EP.150 - From Family Roots to International Ice: Max Plante's Hockey Journey - Up My Hockey with Jason Podollan

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
First or second shift of the championship game, I
take a penalty.
Scored on the penalty, we'redown 1-0.
And I'm like, oh boy, like whatare we going to do now?
Now we're down like 3-1 andlike our bench is just like no
one's yelling at anybody, likewe're just sitting there like
playing hockey, like we justneed to bounce, like because

(00:25):
Finland was was actually.
I don't know if you watched thegame, but they were kind of
dominating us for the first halfof the game, yeah, until like
halfway through the secondperiod we just started to just
pound them.
Our coach has made anadjustment on like, because what
they were doing?
They were bringing it back withtheir d and they were sucking
us like kind of because wewanted not to let them in the
zone with speed.
So we were kind of holding backand once we pushed up like our

(00:47):
D and our forwards so that theycouldn't come in with like one
seam pass, like, all of a suddenwe were just making them dump
it.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
That was 2025 world junior gold medalist and second
round pick of the Detroit RedWings, max Plant, and you are
listening to the Up my Hockeypodcast with Jason Panolin.
Welcome to Up my Hockey withJason Panolin, where we

(01:21):
deconstruct the NHL journey,discuss what it takes to make it
and have a few laughs along theway.
I'm your host, jason Panolan,where we deconstruct the NHL
journey, discuss what it takesto make it and have a few laughs
along the way.
I'm your host, jason Padolan, a31st overall draft pick, who
played 41 NHL games but thoughthe was destined for a thousand.
Learn from my story and thoseof my guests.
This is a hockey podcast aboutreaching your potential.
Hello there, welcome back, orwelcome back, to the Up my

(01:46):
Hockey podcast with JasonPadolan.
I am your host, jason Padolan,and we have a milestone episode
on our hands here.
People.
We are talking about episode150.
Jeez, that's a lot ofconversations.
I was trying to do the math onthat the other day.
It's like roughly an hour, overan hour of per episode times

(02:09):
150.
Like that's days and days worthof talking, which is so crazy,
and so many amazing guests.
And today there is anotheramazing guest.
Now this Max Plant character isfollowing on the heels of Scott
Niedermeyer Hall of Famer,duncan Keith Hall of Famer.
So Max might have to make itthe trifecta after his upcoming

(02:33):
20-year NHL career and join theHall of Fame ranks himself.
But it's going to be absolutelyfantastic to talk to Max.
He is just coming off a Worldjunior gold medal with Team USA.
They're second in a row, whichis absolutely fantastic for them
.
And yeah, max is from a hockeyfamily almost like no other.

(02:59):
I played with his father, derek, in Mannheim with the Eagles of
the Deutsche Eishockey League,the DEL, and his oldest son,
derek's oldest son, Zam, wasactually born in Germany, I
believe, and Zam has alreadybeen drafted, so he's the oldest
brother.
He's been drafted by the whowas it now?
The Pittsburgh Penguins, Ibelieve, 150th overall.

(03:22):
That beat his dad, derek, whowas drafted at 151 overall by
Buffalo.
Derek, by the way, went on tohave a great NHL career and also
is still in the NHL coachingwith the Chicago Blackhawks as
an assistant coach.
But I digress.
So Zam was the first son born.
Max happens to be the secondson born, just won the gold

(03:45):
medal Fresh off the NationalDevelopment World Junior Program
, is now playing hockey atMinnesota Duluth, which is also
a plant family stronghold.
That's where Dad Derek played.
That's where Zam is currentlyplaying.
Max is playing alongside hisbrother there at NCAA Div 1,
which is super exciting.
And there's another brother, ayounger brother, Victor Plant.

(04:07):
That is also a part of theNational Development Team
program.
That makes three sons all very,very competitive aspiring
players following their father'sfootsteps.
So talk about a hockey family.
Geez, like these Americans, youguys.
What are you guys doing?
Here?
We have the Hughes brothers.
We got the Hudson.
Here we have the Hughesbrothers.
We got the Hudson brothers.
We have the Plant brothers.

(04:28):
I can't wait to get in to whatthat ecosystem looks like, what
that culture has been likewithin.
Having Dad as a high performer,having the brothers that are
excelling, being the middlebrother of two great hockey
players it's going to be awesometo dive in there to see what
went on in that plant householdand maybe we can uncover some

(04:50):
secrets about how to add it toour own program.
So really excited about thisconversation.
I am doing this intro prior tothe conversation, which is
unlike me, but that's just theway that the day went, so this
is an anticipation.
I'm going to be as surprised asall of you are with what we're
going to discuss and where theconversation goes, but I know
it's going to be a great one.

(05:11):
So let's get into theconversation with current World
Junior Gold Medalist and the47th overall draft pick of the
Detroit Red Wings in the 2024entry draft, mr Max Plant.
All right, here we are.
The record button is going, max.
Welcome to the program.
Max Plant, from the MinnesotaDuluth dorm.

(05:32):
I love it.
You're on the program.
Thanks for having me.
Hey man, no worries, awesomethat we could make this work.
Just, I don't know if you knowthe story, but you got to give
Zam shit because your old mangave me his number and I texted
him and he never even respondedto me.
And then you got back to meright away.
I said Zam, you're going tohave to make the show before I

(05:55):
try and reach out again.
You're one up on your brotheralready.
Oh good, I know you guysprobably aren't competitive at
all, right?
No, not at all, not at all, notat all.

Speaker 1 (06:07):
We've got a line down the middle of our room.

Speaker 2 (06:12):
That's fantastic.
So for those of you who arelistening at home, max, just put
the camera that there'slegitimately a line of hockey
tape down the middle of theirroom.
I'm sure that no one's allowedto go over the line.
So that's fantastic.
Yeah, just so for I guess, foryou, max, and for people
listening, derek, who is Max'sdad, played in Mannheim with the

(06:35):
Adler, where I also happen tobe for a season.
So this might also maybe youdon't know, but Zam, I think,
was born the year I was playingwith your dad, so I think he was
born over there in Germany andyeah, and then along came Max
and along came Victor, andobviously this is a hockey
family, so really want to chatwith you about that.

(06:55):
It's crazy, what's going onwith USA Hockey now, these
brother systems, that's going on.
But yeah, maybe we'll talk.
I don't know, max, let's talkabout when you first.
Uh, like, where were you born?
By the way, did I get thatright with zam?
I think sam was born in germany.

Speaker 1 (07:09):
Zan was born in mannheim 2004, but, um, for me
my dad was playing, he wasactually playing the asian
league.
He's in japan, right, and mymom, like I was almost born
there.
But my mom came back like rightbefore I was born, had me in
duluth, but I I could have beenjapanese, I guess you'd say, but
, um, right, and then my littlebrother, my dad was playing in

(07:29):
switzerland at the time.
My little brother was born in08.
So we were almost all born andoverseas, but uh, that's kind of
cool fact about, I guess, sam,that he was born in germany, but
um, definitely all american.
Like, yeah, every, we've doneeverything in the U S.

Speaker 2 (07:45):
So Right, right, yeah , fair enough.
Yeah, and that's another one.
So I went just for theconnection between me and your
dad, because then I retired fromfrom Mannheim At least I
thought I was going to went backto university and then the the
Asian league called, pulled meout of retirement.
I went to Sanatomai it wasafter my first semester and I
was like, really they wanted Ididn't even know there was a

(08:07):
professional league in asia anduh, and they gave me some good
money and I was alwaysinterested in japan.
So off I went, uh, missed thesecond semester and your old man
was playing over there, so weactually played against him, uh,
really yeah, a year later.
That was the well.
That was the last kind ofofficial professional that I had
, so we crossed paths a coupleof times.
Okay, so you were born here.

(08:28):
Your dad was playing in Japan.
Was it hockey from day one foryou Like?
Was that what you wanted to do?

Speaker 1 (08:35):
All that I can remember kind of was.
I remember my dad at all whenhe wasn't coaching or like in
hockey, like my first years Ican remember he was coaching for
the bulldogs, uh, and I wouldjust go to the bulldog games and
I guess now I can, now I'm onthe side that he was on with the
team.
But um, yeah, then my grandpawas a high school coach.

(08:56):
So like I just go to school inhermontown all the way up and
right after school we just goplay hockey and I'll play rinks.

Speaker 2 (09:04):
So yeah, and you got a built-in.
You got some built-in uhplayers there with you,
obviously.
Yeah, that's fantastic.
Oh, and then another connectionkind of is that I have three
boys myself and they all play,so, um, my, my oldest was an 09,
though, so just a year youngerthan your brother.
But then I got a 2010 and a2012, and so they're they're all
trying to chase the dream too.

Speaker 1 (09:25):
What do they call them?
They call them 010s, or likeJust 10s, just 10s.

Speaker 2 (09:30):
Yeah, 10s and 12s.
I know, right, yeah, the hockeylingo.
It's like you're identified byyour birth year.
It's so funny.
So when did you know that youwere good?
Were you good from the get-go?

Speaker 1 (09:45):
I guess for me it was kind of like my dad, kind of
Zam was kind of like hisexperimental toy I guess Not in
that way, but like he was doingeverything first and my dad
always wanted like the besthockey for us, to push us to get
better.
Yeah, and for my older brother,like the early tournaments when
we're younger, like theminnesota blades are kind of the

(10:07):
team in minnesota that he triedto get us into.
He didn't get zam into thatlike fast enough.
Uh, he probably could have been, but um, he kind of was uh like
those teams.
But then the brick, which islike I'm sure you know the 10
year old tournament, yeah, uh,zam tried out for it didn't make
it, but that was kind of aweird year with the 0-4s.

(10:27):
And then my year came around,like he kind of just wanted me
to get into like the highestlevel hockey possible when we
were younger and so I'd alreadyplayed like a year or two of
blades before that tournament.
So then I ended up making that.
So that was kind of like that'sthe big deal for the young kids
.
Like I still look back and likethere's so many guys from that
tournament that are like likethere's guys in the NHL now,

(10:48):
like Celebrini, we actually lostto BC in the finals.
He was playing defense on theBC team in that tournament.
But yeah, I'd say from a youngage like it's always been hockey
for me, but also growing uplike I was always kind of a
little bit in my brother'sshadow, like he was Bantam
before me, like making a namefor himself.

(11:09):
He was in high school before meand so in Hermantown I was kind
of known as Zam's littlebrother a little bit.
But yeah, I'd say all the wayup I kind of had like inner
confidence that I want to begood but also just trying to get
better every day becauseobviously not the best.

