The NHL draft is always something of a dart throw, but Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has been able to find talent all over the draft. Especially, it seems, with second round picks.
The Detroit Red Wings' top college prospects have been showing out this year, with Trey Augustine (second round, 41st overall, 2023) and Max Plante (second round, 47th overall, 2024) each named as Hobey Baker Award Finalists.
Plante has also won the NCHC Player of the Year Award in his sophomore season while being named the Collegiate Hockey Conference's top forward. He is the third straight sophomore to win the award, while posting career numbers in his age 19 season. Playing on a top line with his older brother, Zam Plante, on the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, Plante has 23 goals and 25 assists for 38 points in 37 games so far this year.
Augustine, meanwhile, has been backstopping the Michigan State Spartans with a 2.09 GAA and .929 sv% across 32 games. Augustine carried a record of 23-8-1 across all of his starts, though the Spartans were bounced in the Big Ten Championship Playoffs by the Ohio State Buckeyes. However, Augustine will still have a pair of Big Ten Goalie of the Year Awards in the trophy case at home, winning the award for the second consecutive season.
Augustine, in his junior season is also still up for the Mike Richter Award, given to college hockey's best netminder of the season and announced at the NCAA Championship game.
With both Augustine and Plante named as finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, the Red Wings have two of the top players in college hockey in their system, waiting in the wings to play for Detroit.
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