Max Plante is a name that only diehard Red Wings fans know, but after a hot start to his NCAA season, that could quickly change. The 19-year-old forward, drafted 47th overall in 2024, is the NCAA leading scorer in points and goals. With a lot of time left in the NHL season, could Plante play for the Red Wings when it comes time for the end-of-season push?
Currently, Plante plays for the University of Minnesota-Duluth in the NCAA. With 38 points in 24 games, Plante ranks first in the NCAA in points, four points ahead of second. He is also tied for first in goals with 20 and tied for second with five game-winning goals. A short performance at the World Junior Championships, due to injury, showed some Red Wings fans the type of game that the 19-year-old plays. He is a great two-way player who can play in all situations and can play both center and wing.
HOW ABOUT THAT START ?! pic.twitter.com/3OwHIL6Gd9
— UMD Men's Hockey (@UMDMensHockey) January 18, 2026
The call-up of Plante would be a big move by the Red Wings, as it is not one that has been made by the team in the past. The jumps this year by Emmitt Finnie and Axel Sandin-Pellika were ones that were already big, especially for the way that general manager Steve Yzerman usually operates. Bringing a player from the NCAA straight to Detroit may be one that Yzerman is hesitant to make. Nonetheless, it has been done before and has shown to have success.
What the blueprint would look like for Plante
In 2023, the Toronto Maple Leafs called up forward prospect Matthew Knies at the end of the season. Like Plante, Knies was drafted in the second round, two years prior to his call-up. He was a point-per-game player at the University of Minnesota, and also played a hard two-way game. Knies would play three games in the regular season. He would then go on to play seven playoff games before getting injured in the second round. Knies played a big role in the playoffs with four points in his seven games, helping the Maple Leafs reach the second round for the first time since 2004.
The reason why the example of Knies is so important is that this blueprint could be used for Plante. If he continues this play for the rest of the NCAA, which ends in March, unless the team makes the Frozen Four, Plante could play the last couple of games in the regular season to tune up for the playoffs if the Red Wings were to make it. Plante could become a goal-scoring threat in the bottom six who plays fast and can kill penalties, something every team is always in need of.
The Red Wings still have a lot of work to do in order for Plante to come into consideration. Plante has yet to sign his entry-level contract with the Red Wings and would have to do so after his NCAA season in order to play in games for Detroit this season. The nine-game rule for entry-level contracts does not apply to Plante since he is playing in the NCAA. NCAA players lose a year of their entry-level contract as soon as they step on the ice for their first game. In Plante's case, due to his age, he will still have a standard three-year entry-level contract if he were to sign before the age of 22. This is something the team has to take into account.
As of now, they are in a playoff spot and should look to add at the trade deadline in order to hold onto that position. No matter what the team does, Plante still deserves a look at the roster, and it is something that Steve Yzerman will have to keep an eye on.