Red Wings' Max Plante Ready For 2026 World Juniors With Team USA

The United States are once again chasing World Junior Championship gold, and a familiar name to Detroit Red Wings fans will play a role in that pursuit. Red Wings 2024 second-round pick Max Plante has earned a spot on Team USA for the second straight year as the Americans look to secure their third consecutive gold medal.

The 19-year-old Minnesota native has enjoyed a breakout sophomore season at the University of Minnesota–Duluth. Through 20 games, Plante has already surpassed his freshman totals, registering 16 goals and 14 assists for 30 points. His strong two-way play and offensive production made him a clear choice to return to the U.S. roster.

Plante was an important contributor to last year’s gold medal run, posting a goal and two assists for three points in six games. This season, he is expected to rejoin the lineup on the third line alongside Trevor Connelly and Ryker Lee, both first-round NHL Draft picks. The trio is projected to form a dependable and skilled unit for the Americans.

International play is nothing new for Plante. He developed within the U.S. National Team Development Program, spending two seasons in Plymouth, Michigan. During the 2023–24 campaign, he broke out at the U18 level, recording 61 points in 51 games in the program and adding 29 points in 25 USHL games. He finished the season with 11 points in seven games at the U18 World Junior Championships, a performance that helped solidify his status as a top prospect and led to his 47th overall selection by Detroit.

THROW YOUR HATS!! Max Plante with the hatty! pic.twitter.com/ISdjf2VFrA

— UMD Men's Hockey (@UMDMensHockey) November 22, 2025

Now, Plante will get the opportunity to play the World Juniors in his home state of Minnesota, an experience he recently reflected on in an interview with the Duluth News Tribune.

“I'm super excited, super pumped just to play under the big lights again hopefully we can finish off strong here at UMD and then get to see the guys again,” Plante said. “last junior hockey experience I'll ever have and ever be able to do it again so I'm really excited just to hang out with that group of guys again it's exciting.”

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Plante added that returning home does not feel like added pressure, but rather an opportunity to showcase the tournament and share the experience with family, friends, and familiar faces while wearing the Team USA jersey in person.

Max Plante(2nd round’24)
GOAL🚨 beautiful play in the bumper position on the pp#LGRW#BulldogCountrypic.twitter.com/KBRULepOD5

— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) December 6, 2025

Team USA enters the tournament with much of its gold medal-winning core intact. The projected 2026 roster includes eight first-round picks and eight second-round picks, with Plante among the latter. Standing in their way once again are the Canadians, who are expected to ice a roster featuring as many as 20 first-round picks, including 11 players selected within the top 15 of the NHL Draft. Canada could also add future stars such as Gavin McKenna and Keaton Verhoeff, both projected top-three picks in the 2026 NHL Draft.

With no nation outside of Canada and the United States having won World Junior gold since Finland in 2019, the stage is set for another intense North American showdown. For Plante, the goal is to help Team USA create another unforgettable run when the tournament begins on Boxing Day this Friday against Germany.

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