(11:30):
Yeah, is that something thatyour dad preached early?
Yeah, just like there's alwayskind of just like there's always
somewhere out there better,like you could be in like this
small little group and you'reone of the best players there.
But that's kind of what Ilearned like playing in those
tournaments like the Brick orlike any AAA tournament, growing
up like Berkeley Catton who wasa first rounder, tournaments
like the brick or like anytriple a tournament.
Growing up like berkeley cattenwho's who's a first rounder.
I remember playing against himin winnipeg in I don't know,

(11:52):
probably like 2018, ish, yeah,and that was kind of like I
thought I was one of the betterplayers on my team.
We played against him and ourteam won, but he was like he was
like better than everybody.
So like I went home and waslike, yeah, that guy's good, I
gotta try and get to that levelright.
So that's kind of always beenmy field, just like, and I was
always kind of smaller too allthe way up until, like I'd say,

(12:15):
I went to the developmentprogram.

Speaker 2 (12:17):
I was like five, five , five, six before that, but um,
so yeah, that's kind of alwaysbeen in there for me yeah, and I
guess like on the on the flipside of that, because it is like
there's a bit of hysteriaaround like that brick
tournament, you know good, bador indifferent, right the people
that go there.
You know, everyone seems to havea great experience.
It's awesome to be able to gothere, but there's also a lot of

(12:39):
insanity that comes aroundtrying to get there.
I think, yeah, um, because,like nobody, because nobody
gives a rip at your NHL draftyear if you played in the brick
tournament or not yet, but it'sthe most important thing for
these parents at the time to gettheir kid in there.
What I want you to talk aboutis okay, there is the Berkeley
Catons, right, who now plays inmy alma mater, spokane, who was
good then, is good now, willprobably be in the future.

(13:02):
But I'm sure there was kidsthat you can remember at that
tournament that are nowhere now,that were good there, correct?
Yeah, for sure.

Speaker 1 (13:10):
So what do you think?
The?

Speaker 2 (13:10):
difference is with that, and what's the lesson with
all that?

Speaker 1 (13:14):
I think the thing about that is it's just like
every point in time there'splayers that are going to be
good right.
Like there's players then thatwere good then and they're still
good now.
They might not be as good asthey were then, but they're
still good now.
And like I take MacklinCelebrini, like in the brick I
didn't know like there was guyson his team that were like the

(13:35):
stars, like the studs they wereboth and they're still good
players now.
But like he was playing defenseLike I don't even know, like
probably on a team, like justlike hockey and like cause that
that team's term is all aboutpolitics too.
Like there's guys that arebetter than other kids and stuff
, but I'd say a lot of it too isjust like every day, like guys

(13:56):
just trying to get better, likeand if you're in love with the
sport and that's what kind oflike came to me more when I went
to the development program,because, like in Hermantown, it
was kind of just like I'm in thespot, like up north in
Minnesota and like it's allabout hockey but it's not like
you don't see kids from all overthe world and what they're
actually like doing to getbetter, like USA Hockey and like

(14:20):
all the other states aredifferent than Minnesota, and
the fact that, like these kidsare individually going like is
this team best for me in mydevelopment and like what's in
it for me to get better, so thatkind of was eye-opening for me
when I went to the program islike I'd always been on like the
same team, the same guys, allthe way up from Pee Wee's or
Squirts to high school and thesekids had played on five teams

(14:46):
while I was in that span, justtrying to get themselves better,
um, and that I think is acredit to a lot of like the
parents and like if the parentscan get their kids into the
highest level or whatever bestfor their kid, um, I think
that's huge.
But for me and I think theminnesota model is the best
because just the fact that youcan be like comfortable and it's
top-tier hockey, Right.

(15:07):
But yeah, I'd just say, likethe kids that I kind of got off
track there about, like the kidsthat weren't as good then, like
I have a friend who's actuallyhe's playing in the USHL now,
but he didn't start playinghockey until he was like 12
years old, which is two yearsafter that tournament.
Right, 12 years old, which istwo years after that tournament,
right, um, and he's gonnacommit d1 soon and like I just
think like that kind of deal,like it doesn't matter really

(15:30):
when or where, it's kind of likewhat you do with the
opportunities you're given right, oh, I love that.

Speaker 2 (15:35):
I love what you just said there, because you kind of
said that there's there'spositives in both right, like
the idea of the parents that areable to chase the best team and
go to the you know the bestprogram there.
There can be benefit in that.
But there's also benefit insomebody like you who can just
stay in a good system, pushinternally, you know, live at
home, uh, and be comfortable andjust be okay with that, like

(15:59):
that can work too, right?
Yeah, it can.
Yeah, a hundred percent.
Um, celebrina, that'sinteresting that you bring them
up.
So so for parents out there,right, this, here's this 10 year
old playing d.
That is now a first overallforward.
Like the craziness with theparent community about, like,
what position their kids play,and like I've had the discussion

(16:21):
with my spring program, rightthat no, so, and so's this
position.
I just want to makesure-and-so's this position.
I just want to make sure thatyou know he's this position.
You know it's like, well, he's12 years old and he's not really
any position yet.
And if he thinks he is aposition, then he probably
doesn't understand the game wellenough, you know, at this point
, and maybe he should try adifferent position, right?
So you know, macklin Celebrini,defenseman, maybe wasn't the

(16:41):
best player in his team, but uh,but now he's obviously uh,
thriving, and maybe that'ssomething to do with his old man
, because they're definitelywired in a development first
mentality, I believe yeah, andalso like another example of
like that forward to d is I havea kid on my team now.

Speaker 1 (16:58):
Actually there's two kids, but one of them he played
forward all the way like throughhigh school, even into juniors,
and then he switched to defenseand juniors uh, it was like his
third draft year got drafted bythe wild aaron pionk, um, and
now he's having like a almost apoint of game year in the nchc
so and he's a defenseman now.
So like he went from forwardall the way up and then decided

(17:21):
like, ah, maybe I'll be betterat defense, and now he's
lighting it up at defense.

Speaker 2 (17:26):
Yeah, I mean, I think I mean for me just from a
development aspect I reallyencourage kids in that, you know
, 10 to 12 year old gap.
It's like try it, try stuff.
You know, take a year, take ayear at D, take a year forward
One.
I mean you learn the gamebetter, maybe it's fun, maybe
you it's fun, maybe you findsomething they didn't even know
you were good at, you know anduh, and it definitely doesn't
hurt you, uh, that's uh.

(17:46):
That's something I tried to getmy my youngest to do this year.
Didn't, it, didn't work out.
I want him to try d, but uh,anyways it, maybe maybe it'll be
in his cards here somewhere inthe future yeah um, what?
uh, as far as, as far as playingthe game yourself and having
having the brothers and we'retalking about positions did you
always think you were going tobe a forward?

Speaker 1 (18:08):
Yeah, I kind of always wanted to be like my dad,
just like the way he sees thegame is kind of how I feel I see
the game.
I mean he watches more hockeyand listens to more hockey stuff
than anyone I know and it's noteven close.
When I was younger I'd comehome from school like school
well first.
I'd wake up in the morning andwe'd be eating breakfast and

(18:30):
we'd be watching NHL Networklike highlights from the night
before yeah so that was kind ofinstilled into me.
And then I'd go to school, comehome after being at the rink
after school for like four hoursand he'd have hockey on the tv.
So like there was never a wasnever a break for hockey Never.
But that's the thing I neverlike got.
I never was burnt out from itbecause he never like pushed on
us Like we needed to be hockey.

(18:51):
He was just kind of around us,right, and like I'm sorry, what
were we talking about here?

Speaker 2 (19:02):
We were talking about you being a forward, oh yeah.
And then talking about, uh, youbeing a forward, and then, oh
yeah, and then what yourexposure to it?

Speaker 1 (19:06):
yeah, but yeah, I've always the way.
I've always kind of felt it islike I like to produce, I like
to attack.
I don't like to like sit backand think, yeah, um, I feel like
, um, if I did play defense, Ifeel like kind of I'd like to
say it's easy back there.
If you're like, if you canthink because, like you don't
have to forecheck, you don'thave to there.
If you're like, if you canthink because, like you don't
have to forecheck, you don'thave to like do that, but like,

(19:28):
when you do make a mistake, likeit's costly and there's only so
many defensemen that can beoffensive defensemen, not play
as hard in the d zone.
And for me I didn't really wantto go through that because I
have always felt like I like tonot just score but like set up
teammates and create offense.
So for me I never really feltlike defense was my spot right,

(19:50):
right, yeah, fair enough, it'sgot.

Speaker 2 (19:52):
It's really cool the way the game's evolved and how
it's more five-man units now,you know guys can come up and uh
join the rush and more coachesare uh, you know, are
encouraging that.
Yeah, how was uh?
Just from a a familyperspective, you know, obviously
I know your dad, as I said.
I know that he's got a smarthockey head and I know myself
and my environment with my kids.

(20:12):
It's interesting as far as,like the dialogue, the
discussions, the teaching, thecoaching.
You know who wants it, whodoesn't want it.
You know how that happens.
Like, how involved was dad withyour minor hockey, let's say,
and how does that change to youplaying now?

Speaker 1 (20:27):
Yeah, I think for me, like he's taught me obviously
more than anyone else about thesport of hockey.
Like the way I play, I feellike I probably shoot more, like
he always had me about thatstuff.
But like the way I play is kindof I feel like how he talks and
wants me to play.
And the way he kind of coachedme growing up was not like he
wasn't like on me, like yellingat me, like you should be doing

(20:49):
this.
You're like all that he reallycared about was that I was
working hard.
And then, like the stuff hewould do to make me or they
would get in my head, would saylike something subtle, like look
at what your teammates do andit's so good, or like watch this
guy and look at how he's likeworking hard, like why can't you
play like that?
Or something like that.
Um, and so that kind of stuckwith me, got in my head and then

(21:10):
like so it wasn't like yellingat me, it was kind of like
subtle chirps that would driveme and want me to make me better
.
Um, so but yeah, I'd say growingup he coached like some summer
league team, just because he wasalways a hockey coach for the
Bulldogs in the winter.
Then he got a job with theBlackhawks player development so

(21:31):
he couldn't really coach.
But he actually like he knowshockey better than like all the
other dads and like stuff.
So like it's hard for him when,like he was coaching a peewee
team one time that I was on andlike he was coaching a Peewee
team one time that was on andlike other dads were like
disagreeing with him and liketelling him like he can't do
this stuff, like it's differentbecause these kids are Peewee

(21:52):
hockey players and he's workingwith like he is.
He played in the NHL and heknows hockey so much more that
like there's stuff above theirhead that he they can't even
like like understand.
So like for him it was reallyhard to explain stuff to people
and like just like that aspect.
So so yeah, he hasn't reallycoached.

(22:13):
He didn't really coach us allthe way up, but he always loved
coaching me and my brothers andwhen I committed he was actually
still coaching at UMD.
But I didn't really want thatlike kind of deal in college
like he's always been my coachand stuff.
But I didn't want that likealways favoritism towards him

(22:34):
because it's his son, like Inever really wanted that right?

