Penguins prospect Zam Plante's competitiveness is rooted in family

It’s a fair debate. And it has plenty of valid candidates with strong arguments.

Who is the best athlete in the Plante family?

The most prominent name in the discussion is Derek. He spent eight years in the NHL as a forward who was an occasional 20-goal threat and even won the Stanley Cup in 1999.

His sons — Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Zam, Detroit Red Wings prospect Max, and United States National Team Development Program member Victor — all have impressive resumes so far in their young lives.

But the most compelling case might be the matriarch of the household.

Kristi Plante was a two-sport athlete in basketball and hockey at the University of Minnesota-Duluth — where she met Derek, then a star for the Bulldogs hockey team.

And when Derek’s playing career took him to Germany, she suited up and played in a women’s league in that country as well.

If a tiebreaker exists, having to raise three boys would certainly give Kristi an edge.

“You could almost argue she was the best athlete,” Zam Plante said. “My dad, he was an NHLer but played baseball in college as well. Both athletes. Competitive-wise, I’d like to say myself between my brothers. But they’ll probably say themselves too.

“Probably my mom if I have to say anything. She was a three-sport athlete. Got to go with her.”

A prudent answer from a player who is coming off a prolific final season at the junior level.

Zam Plante, a fifth-round draft pick (No. 150 overall) in 2022, helped the United States Hockey League’s (USHL) Fargo Force win the Clark Cup this past spring. In 57 regular season games, the 19-year-old left-handed center posted 71 points (26 goals, 45 assists), seventh-most in the league.

Zam Plante with a diving goal and the Force take an early 1-0 lead!???? pic.twitter.com/waUaW4zIuV

— Fargo Force (@FargoForce) December 3, 2023

“Obviously, a very talented offensive player,” Force coach Brett Skinner said by phone. “He proved that with the amount of points he put up. But I thought his overall game really improved as well. By the end of the year, he was playing in all situations for us. Just a fun kid to be around. Always the first one on the ice, always has a smile on his face, loves the game. Really passionate.”

That affection for the sport has led him to a logical choice for school.

Minnesota-Duluth.

A native of Hermantown, he lives approximately 15 minutes away from his parents’ alma mater.

“I grew up watching them (the Bulldogs),” said Plante, who participated in the Penguins’ prospect development camp in Cranberry earlier this month. “My dad coached there. My mom played basketball and softball there. My dad was an All-American there, a captain for two years. It’s a dream come true for to be a Bulldog. It will be a lot of fun. I’ve got my brother (Max) coming in with me. I don’t know if I had another choice — I did — but I never really wanted to go anywhere else.”

The entire Plante family went to Las Vegas late last month to watch Max get selected by the Red Wings in the second round (No. 47 overall) of the NHL Draft.

Even in that setting, a natural sibling rivalry unfolded among all three brothers.

“On the way to Vegas, we had a tennis ball at the airport and we were playing some game where we were throwing it around and stuff,” said Zam Plante (5-foot-9, 170 pounds). “Everything is competitive.

“It’s fun because you always have people to compete with. … It’s awesome. I can’t explain it any other way.”

That competitive nature is clearly rooted in the background of both parents.

In Derek Plante’s case, he suited up for the Buffalo Sabres, Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers before bouncing around leagues in Europe and even Asia.

Derek Plante gives the @BuffaloSabres a 2-1 lead. Nice play by @maydayhockey. @Plante26 #LetsGoBuffalo #Sabres https://t.co/96tH6cxbd2 pic.twitter.com/JQ5FPv4jpc

— SabresClassics (@SabresClassics) July 19, 2024

Retiring as a player in 2008, he embarked on a second career as a coach in 2009 and has bounced between Minnesota-Duluth as an assistant or associate coach and with the Blackhawks as a development or assistant coach. Currently, he is an assistant on Chicago’s staff.

Any fatherly advice he might offer is buttressed by the experience of competing in the NHL.

“We’re always talking about hockey,” Zam Plante said. “You can’t have hockey on without talking certain ways to do it. We have sticks all over the house. We’re always talking something about hockey and how to get better which is really cool. He runs our skates in the summer. The guys in the area like it. It’s a lot of fun to have him around. It really pushes me to get better every day.”

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