COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The first KJ Branding National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week for the 2025-26 season all led their team to season-opening sweeps. Earning NCHC weekly honors for the weekend of Oct. 3-5, 2025 are a trio of Minnesota Duluth sophomores and a Miami RedHawks rookie:

• Forward – Max Plante, Minnesota Duluth, So.
• Defenseman – Ty Hanson, Minnesota Duluth, So.
• Goaltender – Adam Gajan, Minnesota Duluth, So.
• Rookie – Justin Stupka, Miami, F

This is Plante’s first Forward of the Week nod, but third career NCHC weekly award, earning Rookie of the Week twice a season ago. Hanson was a Rookie of the Week once last year, but this is his first NCHC Defenseman of the Week Award. Gajan gloved Goaltender of the Week for the second time in his career, while this is his third career NCHC weekly honor. Stupka garnered his first NCHC award in his first week as a collegiate player.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Max Plante, Minnesota Duluth
Sophomore Forward
Hermantown, Minn.
 
Plante picked up where he left off last season, totaling four points in the Bulldogs season-opening sweep at Alaska. In the first game of the year on Friday, the Detroit Red Wings draft pick tallied a career-high-tying three points in a 5-1 win. Plante had the primary assist on his brother, Zam’s, goal, which was the game-winner. He then scored his own goal to make it 3-0, while sealing the victory with an empty-netter for his first multi-goal game as a Bulldog. The next night, Plante dished out the lone assist on the game’s first goal only 18 seconds into the contest, which UMD won, 4-1.
 
Plante finished the series with two goals and two primary assists, with the four points tying for the NCHC lead on the weekend. He also posted a +4 plus/minus, while putting six shots on goal. Last season, Plante was named to the NCHC All-Rookie Team, while he earned Preseason All-NCHC honors this year. He’s now riding a four-game point streak dating back to last season.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Ty Hanson, Minnesota Duluth
Sophomore Defenseman
Hermantown, Minn.
 
Hanson was a force at both ends of the ice to help the Bulldogs sweep Alaska to open the season. He compiled two points offensively, while UMD limited the Nanooks to only two goals all weekend. Hanson handed out an assist on the Bulldogs’ third goal in Friday’s season opener, then scored a goal of his own to make it 4-0 in an eventual 5-1 win.
 
Defensively, Hanson anchored a UMD penalty kill unit that was a perfect 9-for-9 on the weekend in Alaska. He also posted a +5 plus/minus, which tied for the NCHC lead on the weekend with his own teammate (Adam Kleber). Hanson blocked a shot on Friday, as well, while firing three shots on goal in the series. He also did not commit a penalty all weekend.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Adam Gajan, Minnesota Duluth
Sophomore Goaltender
Poprad, Slovakia
 
Gajan started his sophomore campaign strong, backstopping the Bulldogs to a pair of wins in Fairbanks while allowing only one goal each night. The Chicago Blackhawks draft pick totaled 15 saves in Friday’s season-opening, 5-1 win, before racking up 24 saves in Saturday’s series finale – a 4-1 victory over Alaska.
 
Gajan compiled a .951 save percentage and a 1.00 goals-against average in the two games against the Nanooks, both of which led the NCHC on the weekend. He totaled 39 saves in the series, including 12 short-handed to help UMD go 9-for-9 on the penalty kill. Gajan was one of only two NCHC goalies to win both games on opening weekend.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Justin Stupka, Miami
Freshman Forward
New Cumberland, Pa.
 
Stupka started his college career with a bang, scoring a goal both nights in Miami’s season-opening sweep of Ferris State. In his first college game Friday, he tallied his first career goal, which broke a 3-3 tie in the third period and put the RedHawks ahead for good in a 6-4 win. The next night, Stupka sparked Miami early, scoring only 16 seconds into Saturday’s contest. It was Miami’s fastest goal to start a game since Nov. 30, 2013. He was named Second Star of the Game in Saturday’s 3-1 win.
 
Stupka tied for the NCHC lead with two goals on the weekend and was the only freshman to score a pair of goals. He potted his two tallies on three shots on goal for a .667 shooting percentage, while finishing the series with a +1 plus/minus, including +2 on Saturday.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Matteo Giampa, Miami
Barrett Hall, St. Cloud State

Defenseman of the Week
Philippe Blais-Savoie, Colorado College
Michael Quinn, Miami
Mason Reiners, St. Cloud State
 
Goaltender of the Week
Matteo Drobac, Miami
 
Rookie of the Week
Brayden Schuurman, Colorado College
Ryan Zaremba, Minnesota Duluth