Speaker 2 (22:37):
yeah, no fair enough.
Totally understand that.
And as and as smart as dad isright, it's good to have other
voices too, right?
Oh yeah, that's totally a goodthing to be exposed to other
smart hockey people.
What was your brother?
So?
You said you were playing inyour brother's shadow for a
while, which can be a good thingor a bad thing.
I guess it depends how you useit.
That's one thing that I coachthe players that I work with.

(22:58):
Right, the event is something,but it only means what you want
it to mean, right?
So you know, being in a shadowit could have been motivating,
it could have been somethingthat provided a challenge.
How, how was that for you inthat environment?

Speaker 1 (23:11):
Yeah, I think for me, like I guess the fact that he's
older would make it in hisshadow, like my age I was still
felt pretty good.
But like in Hermantown, like heplayed, I'd say the year I was
in Bantams and he was in highschool and he had, like this was
like the COVID year and theyplayed like less games than
against like teams that werecloser and like only in the
conference, so they weren't allthat good, yeah, and he had like

(23:34):
three goals every single gameLike he had.
It was unbelievable, yeah, andkids were like where did this
guy him?
And like.
So then the next year I movedup to high school and it was
like hockey was back, like kovidwasn't like in like getting

(23:55):
anyone in trouble or anything,and I played on his line and
they're like, oh, there'sanother one of them and so so
for me, like I was, I was kindof in a shadow, but my little
brother, he's the one that'sreally kind of like been in the
shadow.
We're like now it's me and zam,like we're doing everything
first.
Like zam won the clark cup inthe ushl, we both won a state
championship for hermontown,we're both already drafted to
the nhl and victor never evenlike played in hermontown, let

(24:18):
alone like like the duluth areaknows nothing about victor and
he's over here leading thenation in points.
You 15 year last year for themission make nddp.
Right now he's got like almosta point a game.
He's you 17 year and like.
So for him, like moving fromhermontown, where he was always
good, to chicago and likeexperiencing like the different,

(24:39):
like hockey and like learningto like oh, I can actually do
something with this like for himI think it was bigger than me.
I'm just going to go over hisstory a little bit, just cause
like yeah, I love it.
When he went his first year atthe mission, he like didn't have
a great year.
Like he was always pretty goodbut he wasn't super interested
in hockey as much as like me andmy older brother and but I mean

(25:00):
he was still obviously alwaysgood, but yeah and but I mean he
was still obviously always good.
But and then he went to themission the first year he
probably had like like not agreat year, probably only like
10, 15 goals, like like 40points or something like 60
games.
So a good year, but likenothing special.
And then he hung out withPatrick Kane's dad.
That was when Kane was in theBlackhawks.

(25:21):
Every single Blackhawks game hewould sit with them and watch
him just learn from them alittle bit.
And then in the summer he cameback and he never really skated
with me and Zam and the olderguys in the summer, so he pushed
himself out of his comfort zone.
He obviously wasn't as good aseverybody there but he came into
the year and I got to watch himplay before I went to Michigan

(25:43):
to play on the program and firstgame he had like seven points,
like four goals and threeassists and I'm like what, what
happened?
And it looked like he lookedlike a man amongst boys, like he
wasn't like taller or anythingbut like he was like faster,
smarter, like his hands wereunreal and like in just one year
like he was always good.

(26:04):
But then that year he ended uptheir team won nationals with
the Chicago Mission.
I think he like led the wholenation in points and then, like
that year, his goal wasobviously to make the NTDP.
He ended up making it and nowthis year he's having a great
year and he's getting better andbetter every game.
That's fantastic.

Speaker 2 (26:25):
So I think that's an example of like people around
you being good and like umpushing you to be better, even
though they're the ones gettingthe attention all the time, and
then maybe one of the best yeah,good for you and that's a
mindset right, because we can goin there and that same well,
not saying the same player, butlike your brother could have
went in there and felt inferior,right, felt like it felt like
unconfident, felt like he was inthe wrong spot and it wouldn't

(26:49):
have worked out.
But if he walked in there andhe was like, okay, I understand
where I'm at, I'm going to push,I'm going to push, I'm going to
push and I'm not going to beworried about the results right
now, and guess what happens?
Right, four or five, six monthslater later, all of a sudden

(27:10):
he's a new player.
Like that's a super cool story,love that.
Uh, and it sounds like you meanyou're giving him props.
So your old man was 161, as Iknow, as I'm sure you know that
I'm talking about the nhl draft.
Now your bro was 150.
You step up to the plate at 47.
Where's your projection onvictor?

Speaker 1 (27:20):
I don't know for me like if he's playing like the
way he is now, like he, he's got, I think, like 11 goals this
year I think I had 11 my U-17year.
He'd probably score like 20this year.
And then like the way he seesthe ice, the way he plays, if he
can be like keep getting betternext summer, I think he should
for sure be a first-round draftpick.
Just in my opinion, ooh, there,just in my opinion.

(27:47):
There it is, heard it herefirst.
Love it.
So I'm excited.
Like draft year is one of thecoolest things.
Like obviously you don't tryand worry about it too much, but
like like it's nhl teams, liketalking to you and like at every
game and like it's always adream.
Like just like you feel soyoung still, but like I don't
know like I could be playing thenhl this year is the way I look
at it.
And like I'm not this close,right, yeah, so like, yeah, I
still don't know like I could beplaying the NHL this year is

(28:07):
the way I look at it and likeI'm not this close, right, yeah,
so like, yeah, I still don'tfeel like at the age I'm at, I
feel like, maybe, like I don'tknow it's so cool, but yeah, how
do you know?

Speaker 2 (28:16):
what.
I want to talk on that for asecond, because so you just did
get drafted.
Second pick, detroit, secondpick, and now you're playing
ncaa.
You know, as a freshman truefreshman right like doing, well,
yeah, you're like this close.
Yeah, it kind of still feelslike it's a mile away.
I'm sure, right like it's there, but it's like not really.

(28:38):
Yeah, how do you?
How have you started wrappingyour head around the fact that
maybe that phone's gonna ringand maybe it is gonna be my
opportunity soon?
How are you preparing for?

Speaker 1 (28:47):
that For me I try not to look super far ahead in the
future.
Same thing with when I was inhigh school, when I was at the
program.
I always tried to just takethat year and do what I could
with that year.
But obviously the end goal isto play in the NHL, right and
when I get.
But the thing is like when Iget there I want to be ready.

(29:08):
Like I don't want to be thereand like not be ready.
I think my brain like the way Ican like see the play will be
all right, but like I need toget, like in better shape, I
need to be stronger, be stronger, I need to be faster.
Um, because it's the bestplayers and you're playing 82
games when you're at that level,like right now in college, like

(29:28):
we're playing.
Like I got hurt this year.
I missed 10 games.
I played five, didn't win.
A single game went to the worldjuniors played six games there,
came back, so I played.
I got one more world juniorgame.
I played college games thisyear just because, like injuries
and stuff, now we have 10 gamesleft in regular season.
So for me I'm not worried toomuch about the future right now.

(29:54):
I'm just trying to do what Ican this year and then whatever
happens happens, but the onlyway for me.
Obviously you look in thefuture but if I can go to the
rink tomorrow and get better anddo what I can do to get better
just for the next weekend that Iplay, I think that's the best
way to do it in my opinion yeah,I love it.

Speaker 2 (30:13):
I love it.
The one thing and I'm not goingto say this is the right way or
the wrong way, but it might besomething for you to think about
, just for me as a player butwhen I was in the minors and
doing well, or at camp and wasright there making it, or I did
get my game or my cup of coffee,I still hadn't wrapped my head

(30:37):
around the idea that I'm goingto be playing with my idols,
right With the guys that I hadposted up on the wall.
And I just think that, althoughI agree 100% with what you're
saying is live in the moment,play where your skates are, I
think that's a really good thingto do because it keeps you
focused on what's at hand.
I would spend a little bit oftime about envisioning yourself
being in that environment andbeing successful in that

(30:57):
environment.
So when you do walk throughthose NHL doors, it's not like
it slaps you in the face andyou're all starry-eyed.
You want to feel like whenyou're there.
You want to feel like you'resupposed to be there to your
point, right?
You want to feel ready.
You want you don't want it tobe a cup of coffee.
So I think a little bit ofmental work before, before you
get there, would might besomething you might want to
consider.
Yeah, that sounds good.

(31:30):
Just going to take a short breakfrom the episode with max to
remind you all that there is anupcoming peak potential mindset
project, which I call the guidedmission.
That means if you want to takeyour mindset and everything that
comes with that to the nextlevel, which is going to bring
your game to the next level as ahockey player, then you can
take my mindset quiz right nowand get yourself in line to join

(31:52):
the next cohort.
We are currently into weekthree of the guided mission.
As we speak, there are 10athletes in the program that is
where I max out the guidedmission and they are all
thriving.
They are all learning newskills, they are applying them
to their game and it is so funto see the breakthroughs that
happen.
So if you are already a highperformer, if you're looking for

(32:14):
that next five to 10% in yourgame and mindset is something
that you have not officiallycovered in your development path
, then this could be for you.
If you are currently strugglingmid-season and you want to amp
things up for the playoffs andhave a great stretch drive, then
this is also for you.
Getting ready for thesetraining camps, getting ready

(32:35):
for the post-season, is alwayssomething that we hold in high
importance.
So, either way, if you'recoming at this thing from a
strong mindset, from a positionof confidence, and you're
looking for that next level ofexecution mindset, is definitely
the way to pursue.
And if you are currentlystruggling and some of these

(32:55):
intangibles seem to be holdingyou back and you can't find your
way and you can't get things onthe rails, then by all means
there is solutions for you, andthat could be the Peak Potential
Hockey Project guided mission.
So again, check out my websitefor the mindset quiz.
That's the best way to dip yourtoe in the water.
Simple five-minute test.

(33:16):
The answers will come to me.
I review every single test orquiz personally and if I feel
that you are a good fit for theprogram, I will reach out and
say hey, let's get involved orlet's discuss your results and
see how we can support you.
So, mindset Quiz on the website.
Check it out.
We are going to be launchinganother guided mission shortly

(33:39):
and potentially you could claima spot in the program.
Now let's get back to theconversation with Max Plant.
How talk to me, because you'vecalled it the program.
I want to talk in your world,junior, of course, but I I want
to go a little bit in chronologyhere.
The zam never played for the nd.

(33:59):
Uh, not the program, correct,and is that is it the national
junior team development program?
is that what it is?

Speaker 1 (34:06):
national team development program is ntdp, ndt
.
But if you say that peopleunderstand exactly right, right,
gotcha.

