Bulldogs' Zam Plante learning to play minus Max, for now
DULUTH — After spending two seasons apart, Hermantown's Zam and Max Plante were excited to not only be freshman teammates this season at Minnesota Duluth, but linemates again.
The Plantes' on-ice reunion only lasted one game, however, as younger brother Max suffered an upper-body injury that has forced him to miss the previous six games. Max Plante will be out again this weekend when the Bulldogs host North Dakota at 7:07 p.m. Friday and 6:07 p.m. Saturday at Amsoil Arena to open NCHC play.
Zam Plante said it's been a bummer not getting a chance to play with Max — with whom he is also living this season — but in the long run "it could be good" for his development at UMD.
"Maybe it teaches me to play on my own a little bit without him for a while before we really ramp it up?" said Zam Plante, a 2022 fifth-round NHL draft pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In Max Plante's absence, Zam Plante has shifted the Bulldogs' top two forward lines.
Zam Plante and freshmen wing Jayson Shaugabay stuck together for most of October, with Zam Plante initially centering a line that included freshman center Callum Arnott at wing on the road against UMass Lowell. Then Zam Plante moved to wing and senior captain/center Dominic James played between Zam Plante and Shaugabay for series in Duluth against Minnesota and Stonehill.
This week in practice as UMD prepared to face the Fighting Hawks, Zam Plante is back at center, but no longer with Shaugabay. Freshman wing Harper Bentz — who Zam Plante played with last season in juniors — and sophomore wing Matthew Perkins are now his linemates.
Two weeks ago, before UMD's sweep of Stonehill, Scott Sandelin said Zam Plante should be in the middle of the rink. Now the Bulldogs coach is making that move.
"We need him in the middle. He's our second-best center right now," said Sandelin, who on Wednesday highlighted Zam Plante's high motor, great stick and ability to hunt pucks. "He needs to be in the middle. He's a driver of a line. He did a good job on wing but for me personally, I didn't want him to lose any confidence. And for our team, we need him in the middle of the rink."
Zam Plante said switching between wing and center to start his college career has been "a little bit" of a challenge, but he played both positions growing up and, "It's not like I'm going to D, right?"
He did say he is more comfortable at center, though.
"You come in with the puck with more speed. You can be everywhere," Zam Plante said. "Less thinking, more going sometimes."
The Bulldogs have been good on faceoffs this season tied for fifth in the NCHC at 54.6% — the same as North Dakota, who Sandelin said is "really good" on draws — after posting a league-worst 42.5% last year.
Moving Zam Plante back to center should make UMD even better in the faceoff circle, as he is 69% so far, having gone 29-13. Zam Plante was 14-4 in the season opener against Bemidji State.
In addition to Max Plante being out, junior center Jack Smith will also miss this weekend's series against the Hawks with an upper-body injury. The return of Zam Plante to center will give the Bulldogs some much-needed depth on draws.
"He's so unorthodox in the way he does it," James said of Zam Plante's faceoff style. At 62.7%, James has the best faceoff percentage in the NCHC and is tied for second in wins with 96. "I don't think I really have it figured out what he's doing. Honestly, he's better on his forehand than he is on his backhand, which is saying a lot. He works at it. It's something he likes to do."
Zam Plante his style is a little bit like his father's. He doesn't turn his hand over like a lot of other centers do. He blend's pop's style with tips and tricks he learned from U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame center Matt Cullen, who Zam Plante worked with last year playing juniors for the USHL's Fargo Force. Cullen, a native of Moorhead, is a minority owner of the Force.
Cullen and Zam Plante still keep in touch, especially since youngest brother Victor is living with Cullen's wife, Bridget, and son, Wyatt, this season. Victor Plante — a UMD recruit — and Wyatt Cullen are teammates at the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Michigan.
"I've never been big and strong, so I'm not going to overpower somebody," Zam Plante said of his faceoff strategy. "I'm trying to out-quick them here and there."
In addition to that unorthodox faceoff style, James said Zam Plante's ability to hold onto pucks and make plays also stands out. He doesn't throw the puck away, which is tough to come in as a freshman and do, the captain said.
James called Zam Plante a special, high-paced player, and while it was great to see him jump in at wing when the team needed him, the move back to the middle will bring some much needed depth for UMD at center, especially with Smith still week-to-week.
Zam Plante has a goal and three assists in seven games, with that one goal coming in the one game he got to play with Max — the opener against Bemidji State.
The eldest Plante brother isn't that concerned yet about goals, however. He wants to get some wins, and is excited to play one of the two teams he hated the most growing up. UMD lost both games to Minnesota last month. Now the Bulldogs host the Hawks.
