th by both our Elite Prospects scouts and NHL Central Scouting on their list of North American skaters.

Plante’s U.S. National Development Program U18 team participated in the CHL USA Prospects Challenge, playing a two-game series against the CHL’s top NHL draft-eligible skaters back in November. Plante’s skill, accurate passing, and high hockey I.Q. were on display in both games.

While many expected the CHL team to win, Plante had something to say about it. With the series tied after two games, a ‘super overtime’ period was played to decide the winner. And Plante delivered on the big stage, scoring the series-winning goal, marking the first time the NTDP beat the CHL in this format.

“Oh, that was awesome,” said Derek, the proud father. “The way it happened – as he fell, then he got back up, and all of a sudden he's like, coming at us. He’s always been a big Patrick Kane fan, so he did the selling with the right, punching it out. I was very, very proud of him.”

Here is how much of an underdog the U.S. team was in this tournament. Victor took me inside the process, and it wasn’t exactly equal for both of the teams. 

“In the media, they made us look bad. They got the nicer locker. They got the nice side of the rink. [We were] in Canada, too. Nobody was cheering for us. When we scored in overtime, the rink went silent, which is awesome.”

Plante will remember that goal and his teammates’ performances.

“Yeah, I mean, it's just unreal. The goalies played unreal. U.S. vs. Canada, it's the best thing ever. Especially with this group of guys. The team kind of came together that weekend.”

Plante’s game has improved a lot this season. He knows how to fake the shot and make a pass to set up a scoring chance. He’s still not a point-per-game player, but he is inching toward that. His release looks faster, and that’s something that causes problems for opposing goaltenders. He can also wait that half second for a goalie to flinch, and that helps him get some goals. He is 5-foot-10, 157 pounds, and he will get elite training in college to help him get stronger. I see the way he fights for rebounds around the net, and I think he can survive at any level, but that will take time.

Plante’s defence is excellent. He disrupts with a fast stick and is the perfect player to have on the second shift of a penalty kill, so he can turn defence into offence. He gets from point A to point B and does it well. He isn’t the fastest player, but that’s something he will continue to work on. His goal scoring, the creative shots at angles, a lot of that is innate. He’s been around hockey his entire life, and that’s something that shows every shift.

Being a well-rounded athlete is important. It’s good to get away from the rink and be competitive at something else in the offseason. Hockey players are all rink rats and end up playing pick-up hockey during the summer, but Plante has other sporting interests, as well. 

“I like golf and tennis, both of them,” he responded while pointing out that he has a good first serve. “I mean, I'm probably better at tennis. I played high school tennis.”

While Plante may not project as a top-line player, he could overperform and possibly be a second-line player. He will most likely be a third-line left wing. He draws more penalties than he takes, and that’s great for his team. He’s the kind of player who makes a team stronger and can find a goal when some of the team’s bigger players go cold. He’s always working to get the offence going, and that motor will help open things up as he continues to move further up the ladder.

The current NTDP team has some talented players, and Plante’s team will push for gold at the U18 World Championships in about a month. Players like Plante typically improve towards the end of the season, and a strong performance on the ice could improve his draft stock even further.