Speaker 2 (34:14):
So you, so you're calling it the program.
So we'll switch with theprogram.
So what is that experience like?
First of all, I assume there'sa big tryout for it and then you
end up making this team.
But it starts at what age?
What's the first year you canmake it?

Speaker 1 (34:27):
First year you can make it, so like it's every
birth year.
So I was 16 when I made it, soI was in 06.
So next year it'll be the 09sand you're 16 years old.
Some guys are 15.
Like, some guys don't even havetheir license yet, and so it's
like the first year you can playin the USHL, but it's they take
the best Americans or the rightAmericans on the team.

(34:50):
So for me, I never even like,not knew barely anything about
it.
Being in upper Minnesota, mydream was always to play high
school.
I was straight line high school.
I'm going to play through mysenior year.
I want to play for the BulldogsI'll play after my senior year.
I didn't even think of juniorhockey.
What's junior hockey?

(35:11):
But then my freshman year I wasplaying Bantams.
And then my sophomore year ofhigh school, I heard a little
bit about the NTDP, but I didn'tthink I would ever be good
enough or didn't think it wasgoing to be for me.
And then I ended up winning thechampionship, got an invite to
camp and when I was there I feltout of place.

(35:32):
Guys were all bigger than me,just felt like I'm not good
enough really for this level,like obviously I always wanted
to be there.
But, um, and then, like thelast couple games, I started to
get better and better and I feltlike I can do this, like a
little bit, but still didn'tthink I was gonna make the team,
didn't have a great tryout, uh.
And then after the last game,they like they make the team,

(35:54):
like during the camp, like theypull guys aside.
So, like I knew, found this outafter that, like they'd all
everyone already knew on likemonday.
I found out on friday that I wason the team but they pulled me
in the office and on my waythere that was actually my
brother was playing on chicagosteel at the time, yeah, and on
my way, literally walking,because, like all the ushl

(36:15):
scouts are there because that'swhere they get the players, like
it's the top 40 or so camp.
So, like the next 20 guys thatdon't make it, like they're
gonna be the first rounders inthe ushl, and so on my walk to
talk to them about making thencdp team ushl, they can tender
guys, which is like a firstround pick.
And so the steel offered me atender so I could have went and

(36:37):
played with my brother there thenext year.
And so I was like all right,like I'll just do this, like I'm
not gonna make this team anyway.
They walk into the office andthey're like, are you in?
I was like like this is thecoach that's in the hallway,
like I'm walking back to likethe gm's office and stuff.
Yeah, like what do you mean?
Am I in?
Like am I getting invited rightnow?

(36:57):
And then walked in the office,they give you like a paper book.
You go home for like three dayslike talk with your family,
like is this the right move foryou?
And before, like I went to thetryout, I had to talk with my
parents about the next move forme, like if I'd want to do that.
And for me I've always wantedto push myself like past my
limits and like.
So I was like, yeah, if I makeit, like I'm gonna do it, and

(37:23):
ended up making it said yes.
Like the hardest call I madewas with my grandpa, actually.
He was always the high schoolcoach back home and he was a big
believer in like play for yourhigh school team, like you'll
have so much time like later toget better and like through
hockey.
But I knew it was the rightmove for me, like if I wanted to
push myself and get outside mycomfort zone.

(37:43):
You learn new things fromdifferent coaches and different
like stuff like that.
So and then obviously like forme, like I think that's the
right place.
If you have an opportunity to goto the NTDP, I think there's no
way you can pass it down, justlike the difficulty and like the
hardship you go through, justto like get better every day and

(38:06):
like push your body throughstuff that like no one else like
I'm convinced no one else inthe hockey world pushes yourself
like you do at the NTDP and Iwas like like I was ready for
that, like every day, like I'dget home from the rink I'll just
take you through a day, but, um, love it, I'm gonna say, give
me some hardship.
What does that look like?

(38:26):
So like even in this, like wego even at the tryout camp.
Like I was like because I had afriend, ty Hanson, who's on my
team now.
He went to the tryout the yearbefore and he's like, yeah,
they're crazy there.
Like we did this workout beforeour tryout scrimmage and it was
the hardest workout I've everdone in my life.
And so I'm like scared.

(38:46):
And he's like telling me aboutthis workout guy who's Brian
Galvin, who runs the strengthtrainer, who's one of my really
good friends now.
But, um, he's like, yeah, he'slike crazy dude, like he's
making us throw balls at eachother, play tug of war, ride
this bike and I'm like allnervous going into camp.
But anyway, after I made theteam, we have like a summer like

(39:07):
three, like three days.
We're there two and a half andwe get there.
This is like probably thehardest two and a half days of
my life and it's like 100degrees in Michigan at the time
and we get there the first dayand this is we're still not like
.
You're 17 here.
It's like kind of like military, like they treat you like
you're not like like obviouslyyou're special because you're

(39:31):
part of 23 guys that are thebest in America.
So you feel like you're part of23 guys that are the best in
america, so you feel like you'rewell.
But when you get there, it'slike they make you kind of feel
like you need to get betterevery day and you're still not
good enough, right.
And so we're like in the gymcleaning every single weight,
everything, every single bar,like out of the gym.
We take it all out of the gym,grab like all this spray stuff

(39:54):
to clean it off.
We cleaned the whole gym.
It took like four hours.
This was the night we got there.
And then we're staying in ahotel which is like in the
parking lot right outside therink and there was like rumors,
like we'd heard rumors aboutlike past teams.
They wake you up and you go onlike a morning run or something.
So like we're going on a run,so we walk out like the front of

(40:24):
the hotel and galley's in hislike golf cart and he's got this
horn and he's like the horn atlike 4 35 in the morning and
some guys like just put theirshoes on with like no socks,
like like they didn't know wewere going on a run or anything.
So guys had like blisters.
We ran on, we went like a fourmile run or something and like

(40:46):
we're hockey players not allguys go on runs and stuff so you
guys are like puking, we're atlike a good pace, he's driving
us in his golf cart.
So that was the first thing wehad that day, right, and we
didn't even bring our gear tothis.
Like this is just likeorientation, just to see, like
if you don't want to be here,like quit now, right, so then

(41:07):
later that day.

Speaker 2 (41:08):
Anyone quit.

Speaker 1 (41:10):
It got warm, and then we have like this like two-hour
workout.
It got warm, and then, uh, wehave like this like two hour
workout.
He brings all the weightsbecause we hadn't earned the gym
yet.
So we can't work out in the gymuntil like one week into the
year, and this is still in thesummer.
But so we pull all the weightsout and like do a bunch of hard
workouts and so I mean obviouslyone of the hardest things like
being so hot out like I couldn'teven think they were like like

(41:33):
water is just like only thing inyour mind.
Like I need water, I need water.
Go on another run Next morning.
We have like a relay withweights.
Like we run around the parkwith weight like big barbell,
like on our backs, but justcrazy stuff that you wouldn't
even think about.
So it was hard stuff.

(42:02):
And then so I'm coming back home, like in the airport next day
I'm like can barely move.
Um, like what am I doing withmy life?
Like I want to be a hockeyplayer.
Um, so then, going back in thefall, my, I probably like done
with all that stupid stuff, likeum, just here to play hockey.
Now I'm not gonna have to workout hard or anything, um, but
like the whole u17 year, likelike galley like he's the man,
like he pushes you, like you goon the ice for 17 year, like
like Gally like he's the man,like he pushes you.
Like you go on the ice for twohours and you're like I just
worked my butt off for two hourson the rink and now I got to go

(42:23):
in the gym for another hour anda half and push myself past my
limit and then, after you get inthe gym, you're like I got to
just stuff myself, cause I gotto gain weight, I got to grow,
um, and so it was like a dailyroutine, like every day I was
just waking up in the morninggoing to the rink shoot pucks,

(42:44):
go to the rink skate.
We have old school because I wasdoing high school, so we still
got to do school work, um, butthen, like I think the workout
was the biggest thing for me,like I'd never really worked out
until that year, which I guessI'd never really like kind of
needed to, just like the way Iplayed, like I was still growing
and stuff.
But it was like the perfect mixfor me, like it was right when
I started to grow right when Istarted to work out and I gained

(43:07):
my two years of the program.
I gained like I was like five,six or five, five at 127 at the
tryout camp.
Like I was like five, six orfive, five at 127 at the tryout
camp, wow.
And when I came out, like thissummer, I was 5, 11, 180.
So like 50, gained like 50pounds and however many, like
five inches or whatever right.

(43:28):
So obviously like for me it's areally special place and
there's no other way you canmanufacture going to work every
day and hardening your mind.

Speaker 2 (43:38):
Right.

Speaker 1 (43:39):
Wow.

Speaker 2 (43:40):
I love that story.

Speaker 1 (43:41):
You're going through all this first stuff with all
the guys that are the same agethat have never done anything
like this before.
Plus, you're U17 here my littlebrother's team.
They've won two USHL games thisyear.
You go through hardship.
You don't win every game,everyone's better than you.
Two ushl games this year.
Like you go through hardship,like you don't win every game,
everyone's better than you.
And so it puts you throughstuff that like I don't know
like and are all the best too.

(44:02):
So like iron sharpens iron,like you all heard that saying
and I totally agree with it likeyou can have a day like.
This is one story I try to tellpeople.
Like james haggins, likeprojected, like he's gonna go
like for one of the firstoverall, like he could have a
day that like he doesn't want toshow up to the rink and get
better.
And then there's another guylike they'll show up, like teddy
steger, like um christianepperson who can show up that

(44:25):
day and just be better.
Like there's other places yougo and like you're just the best
every single day and like youdon't maybe have to push
yourself but like.

Speaker 2 (44:34):
That's what my take on, like why the program makes
players the best right, right,yeah, because you're seeing it
right there in front of you,that there's someone else right
there.
That's like nipping at yourheels, right, or it's better
than you on that day like that'san example like austin bernovic
, my u17 year.

Speaker 1 (44:49):
he got cut like didn't even make his u18 worlds
team, like called guys up, senthim down and now this year he
was on first power play at theWorld Juniors winning a gold
medal.
Like you think, like in asnapshot in time, like these
guys are all way better.
Like these guys, like there'sguys around like you could be in
a better spot, but like I think, once you get out of it, you

(45:10):
realize like how special andlike you really are getting
better there.

Speaker 2 (45:14):
Right, yeah, well, what do you mean?
I'm sure there's immense amountof gratitude.
You know, opportunity, likeyou're saying, you're with the
best 23 at the time.
You know, and you're in thisenvironment that is really,
really pushing you.
You know, you mentioned thatthey were almost trying to make
people quit.
Did anyone quit in your year?

