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22 EYES LIKE A HAWK Plante skates on a line with his sophomore brother, Plante skates on a line with his sophomore brother, Max. Younger brother, Victor, is an eighth-grader Max. Younger brother, Victor, is an eighth-grader playing for the Hermantown Bantams. Their dad, playing for the Hermantown Bantams. Their dad, Derek Plante, is a former NHL player and an asso- Derek Plante, is a former NHL player and an asso- ciate head coach for the University of Minnesota ciate head coach for the University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey team, where Zam is committed Duluth men's hockey team, where Zam is committed to play collegiately. to play collegiately. Andrews pointed to three things that makes Zam Andrews pointed to three things that makes Zam a standout player: The "unbelievable compete" in a standout player: The "unbelievable compete" in everything he does, his everything he does, his skillset on the ice and skillset on the ice and his hockey mind. his hockey mind. "In many ways, it's like "In many ways, it's like having another coach having another coach on the bench," Andrews on the bench," Andrews said. "He's seeing things said. "He's seeing things in real time where most players come back to the bench in real time where most players come back to the bench and they're not looking for feedback, because average and they're not looking for feedback, because average players don't want to be told what they need to work on. players don't want to be told what they need to work on. Zam comes back with ideas and is having a conversation." Zam comes back with ideas and is having a conversation." CULTURE KEEPERS Plante's skills led him to a junior hockey trial run, scoring Plante's skills led him to a junior hockey trial run, scoring four goals and seven points in 17 games with the USHL's four goals and seven points in 17 games with the USHL's Chicago Steel this fall before returning to Hermantown Chicago Steel this fall before returning to Hermantown for the high school season. He'll be back in Chicago for for the high school season. He'll be back in Chicago for the rest of the spring. Though it can be tempting for the rest of the spring. Though it can be tempting for some players to leave high school hockey behind for some players to leave high school hockey behind for junior hockey, Hermantown players often stick around, junior hockey, Hermantown players often stick around, like Samberg, Blake Biondi and Cole Koepke. like Samberg, Blake Biondi and Cole Koepke. "I think it's just the hockey culture in Hermantown "I think it's just the hockey culture in Hermantown is about being the best you can be," Plante said. is about being the best you can be," Plante said. "Everybody's trying to get better, and it's a winning pro- "Everybody's trying to get better, and it's a winning pro- gram. We've had a lot of success. We like playing with our gram. We've had a lot of success. We like playing with our teammates and trying to push for a state championship teammates and trying to push for a state championship every year." every year." TOURNEY TRADITION Hermantown has a tradition of making the trek to Xcel Hermantown has a tradition of making the trek to Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul for the state tournament, with Energy Center in St. Paul for the state tournament, with 17 appearances since 1994, including nine consecutive 17 appearances since 1994, including nine consecutive Plante hopes to follow in the footsteps of two- time state champion and two-time NCAA national champion Dylan Samberg, who made his NHL debut this season. Photo / Loren Nelson/LegacyHockeyPhotography.com, Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images, Pat Andrews M H J ON L I N E . C O M | M A R C H 2 0 2 2 22 F POSITION: Hermantown HEIGHT: COLLEGE: University of Minnesota Duluth 5' 9" HOMETOWN: FUN FACTS: Zam spent countless hours playing with his buddies on the outdoor rinks after school. ZAM PLANTE S H O O T S : L e f t Dylan Samberg, he was my best friend back then. To us he was our best friend, because we were 5 and he was a senior and let us come sit by him in between periods." —ZAM PLANTE Zam tallied a goal and an assist in a 4-1 victory against Hill-Murray earlier this season.