LAS VEGAS — The Detroit Red Wings' second-round pick received high praise from their new general manager.
Max Plant, a centre with an impeccable resume out of the USNTDP, was the top prospect on Day 2 of the NHL Draft at the Sphere.
“He's got great hockey sense, he moves the puck really well, he's a very skilled skater,” Steve Yzerman said, “He's got great movement on the ice, but I really liked his hockey sense and his creativity.”
Chris Draper, the team's assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting, described Plant as “a kid with a lot of character. It's clear he grew up in the sport. His hockey acumen to be able to play anywhere in the lineup is something we've always relied on.”
Plante felt that selection was approaching.
“When they called my name, there were a lot of people there, so I was really happy that they picked me,” Plant said. “I had a good interview with them.” [at the combine] And I talked to them throughout the year.
“In fact, during the interview, I was asked to give a five-point range for when I would be nominated, so I answered 42nd to 47th, and I think I was nominated within that range.”
He was number 47.
The 5-foot-11, 176-pound Minnesota native will play for Minnesota Duluth this fall.
Plant played for the USNTDP last year, appearing in 51 games and recording 61 points (15 goals, 46 assists).
“I consider myself a competitive playmaker,” Plant said. “I love winning hockey games and I love finding my teammates on the ice.”
Plant said that over the past two years, “I've gotten faster and stronger. I was short and skinny when I came into the program, but I've worked hard these past two years and really grown in my game. When I came to development tryout camp, I was 5'6″ tall and weighed 127 pounds. Now I'm 5'11″, 177 pounds and 5 inches wide. I think I've put on a lot.”
Plante is the son of former NHL player Derek Plant, who played 450 games with the Dallas Stars and won the Stanley Cup in 1999.
“I think it's a big advantage for me,” Plant said. “I've been very fortunate to be surrounded by great hockey fans. My dad probably watches more hockey than anybody in the world, so growing up, I'd be skating on outdoor rinks and my dad would watch hockey, so there wasn't anything else on TV.”
Plant said his father and grandfather, Bruce, “taught me everything I know about hockey, so just being around hockey people all the time just developed a passion for the game.”
“We had a skating rink in the backyard of our house and me, my older brother Sam, my younger brother and my dad would skate together. My dad was a lot bigger than us when we were little and he was probably better at it, but we would battle it out.”
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