Speaker 1 (45:33):
My year.
No, I mean, mean, I'm sure likeguys thought about it, like
guys wanted to, but theyrealized like if you go
somewhere, you're gonna likemiss being with these guys, that
you're going through this stuff.
You're gonna miss like like forme, like coming out of that
program.
I wish I was still goingthrough that stuff, even how
hard it was.
I'd come home after a day likeI'd always like to be at the

(45:55):
rink as much as I could, justbecause like kind of like my
favorite spot to be, but likeI'd probably come home like 5 30
.
I'd go to the rink at like 7 30and I'd come home and I'd
literally just sit on the couch,wait for dinner, eat dinner, go
back, sit on the couch and thenbe in, be asleep at like nine
o'clock, like I was just wornout every single day.

Speaker 2 (46:15):
Yeah yeah, and so what's the?
Why is there value in that?

Speaker 1 (46:19):
because, like I don't know, like that's training your
mind, that you like to be a pro, I guess, like you put your,
your body through stuff that youdon't always want to do and
like there's days that you justlove it, like you want to be
back at the ring, especiallywhen you're winning games and
our team is fortunate to win alot our younger year which not a
lot of teams do, like Imentioned, like my little

(46:39):
brother's team, like they'rereally struggling like not
winning a lot of games but forthem, like that adversity 100
they're gonna come into nextyear like super hungry, super,
like motivated to come in andprove that they're a better team
.
So right, um, but yeah, likethere's definitely times like
I'd be sitting there liketomorrow, like I don't really
need to like go work, but for me, like it's kind of there's kind

(47:00):
of like a blockage to like notlet that happen, like, um,
because I know that when I fallasleep at night I won't like let
myself like get away with it.

Speaker 2 (47:09):
So yeah, I love that.
That's the mindset, that's thepiece.
Like that's the piece.
Like that's the piece, rightthere, I love hearing it.
Like there's self-worth in thatcorrect.
Yeah, there's a standardinvolved in that, right.
Yeah, yeah, and you feel damngood about it.
Like that's the thing is likeuntil you've proved to yourself
and you're the only one thatmatters too, and once you've

(47:31):
proved to yourself that you'redoing it, you can't not do it.
Yeah, right, like it becomesaddictive in the best way.
You want to be addicted, yeah.

Speaker 1 (47:41):
It becomes.
It becomes a habit, addiction,whatever you want to call it.
But, um, yeah, like I love itnow.
I love everything about likethe grind and like getting
better.

Speaker 2 (47:51):
So yeah, no, that's absolutely fantastic.
Uh, so I want to understand.
Okay, no, that's absolutelyfantastic.
So I want to understand.
Okay, so you get picked at thisU7.
Every year they pick a U17group.

Speaker 1 (48:00):
Yeah, every year U17.
Some guys leave.
This year is the weirdest yearever.
A guy left Colin Potter he'splaying on ASU now in college.
He left after his U17 year.
He's actually having a goodyear in college now.
And then no one's ever reallydone that to leave for college,

(48:22):
like patrick kane left after hisu17 year when he was there to
go play for london.
Um, but like, yeah, likenormally guys stay through two
years and unless they're likehaving trouble, like not like
don't feel like they're at thatlevel or just like depressed or
something.

Speaker 2 (48:33):
But but does the team do that?
Okay, that that's one thing.
One thing I thought that I wastold or understand.
So you make that you 17 team.
Yeah, are you like an automaticfor the following year?
Do they try it again?

Speaker 1 (48:43):
Yeah, automatic two years.
Okay, some guys like DannyNelson, who's Islanders prod
prospect plays at notre dame nowlike his, he didn't even go the
whole u17 year he was playinghigh school maple grove and
grayson satchin, who was there,he like left due to like he

(49:03):
didn't know if he could playlike for ihf usa because he's
like canadian american.
Yeah, he decided like I'm gonnaleave.
So then they needed to add aguy and danny nelson was like
I'm in, like I'll go.
I didn't even get invited tothat 40-man tryout camp and he
ended up being like like thefourth forward drafted off that
team.

Speaker 2 (49:20):
So right, so that I was wondering that, because
that's that's, obviously Iwouldn't.
I wouldn't call it a hole.
Maybe that's the wrong way toput it, but that's why some guys
get missed, because there is somuch development that happens
outside of that program tooright, oh, yeah, you might.

Speaker 1 (49:32):
Yeah, you might not be good enough at that at that
u17 age group, but 12, 15 monthslater, guys can really change
right, and that's also kind ofthe thing like guys when you're
at the program, you want to getbetter too, because you don't
want like guys on the outside ofthe program, like they see that
like the, the guys that getbetter, the guys that don't make
that, and like, oh, like I takethat personally, like I want to

(49:52):
get better, like trevorconnelly, example, like he's
always been good it wasn't atthe program, though and I mean
he's a stud like yeah, yeah, butI mean there's plenty of other
players that are like that soevery year.

Speaker 2 (50:05):
so it's uh, so it's a two-year cycle.
Every year they bring in a newgroup.
And then I was looking at your,at your experience there, and
this is what I want you to sharewith me.
So you had NT, ntdp, sonational team development
program 54 games, yeah, and thenUSHL 32 games.
So how was that separated?
Where are you playing?
What was this?
Was this last year, or the?
My first year was the 22, 23.

Speaker 1 (50:27):
So that was my U 17 year.
So that was, we played likefour or five North American
League games at the beginning ofthe year and then we have three
international tournaments wherewe're playing like Canada.
Well, we played in the U-17Challenge that was like seven
games, I think where they hadthree Canada teams and then

(50:48):
Finland brought their team,sweden brought their team, I
think Czechia brought their team, I think Czechia brought their
team.
And then we had two otherfive-nation tournaments with
like Switzerland, czechia,finland and Sweden, and then us.

Speaker 2 (51:03):
Okay, so there's a lot of tournaments during the
season, then Is that what goeson?

Speaker 1 (51:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (51:11):
And then the league that you're playing in the home
league, like the circuit, isactually the USHL.

Speaker 1 (51:14):
Yeah, and the home league, like the circuit, is
actually the USHL.
Yeah, so then we play playoffsin the USHL, which is the older
U18 team and the U17 team.
They combine their records andif it meets the criteria to make
the playoffs in the USHL, theU18 team goes to U18 Worlds and
the U17 team gets a chance toplay in the playoffs, which

(51:35):
normally a lot of times doesn'thappen just because the records
combined aren't good enough.
Yeah, but we were fortunate tomake the play.
We almost got a bye.
Actually, in my U-17 year we hadthe U-18 team had two games
against the Steel.
If they won one game, got onemore point, we would have been a
bye and then Youngstown wouldhave been the third seed who
ended up winning the league thatyear.
Yeah, but they got swept by thesteel celebrating he was on

(51:58):
that team, he had like a hattieboth games, and then we had a
chance against youngstown to geta point.
We got swept by them.
So then we played cedar rapidsin the first round, got swept,
but um, so that was cool likeplayoff hockey, like I've never
played a series before that.

Speaker 2 (52:10):
So yeah, and so, and, and, just so I understand
listening.
So that means this is a team of16 year olds in the best junior
league in the United States,playing against 19, 20, you know
age guys, right, and that'sthat's why this team, even
though you're the best 23 inAmerica, you're still three
years younger than the majorityof these players and it's pretty
stiff competition.

(52:31):
Oh yeah, all right, gotcha,okay, so so that makes sense.
So that team obviously doesmarkedly better the next year
when they're all a year older.

Speaker 1 (52:38):
Yeah, so then the next year we played half like
ushl, like the first year, andthen half college games.
Oh really, last year I thinkour team played like 17 college
games or something.
Wow, like we got to play likethey're obviously exhibition
games and stuff, but like for usit's like the coolest thing.
Like we played at ralphangleset arena.

(53:00):
Like 12 000 people there wentto overtime and beat them, so
like that was super coolexperience and then two nights
later we're playing at themariucci uh in front of like 10
000 people.
So what?

Speaker 2 (53:11):
what college is that I'm not familiar?
I mean, I know those namesnorth dakota and then the gulf.
So hey, nice, yeah, that'ssuper cool.
Uh, so when does the?
So then does that mean youavoided the draft?
Then, because you're with, likethe ushl draft, because you're
in, you're in the, uh, in the?

Speaker 1 (53:28):
program.
So yeah, the way that works isyou can't.
I mean, I'm sure maybe you candraft like the guys out of the
program, but I don't thinkthere'd really be a point to
right, you just be losing,wasting a pick because I'm like
two years later you can use aphase two draft on those kids
because like my team I think wehave the most ever that went
from ntdp and now went back tothe ushl for at least a year,

(53:50):
like.
So, like the fate, there's thephase two draft, where the older
kids get picked, yeah, and so,like guys on my team like
decided not to go to college andthen are playing another year
in the ushl interesting, but Iwould assume that entire team is
committed somewhere in the ncaa.
Yeah, a couple guys that wentmajor junior and are now playing

(54:11):
in the O too.

Speaker 2 (54:12):
Okay, awesome.
It's going to take one moreshort break from my conversation
with Max Plan to give a shoutout to the UMH 68 Invitational.
This is my branded event thatlives underneath the Up my
Hockey umbrella that bringstogether the best players in
their age group in the provinceand we take care of the mind, we

(54:37):
take care of the body and wealso take care of the hockey.
Over a four-day developmentexperience and super proud of
this event.
It's gone over so well in BCthat we decided to expand into
Alberta, saskatchewan andManitoba this year and really
excited to be bringing theseevents across Western Canada.

(54:58):
One thing we are doing rightnow is we're looking for
provincial sponsors.
Each province has one titlesponsor spot on a provincial
level.
This will get your company,your brand, aligned with a
best-in-class event like Up myHockey.
It's going to support thegrowth and development of youth

(55:18):
players across Western Canadaand it will also allow
registration fees to stay low.
We are offering so much value atthis event and we want to make
sure that the athletes that areinvited are able to come.
So if you have a corporation,if you have a brand, if you have
a business in BC, alberta,saskatchewan or Manitoba and

(55:40):
you'd like to be involved in theUMH 68 Invitational as a
sponsor and be associated withthis great holistic event that
supports the development of theperson as well as the player,
then by all means, please reachout to UpMyHockey at
upmyhockeycom.
Fill out a contact form orreach out to me directly.

(56:02):
Jason at upmyhockeycom, you canget in touch with me and we can
talk about what thatsponsorship would entail, where
those sponsorship dollars wouldgo and what that association and
collaboration looks like.
So definitely in the market forthat right now, having
conversations as we speak.
But if this sounds like thisaligns with you and your company

(56:23):
and your philosophy and how youwant to support local hockey,
provincial hockey, then by allmeans we would love to have a
conversation.
Now let's get back to theconversation with Max Plant.
Yeah, how about from from aparent's side?
Is there a check that needs tobe written to the national us

(56:45):
national hockey to be in thatprogram, or they take care of it
?

