NHL

JUST IN: Buffalo Lands Blockbuster Defenceman, Detroit nabs Plante in NHL Draft

Nero Scofield

Incoming Minnesota Duluth defenseman Adam Kleber joins elite group of Bulldogs defensemen drafted in the second round, while forward Max Plante becomes the sixth Hermantown native drafted since 2017.

 

DULUTH — Adam Kleber, a new freshman defenseman at the University of Minnesota Duluth, did not have his name announced during the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft at the Sphere in Las Vegas. However, the native of Chaska, Minnesota, was drafted in the second round as the 42nd overall pick by the Buffalo Sabres on Day 2 of the NHL Draft in Vegas, joining a distinguished list of Bulldogs defensemen.

The 6-foot-5, 214-pound, right-handed Kleber had spent the last two seasons in the United States Hockey League playing for the Lincoln Stars. The 18-year-old showed significant progress as a two-way defenseman in the recent season, tallying six goals and 22 assists in 61 games, a notable improvement from his eight assists in 64 games during the 2022-23 season.

Speaking to reporters at the Sphere after being selected, Kleber expressed his enthusiasm about the prospect of playing for the Sabres in the future, alongside accomplished defensemen such as Owen Power, Rasmus Dahlin, and Bowen Byram.

Kleber also conveyed his excitement about playing for UMD’s demanding coach, Scott Sandelin, in the 2024-25 season, particularly within the competitive NCHC. “I think coach Sandelin, he’s a very good coach, especially at Duluth,” Kleber remarked. “They produce a lot of defensemen. They’re very adept at nurturing these players. I believe coach Sandelin instills a strong defensive structure and ensures players don’t neglect their defensive responsibilities. I think honing that aspect and ensuring I excel in that area will aid my journey to the NHL and hopefully secure a role in shutting down top opponents.”

Kleber became the ninth Bulldog to be selected in the second round, and his future teammate Max Plante from Hermantown followed as the 10th Bulldog chosen in the second round, being picked at No. 47 overall by the Detroit Red Wings.

Kleber joins a distinguished group of defensemen from UMD who later achieved NCAA championships, including Justin Faulk (2010, Carolina), Dylan Samberg (2017, Winnipeg), and Hobey Baker Memorial Award recipient Scott Perunovich (2018, St. Louis). Faulk was part of the Bulldogs’ inaugural national championship win in 2011, while Samberg and Perunovich contributed to UMD’s consecutive titles in 2018 and 2019.

Additional second-round picks from UMD comprise Michael Gergen (2005, Pittsburgh), Mason Raymond (2005, Vancouver), Rusty Fitzgerald (1991, Pittsburgh), Dennis Vaske (1986, N.Y. Islanders), and Murray Keogan (1970, St. Louis).

Five Bulldogs have been selected in the first round, including Isaac Howard (2022, Tampa Bay), Riley Tufte (2016, Dallas), Dylan Olsen (2009, Chicago Blackhawks), Matt Niskanen (2005, Dallas), and Larry Wright (1971, Philadelphia Flyers). Wright holds the distinction of being the highest Bulldog ever drafted, being chosen at No. 8 overall by the Flyers in 1971.

Kleber is among 11 freshmen, and one of 12 newcomers, who Scott Sandelin is bringing to campus in the fall for the 2024-25 season as the Bulldogs work to revamp the roster following two consecutive seasons of missing the NCAA tournament.

In NHL Central Scouting’s rankings, Kleber was positioned at No. 34 among North American skaters, and most experts projected him to be a late first-round or early second-round prospect.

Red Wings snag Max Plante

Max Plante, the sixth native of Hermantown to be chosen in the NHL Draft since Samberg in 2017, was selected in the second round by the Detroit Red Wings, five picks after Kleber.

At 18 years old, Max Plante was selected at No. 47, which is 103 places higher than where his older brother, Zam, was picked by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fifth round at No. 150 overall in 2022, and 114 picks higher than his father, Derek, who was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the eighth round at No. 161 overall in 1989.

Max Plante, a 5-foot-11, 176-pound, left-handed forward, is set to start his freshman year at UMD alongside his brother, Zam, with whom he will share a room. While Zam was playing in the USHL, Max spent the previous two seasons as part of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Michigan.

Speaking to reporters in Las Vegas after being drafted by the Red Wings, Max expressed his enthusiasm about reuniting with Zam on the ice, emphasizing their strong desire to play together again after a two-year hiatus, highlighting their chemistry in playing give-and-go hockey. This upcoming opportunity to play side by side at Duluth is particularly meaningful to them.

During his sophomore year at Hermantown High School in 2021-22, Max played alongside his brother and contributed significantly by scoring 18 goals and 54 assists on the way to a Minnesota Class A state championship. Throughout his tenure with the NTDP over the past two seasons, he amassed a total of 26 goals and 81 assists in 105 games, including an impressive record of 15 goals and 46 assists during the 2023-24 season with the Under-18 squad.

Max Plante reflected on his time at the NTDP, noting that he has significantly improved in terms of strength and speed since his arrival. “Upon joining the program, I was relatively short and slender,” he remarked. “Over the past two years, I’ve dedicated myself to making progress. Although I acknowledge that there is still plenty of room for improvement and strength gains in my game, I am proud of the strides I’ve made in terms of speed and playing with a higher tempo.”

The youngest sibling in the Plante family, Victor, is scheduled to join the NTDP beginning in the 2024-25 season and will become eligible for the NHL draft in the summer of 2026. Victor will have the option to commit to a college as of August 1, 2024.

The entire Plante family was present in Vegas for the draft, mirroring their attendance in 2022 when Zam was drafted in Montreal. Derek Plante, a former UMD captain and assistant coach, currently serves as an assistant coach for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Max Plante expressed his appreciation for the special experience of having most of his family present at the event. “It’s truly remarkable. Nearly my entire family is here,” he commented. “It was an exceptional moment to have my mother’s side, including my cousins and grandparents, join me in Vegas to celebrate this occasion, especially considering my mother, Kristi (Duncan) Plante, excelled in basketball and softball at UMD.”

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