Speaker 1 (56:47):
uh no, I think, like all people that are paying for
usa hockey pay for the ntdpright and then like parents pay
for like billets, like kind oflike any junior team like, so
they can go buy groceries andstuff for the kids.

Speaker 2 (56:59):
But so it really is a huge opportunity then, right,
it's uh it takes finances out ofthe picture for the majority of
families, so that's prettyimportant.
Yeah Well, that's cool, that'sexciting, and that program,
though, is separate from theWorld Junior program, so you
would get an invite from yourteam, along with all these other
players, to see who makes thatsquad right.

Speaker 1 (57:19):
Yeah, that's normally the older players.
I think we had everyone fromcollege, except for like three
ohl guys on our team this year,um, but yeah, kind of similar,
like well, I'd say there waslike I don't know the exact
number, but there was like 17guys that played on the ntdp on
that team yeah, was that, um,that was something that your

(57:40):
brother didn't do, right?

Speaker 2 (57:41):
yeah, no, okay, so you, your dad did, but, but, uh,
but he never did so how, howwas that experience for you was
that like?
Was that the ultimate kind ofthing you wanted to do as a
junior player?

Speaker 1 (57:51):
yeah, like for me, like growing up and everyone
dreams about the world juniors.
Like it's always on like afterchristmas and like like for me.
I always thought those kidslike once again, like they're so
much older, like like for methe fact that like it's already
passed and like over with andI've already played, and like I
have a gold medal sitting rightnext to me.

Speaker 2 (58:10):
It's like oh yeah, yeah, grab it right here.

Speaker 1 (58:18):
Look at that bad boy.
Um, like the fact that thathappened like, and for me, like
anyone I've never not made likea team that I've like wanted to
make, like had my mind that Ican make that team, um, and so
like when I didn't, so I I don'tknow if I told you, but I broke
my wrist earlier this year.
So like, obviously, like in thesummer they have like a summer

(58:41):
showcase for the world juniorteam, kind of like just to see
where guys are at and playingtogether and stuff, um, and so I
thought I had a really goodlike camp and like played good
and coming in the year, likefirst game, like had a good
start, like, and then last shiftto the game broke my wrist.
So I'm like, oh, like, what doesthis mean for not only the

(59:03):
season?
Like the season's so short, weonly get so many games, um, so
obviously can't help my team forthe games I'm out and then a
world juniors too, like I'm likewhen, like as soon as I can
find out like fastest I can beback, and like what I can do to
get back, just because I wantedthat opportunity, right and um,
so I got back for they, they.

(59:24):
I got back for a weekend beforelike the tryout list came out
for like they make like threemore cuts after that yeah and I
was playing with like a brace onlike a big, like a cast, so I
can't even like move my wristreally.
But I came back in my firstweekend.
I thought I had like a prettygood weekend and the list came
out after that.
So I was kind of likedisappointed.

(59:44):
Like I'm back now Like I canmake this team like um, just
playing with like some fire,like our team isn't doing
greatest at UMD and trying tojust like help our team.
And then the next weekend we'replaying in Arizona state and
like the list came out and I'mkind of playing like ticked off,
like obviously just trying toprove people wrong.

(01:00:04):
Like like the list came out andI'm kind of playing like ticked
off, like obviously just tryingto prove people wrong.
Like I want to be there andstuff.
But so I'm 0-3 at the time.
Like going to ASU, like I needto win some college hockey games
, like whatever I can to do.
First game, like we played agood hockey game, like we
outshot them like 2-1, and welost that game.
So Saturday night I'm like juststill in a bad mood, like what

(01:00:29):
can we?

Speaker 2 (01:00:29):
do to like try, and you hadn't won a game yet in
your college career.

Speaker 1 (01:00:32):
I still hadn't won a game yet.
So Saturday night I'm likegoing like just like balls to
the wall, like playing hard.
Me and my brother both scored,tied a 2-2 to go to overtime.
We're down like two, nothinglike third period uh, we go to
overtime like a couple like madea couple plays weren't going in
.
Like my brother, one-time bombpipe, one-time bomb crossbar,

(01:00:55):
like backdoor play, like come onand then they go down score on
the other net.
So I'm just like, and this wasour last two games before
christmas break, so I'm notgoing to play for another month
and I'm going to watch, like theWorld Junior team and all my
boys a couple guys I played onthe program and like wanted to
be there.
So I'm like all ticked off,like I travel home.
One of the kids on my team,adam Kleber.

(01:01:17):
He was going to tryout.
I'm like, because I wasn'tgoing to see him before he went,
I was, he went, I was like goodluck, like have a blast.
Like go make that team win gold, um.
So I'm like kind of just like,ah, like whatever, like I'll be
fine, like when we get back andum, so oh and five of my college
career at the point.
And the next day I wake up thisis monday morning from van

(01:01:42):
beesbrook who, like had a usahockey and picking the world
junior team, and he's like I'mjust wondering if he's calling
me just to say like this is whywe didn't take you, like we felt
like at the time, like wedidn't know.

Speaker 2 (01:01:54):
Yeah, you thought that ship had sailed.

Speaker 1 (01:01:55):
Yeah, I thought totally.
And he's like we're going tomake an extra forward for camp,
like you deserve it, it.
And I'm like I still don't wantlike a game.
I am not not like I'm superlike doing anything super
special, but um made that and Iwas still wearing like my cast,
like I was playing the games,like I couldn't move my wrist.
I'm just like saucing pucks,like I can't shoot.
So I'm like all right, I'mtaking this thing off like it's

(01:02:17):
still broken, but I'm just gonnatape it up and do whatever I
can.
Um, so then I get there for thetrial, like still not knowing
I'm making it and like just likeso cool how fast things can
happen.
Right, like you never likeyou're never out of situations
and um, I'm just so thankfullike the opportunity and I ended
up making the team.
But like we played twoexhibition games after the final

(01:02:39):
roster came out and we stillhad to scratch a guy and there's
still an extra forward and thefirst two exhibition I was like
the second extra forward.
Um, just like doing what I can,played six minutes both games.
Um, so I'm thinking like allright, I'm just not gonna play,
I'll just be with the team, likeobviously ready to play if they
need me, but yeah then themorning skater.

(01:03:00):
I can't remember morning skaterpractice.
Before the game I got put on aline and I was like, huh, all
right, like I'm getting a chance.
And then, first game I played,I had an assist.
Like sick, I had an assist inthe world.
You're still not realizing likeI'm there, right, cause it was
so fast, like one week, and allof a sudden now I'm there.

(01:03:20):
Yeah, after going there, yeah,um, after going, like putting it
through my mind that I'm notgoing to be there, um, just
doing what I can.
During that, like, I had plansover break.
I was going to go to chicagohang out my dad, go to south
dakota with my grandparents, um,and now I'm in canada playing
under 18 000 people, uh, at theworld juniors.
And then the second game scoreda goal.

(01:03:42):
So two games, two points.

Speaker 2 (01:03:44):
I was playing like 10 minutes or whatever just trying
the exhibition now, or is thatin the tournament?
This is?

Speaker 1 (01:03:48):
this is real games now.
Oh, okay, germany and latvia,yeah, and for me, I'd never
played like that role before.
I never not played power play,not played penalty kill, um, and
so I was playing neither, likeI was just strictly five on five
.
Um scored a goal, like a socool experience.
And then, um, the next night,like that night we played back

(01:04:08):
to back.
We played finland the next gameand like I thought I played two
pretty good games.
Like we had three guys thatweren't power player, penalty
kill, and so I was like allright, those two got scratched
already, um, and so the nextthat night I got I didn't even
they didn't tell me, but theyput the rosters out and I wasn't
playing.
So after you scored, yeah,after I scored.

(01:04:30):
So I was like all right, likeguess that maybe I wasn't as
good as I thought I've beenplaying, but, um, watching from
the stands, the next game, uh,our team lost to finland.
Um, so like, all right, I gottaget back in the lineup now,
like hey, can I stop you for asecond?

Speaker 2 (01:04:46):
yeah, okay, so give me the goods.
How did you really handle that?
Because I've been in your shoeslike you scored a goal, limited
minutes, you have to feel likeyou're a big contributor and now
you get scratched like give me,give me the, give me the real
goods.

Speaker 1 (01:05:01):
And how you responded there for me, like I was kind
of like obviously everyone getsmad, like not going to just be
like whatever, but for me it waslike all right.
Like coming to the tournament Iwasn't really even like I was
the second extra forward, like Iwas supposed to get cut.
Obviously, I knew like I alwayshave had that inner confidence,

(01:05:23):
like whenever I can be outthere, like I can make plays and
like I know that.
But like, looking at otherperson's perspective, like these
other guys haven't been playingbad hockey either, like no one
that deep down like I can play.
But yeah, it was like 11o'clock at night and like I was

(01:05:43):
literally about to put my phonedown to go to sleep for the game
the next day and it came out.
So I was like, huh, now what amI doing tomorrow?
Am I going to skate?
After it hit midnight I waslike I kind of got over it.
Whatever, whatever I can do forthe team now.

Speaker 2 (01:06:06):
That's a lesson.
Everyone they're listening'relistening right.
Like you're gonna feel thefeels like it's okay to be mad,
it's okay to be upset.
But then we got to switch gearsright so it doesn't affect you
in the locker room the next day,it doesn't affect the team, you
know.
I mean, it got to put you inthe right headspace to be able
to get yourself back in thelineup yeah, and for me, that
was the first time I've everbeen scratched for anything Like
.

Speaker 1 (01:06:23):
I've never not.
Yeah, I've always had injurieslike where I've been missed.
So that's kind of what it feltlike when I was in the stands,
like I'm not playing because I'minjured, like I should be out
there.
But really I was a scratch.
And so, yeah, next day, likethe game, you're still with the

(01:06:47):
team, you're still on the buswith the guys on the way to the
game, you're still in the lockerroom after the game.
So you're going through thehardship and stuff, but also
with that feeling I'll be backin there.
And it was kind of good too,because actually the first game
I messed up my hip flexor or myhip and like after the first

(01:07:08):
game I was like I don't evenknow if I can move anymore.
So like the whole time I wasjust icing, stimming my hip,
wrapping it and like just tryingto get back to play.
So I think me getting scratchedactually might have been like
benefit, because it was two moredays rest that I got just to

(01:07:29):
get it back.
For when we played Canada thenext day I was like I got to
play that game.
It's going to be special andthat was an unbelievable like
experience.
Like we're on the ice forwarm-ups and every single seat
in the house is filled.
This is 30 minutes before thepuck drop and every seat's
filled and we're on the ice,canada.
I don't know why, but everygame they come up for warm-ups
late, like I don't know if it'sjust to like intimidate their

(01:07:50):
team or whatever, but like wewere out on the ice going
through the drills and all of asudden Canada comes out and it
was just like erupted so loudLike I'd never been, like I was
actually talking to someone atthe time they came out, actually
talking to someone at the timethey came out and like face to
face, I couldn't even hear whatthey were saying to me.
They're still out, but, um, sothat game was cool.

Speaker 2 (01:08:09):
And then that was for you, right?
Hey, yeah, biggest gameprobably of your career at that
point, right?

Speaker 1 (01:08:14):
oh yeah, like obviously ust in worlds was big,
like we lost in thechampionship to canada.
So like I have like like in myheart, like I hate can Canadians
, I hate hockey, canada andstuff.
So anytime I get to play CanadaI get fired up Like I'll get in
the guy's ear, yeah, but yeah,that meant a lot to me just to

(01:08:36):
be able to play them in Canadaand beat them in Canada.
I believe it.
I believe it.
Yeah, so then we won that game.
I'm like all right, I'm goingto stay in the lineup hopefully.
But I didn't know.
Like I don't know, like it'sthe best guys in the country,
like they could pull a guy in,pull a guy out.
So yeah, I played every othergame, semifinals we won.

(01:09:00):
And like our group of guys wasawesome, like I knew a lot of
the guys because they're allfives at ntdp, and like they won
u18 worlds.
Like guys did one last yeargold medal.
So like they're winners, likethey know how to win, they're
just calm like in the moment.
Um, and that was new for melike I still don't want a
college hockey game the wholeyear.
Right, so I'm already I'm fivegames into playing at the world

(01:09:24):
juniors and I've won five gamesand now I'm in the championship
already and first or secondshift of the championship game I
take a penalty.
Score on the penalty.
We're down 1-0.
And I'm like oh boy, like whatare we going to do now?
Now we're down like 3-1.
And like our bench is just likeno one's yelling at anybody,

(01:09:47):
like we're just sitting therelike playing hockey, like we
just need a bounce, like causeFinland was actually I don't
know if you watched the game,but they were kind of dominating
us for the first half of thegame until like halfway through
the second period we juststarted to just pound them.
Our coach has made anadjustment on like cause what
they were doing.
They were bringing it back withtheir D and they were sucking

(01:10:08):
us like kind of, because wewanted not to let them in the
zone with speed.
So we were kind of holding back.
And once we pushed up like ourD and our forwards so that they
couldn't come in with like oneseam pass, like all of a sudden
we were just making them dump it.
Like every time they dumped itand we'd get it back, go back
into their zone, and so that waslike I've never been in like

(01:10:29):
really a game like that, wherethe tide turns and like all of a
sudden we're playing in theirzone every shift, like.
And then, obviously, the goalthat Lobota scored, I got the
puck like threw it down to him.
I'm just going to the net, helike throws like some muffin,
like just dump like guys on him.
He's just dumping it in andlike the bounce that we needed.
Like just all of a sudden, likethat, like goal, cole Hudson

(01:10:52):
does what he does and justdangles the guy Goes pipe in
snipe, like just so special.
Now we're tied 3-3.
And going into the third period,like we have a whole period to
score a goal and win Didn'tscore, goes to overtime and
still in the locker room likeguys are still like making jokes
, like Really, I'm like geez,like this is unbelievable.

(01:11:14):
Like we're playing World JuniorChampionship game, we're going
to overtime, there's Zam on theice and we're in the locker room
making jokes.
Like that just shows how looseand like how like inner
confidence that we have that wecould do it.
Yeah, um, I don't even know ifthey touched the puck the whole
overtime.
Like our guys had it on astring and then, uh, steve's
teddy steve scored the overtimewinner.

(01:11:35):
Like we were going to chipolalike two days before and we were
talking about like how, like Iwas like yeah, I scored an
overtime goal once.
That was in high school.
Um, he's like, yeah, I've Iscored an overtime goal once.
That was in high school.
He's like, yeah, I've neverscored an overtime goal before.
Like I don't know what I'd doif I could sell it or anything.
It happens he gets on the iceand he gets a breakaway and
scores and I'm like I can't evenbelieve it.

(01:11:57):
Like best buds at NTDP andstuff.

Speaker 2 (01:12:01):
That's super cool, so it couldn't happen to a better
guy.
I heard hey oh, so special yeahyeah, did you get on the ice in
overtime?

Speaker 1 (01:12:08):
uh, no, I think I was going next shift, but um uh, I
didn't even care.

Speaker 2 (01:12:14):
Oh, right right right because did anyone like did?
Were you with that call?
Were you feeling excited,pressure about like getting out
there in that moment?

Speaker 1 (01:12:23):
obviously yeah, but like I'd already played in the
game, like the same game I Istepped on the ice before like
for like five other shifts andthird period.
Our line was actually goinglike we just they kept rolling.
I was playing with a boat andconnelly they switched their
line a little bit and so I feltlike I was having a good game,
like playing in the offensivezone every shift and stuff.
So I was like I want to get outthere, out there, like I want

(01:12:44):
to make a play, try and dosomething to help this team.
Like if I don't, who cares?
Like you're still going to getplayers.
But yeah, like the fact thatStieg did it, like the stat I
found funny after like it washis first shot on goal the whole
tournament and he scores it inovertime in a gold medal game.
But for me, like it was kind ofjust surreal.
Like we went in like threeweeks before that I didn't even

(01:13:06):
know I was going to be there.
Like I was planning on being inSouth Dakota hunting with my
brother over Christmas break.
But yeah, like such a cool,like experience.
And then that night we comehome, we're back to the hotel,
everyone's on the bus at 6 inthe morning going their separate
college routes.
I haven't even seen anyonesince, other than the guys I've
played against in college.

(01:13:27):
So no, um, it was like, almostlike a dream, like how fast it
happened so did, and it wasstraight back to college, it
wasn't?

Speaker 2 (01:13:35):
you didn't go back to your hometown like no one got
to you yeah celebrate withanybody.
It's just straight back yeahyou must have been a little bit
of a hero's welcome when you gotback, I would assume.

Speaker 1 (01:13:45):
Yeah, I mean it was cool, Like my phone was like
going off the hook and then whenI got home, like talk to like
my little cousin plays inHermitone organization for
Peewee's like went and showedtheir team the medal talk to
them before the game high schoolteam they did like a ceremony
for me.
So it is super cool, Just um.

(01:14:06):
So it is super cool.
Just in a small town I grew upin like like people were
watching and cheering me on sounbelievable well.

Speaker 2 (01:14:09):
Congratulations, buddy.
Yeah, thank you, that's a hugedeal.
Yeah, and uh, I love thatyou're so honest with the fact
that you just hate hockey,canada and playing against oh,
yeah, I screwed canadians.
Isn't that the best part of it,though?
Like I think that's like Idon't know, I just love, like I
love the country on your chestand like that rivalry, you know
it.

Speaker 1 (01:14:28):
Uh, yeah, it means something yeah, and for me, I
never experienced that untillike last year at u18 worlds,
like our team I I still believewe were easily the best team in
that tournament and we didn'twin the tournament.
Um, like we had shot canadalike two to one, like they
didn't score a goal other thanon the power play.
They had four power plays orsomething.

(01:14:49):
They scored all four goals onthe power play and like we
walked through that tournamentand all of a sudden we're
championship.
We're like expecting to win,didn't win, um, and just seeing
them like put that medal aroundtheir chest and like with the
guys we've been with for twoyears, they've been together for
two weeks just for thattournament.
I was with the same group ofguys for two years.
Just like with the guys we'vebeen with for two years, they've
been together for two weeksjust for that tournament.
I was with the same group ofguys for two years, just like
that's the end tournament, likethat was our end goal, like

(01:15:11):
coming on U-17 here to try andwin that and obviously Canada
takes it from us and they didn'teven have some of the guys that
people said should be on thatteam.
But so since then, like yeah, Ijust want to every time I get.
I want to play Canada and Iwant to just beat them.
I don't even care how, but yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:15:30):
Love it, I love it, um, and that's why it's so great
that the four nations is comingback to like all that stuff,
the international.

Speaker 1 (01:15:36):
And even like, like the draft, like our team who had
a bunch of good players, I feellike there was like I don't
know.
It felt like 20 or 30.
All of them were Canadiangetting drafted in the first
round.
Our team had like two.
I'm like what's going on here?
Like, screw these Canadians.
Tell me there's 20 better guyshere.

Speaker 2 (01:15:56):
but whatever, oh I love it.
I love it so well.
We're almost running out oftime, but I want to talk a
little bit about your experiencenow playing with your brother,
minnesota Duluth.
Your dad went there.
I mean, obviously it's a familything, I guess.
Was there ever any questionthat you weren't going to go
there?

Speaker 1 (01:16:13):
No, I always wanted to be a Bulldog.
Growing up, the Bulldogs werealways the best team in the
nation too.
2011, they started it.
They won a nationalchampionship and was like my

(01:16:34):
earliest memories of like lifein general yeah, um, they won it
and then they won again.
They lost that second and 17and 18, 19, they won it again.
That was like right in my likehermit town, like looking up to
all these guys.
Um, got to be there for one inbuffalo.
Um, so I like for me, like,like my heart, I'm a Bulldog.
Like couldn't see myselfplaying you bleed Bulldog.
Yeah, so always a dream.
Like trying to get guys from myNTDB team to come to UMD.
No one would budge, no onewanted to come.

(01:16:54):
But yeah, it's so cool because,like growing up like I'd come
to the rink as like my dad's kidand like looking at these guys
like this, like, oh, scottPrunovich, justin Falk, like
these guys are so cool.
And now I'm putting on theBulldog sweater, going out for
warm-ups, doing the same thingthey did, like living in the

(01:17:16):
same apartment I'm sure thoseguys did when they were freshmen
.
It's been unreal so far.
And I get to be roommates withmy brother too.
So even more special, even thefact that I can't stand them
pretty much 23 or 24 hours outof the day, but just like, not
many people get that opportunity.
So, yeah, it's been superspecial.

(01:17:40):
And now we're starting to findit too Like we've won since I've
been been back.
We've won three out of the er.
We've won four out of six gamessince I've been back against
three ranked teams.
Um, so, starting to win gamesnow, which is so much more fun,
so much better, yeah, love it.

Speaker 2 (01:18:00):
Congrats on a great start.
Looks like you're.
I mean from a productionstandpoint.
The stat sheet looks greatright now for you yeah, yeah,
it's been, it's been awesome.

Speaker 1 (01:18:06):
I've been really fortunate.
But, um, yeah, we're excited tokeep things going, keep better
every day.
So, are you healthy now?
Yeah, I'm back, I still.
I still tape up my wrist andstuff, but I'm healthy, I'm
feeling good and, um, kind oftake for granted, like injuries
suck like one day.

(01:18:27):
You're like just taking everyday for granted.
Like I show up to the rink, dothe same thing I don't really
need to, like maybe work on thatarea, like today, but then you
get hurt and it's like all I cando is this thing to get better,
and like I want to be able todo so much more.
Um, and you show up to the rinklike you're not with the team
when they travel.
You're not like with the teamwhen they're on the ice battling

(01:18:49):
against each other.
You're not with the team whenthey're losing games, not with
team of their winning games.
Like you're there but you'renot doing anything like to make
anyone else better, like so,like that was hard for me, just
like watching the stands, likelosing games and just like the
fire burning inside, like oneknowing I want to do something,
I want to say something, but I Ididn't ever even play a game I
don't know like I want toproduce out there.

(01:19:12):
Um, so then when I got back,like that was probably the
biggest fire inside me to like,like, just work as hard as I can
and try and help this team inany way I can.
Um, but I guess that's kind ofjust natural for me and the way
I was raised with like my momand dad being like um, all in on
whatever they did in their lifebut, um, yeah, I just say, like

(01:19:34):
winning's unreal, like youcan't, you can't beat winning
and life's so much better withwinning, so yeah yeah, I mean
good lesson with the injuries.

Speaker 2 (01:19:42):
I mean I can totally relate as a player.
You mean you, you get themonotony of the day-to-day and
you can take health for grantedfor sure.
Right, you can have athree-and-three or whatever.
I remember as a pro and youknow whatever, got to bed late
and rolled into the town lateand maybe didn't give your best
effort and then all of a suddenyou're fighting through

(01:20:04):
something.
Oh, my gosh yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:20:06):
It sucks.

Speaker 2 (01:20:07):
Definitely something to reflect on.
I think that's something whenyou've been through it.
I think you can be moregrateful and be more present
when you are healthy and makesure that we're giving her
everything we had.
How hard is that league, as atrue freshman, that you're
playing in?

Speaker 1 (01:20:19):
right now.
Yeah, like obviously strongerand better.
Yeah, like obviously strongerand better.
And like, for me, like it's not, like the skill in the USHL is
like good, like I honestly thinklike just as good as any major
junior league in Canada, and soobviously college hockey is even
a bigger like league than justthe USHL.
So there's guys from like theBC, there's guys from USHL, but

(01:20:41):
they're all older, stronger,like you got a 26-year-old on my
team Like that guy's, likethat's going to be me in what
eight years?
Like what am I going to be doingin eight years?
This guy's playing collegestill, right, and I just think
it's like you can't learn thatstuff, other than maybe pro
hockey, as opposed to like that,and obviously like the skills

(01:21:03):
like there, like that, andobviously like the skills like
they're like I, I feel like Ican, I'm just as skilled as
anyone in the league.
But like there's a guy that'lljust run me over, like I get hit
a lot, like I ran over um, butum, yeah, it's.
It's a great league like nchc'sknown for winning, like I think
, out of the since nchC was made, like they've won like seven

(01:21:25):
times or something like that.
But right, um, college hockeyis awesome, like, just like the
fact that you get to go toschool with kids and then, all
of a sudden, they're fans ofyour games.
Like I hate school.
I wish I didn't have to go toschool, but I guess it's part of
it.

Speaker 2 (01:21:38):
Um but, um, yeah you're an honest guy, I like it
well, yeah.
So what about speaking ofhonesty?
So what if?
What if the red wings said hey,we think you're, we think
you're ready.
We want you to come to campnext year and sign a contract,
are you?

Speaker 1 (01:21:53):
they see you're, you're gone I mean I don't know,
like if I guess I'd have to seewhat situation I'm in, like, um
is that?

Speaker 2 (01:22:02):
the step before I'm going to cut you off on your in?
Is that the step Before I'mgoing to cut you off on your
answer?
Is that the step as far as youguys that were drafted that now
go to college?
You get your four years unlessyou choose not to.
Yeah, unless you want to signAHL NHL.

Speaker 1 (01:22:19):
Yeah, I guess I'd have to see where I'm at in the
time, if I feel ready and I feellike I'm at that the time, like
if.
If I feel like ready and I feellike I'm at that level, like
for sure.
But if I feel like I want to goplay another year and UMD and
um win some more games, likehopefully it would be like the
top dog for another year, likethat could totally be an option.

Speaker 2 (01:22:37):
But um yeah, I don't know.
I guess if you're, I mean foryou it's a development.
The NCAA is a developmentleague in your mind for the NHL
right.
So to sign to go to the AHLprobably wouldn't be something
you'd want to do.
If you're ready to go to theNHL, not next year- Maybe the
year after, but I don't know.

Speaker 1 (01:22:58):
It's still so far.
I'd have to talk to peopleabout it.
Talk to management to see wherethey're I'm at, they think I'm
at, like who I'm playing with,like it's a great answer so much
goes into it it's a greatanswer.

Speaker 2 (01:23:10):
Um play where your skates are, like we said earlier
, right.
Keep, keep helping your teamwin right now and the rest is
going to take care of itselfyeah for sure.
Well, you know what I'm going tocut.
I'm going to cut this off.
I think we could probably talkfor another hour.
You're you're a blast to chatwith, man.
It's been totally fun to get toknow you.
Um, all the best from thewestern canada here, from a
canadian with with the goldmedal right over there, um, so

(01:23:33):
at least we got something incommon when it comes to that, uh
, but I wish you nothing but thebest.
I think what usa hockey isdoing is great.
I think hockey canada should befollowing the lead with you
guys a little bit.
Um, you got some good stuffgoing on there and the proof is
in the talent that you guys areproducing, and you're part of
that buddy.
So great job.

Speaker 1 (01:23:48):
One thing I will say, though like Canada's special,
like going to the World Juniors,and like how much everyone,
everyone in the whole city, knewwhat was going on.
Like we went to mass onChristmas Eve and the priest
came by and walked by and waslike, yeah, like good luck he
goes.
I'm praying for you guys,Praying for you guys to come

(01:24:10):
home with silver.
I'm like what this guy and hedidn't say anything to anyone
his whole walk, all the way upto the front he just came to us
and was like I'm praying for youguys to come home with silver.
Oh, that priest is legendary.
I love it.
That's why I think canada is socool.
Like if we could get that inlike all 50 states of america,

(01:24:31):
like that'd be like a dream,just like kind of like football,
like is there like basketball?

Speaker 2 (01:24:36):
but yeah, it's like that in in minnesota, isn't it,
though?
Like for the most?

Speaker 1 (01:24:40):
part, yeah, yeah, but like I thought it was so cool,
like just hockey, like everyoneknows what's going on.
Everyone knows what's going on.
You're right For the most part.
Yeah, I thought it was so cool,just hockey.

Speaker 2 (01:24:48):
You're right, it's in our bloodfor sure.
We're trying to keep up.
You guys put us in our placehere a couple years in a row.
There's a lot of talk up hereabout what's wrong.

Speaker 1 (01:24:59):
What are we doing wrong?
That's another thing.
So much pressure on those kidsJust getting ripped Like I kind
of I during the tournament,although I'd opened my phone, it
was just guys getting ripped onCanada.

Speaker 2 (01:25:09):
It's tough right?
19 year old Crazy man Crazy.
Anyways, while you do you, youkeep doing you.
I love following the plantfamily.
Um, say hi to your brothers forsure.

Speaker 1 (01:25:22):
Yeah, thank you very much, Cheers.

Speaker 2 (01:25:31):
Yeah, thank you so much for being here today for
episode 150 with Max Plant.
That was a blast.
I legitimately laughed out loudI'm not even sure how many
times.
So if you were anything like me, you must have had a few
chuckles yourself.
Max was a riot Just raw,authentic, enthusiastic,

(01:25:54):
outgoing, like such a coolconversation with an 18-year-old
who wants to be an NHL player.
Oftentimes conversations withplayers of that age do not go
that way.
I've worked with many playersthat are in that age bracket and
sometimes the willingness tocommunicate isn't quite there.

(01:26:17):
But boy Max did not share thatquality.
It was super fun.
I loved him poking fun at hisbrother and the line down
between between the two beds andhis uh.
He sure wasn't shy aboutsharing his feelings about
canada, and you know, I knowwhere that comes from.
So no offense taken.
I hope none of you have anyoffense taken as my canadian

(01:26:38):
listeners.
That's just a good american kidwho has found some fire in his
belly, uh, and wants to beat upon Team Canada as he should.
So I know we felt the same wayabout the Americans when we
played them.
So it keeps the rivalry strongand it keeps the passion there,
and I know there's going to belots of good battles for him in
the future between the red andwhite and the blue, white and

(01:27:01):
red.
So, yeah, lots of fun and lotsof great stories there.
What he's been through, whathe's going through his journey
and his development path are allthings that I know that you out
there can use and can abide by.
You know, I love the idea ofhim taking so much pride in
being a part of the program, ashe called it.

(01:27:22):
You know, and how hard theymake it.
You know, and that's not foreverybody, it really isn't.
That isn't for everybody.
But if you can wire yourselfthat way and if you can find the
mental toughness and thefortitude to be able to push
through and then take pride inthe fact that you can push
through and you will pushthrough and this just becomes a
way that you operate, you dobuild this idea of

(01:27:46):
bulletproofness and beinginvincible and there's massive
amounts of power in that andthat's internal power.
Right, that's where thefortitude comes from and the
resiliency that you feel thatyou can handle anything because
you've been handling everythingsince the time that you can
remember.
And, yeah, you can see that inhis eyes.
There's a belief there thathe's on the right path and I do

(01:28:09):
believe that he will accomplishsome great things.
It's awesome to see we didn'thave a chance to talk much about
the Hutsons or the Hughesesreally at all, and I guess
neither nor should we have, butit's just crazy to me that these
three brother combinations keepseeming to show up, and the
plants are next on the horizon.
Zam has a bright future.

(01:28:29):
Obviously, max is doing greatthings, and how he was so proud
of his little brother was really, really cool, and it sounds
like Victor's on his way tofollowing in his brother's
footsteps.
So lots of fun there.
Derek, if you're listening, yougot one awesome kid.
I'm sure the other two are justas great.

(01:28:49):
It was a lot of fun to talkwith him and I'm sure you're
proud of all your boys and youmust be doing a great job there.
So awesome job, planter.
Thanks for connecting me andanyways, for everyone out there,
thanks again for listening,thanks for being a part of the
family here at Up my Hockey anduntil next time, play hard and

(01:29:10):
keep your head up.

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EP.150 - From Family Roots to International Ice: Max Plante's Hockey Journey

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}EP.150 - From Family Roots to International Ice: Max Plante's Hockey Journey