Coming in as The Oil Rig’s #7 prospect is defenceman Max Wanner, a 21-year-old right shot defenceman going into his sophomore AHL season. A sixth-round pick selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Wanner has already exceeded the expectations of his draft slot. As a draft eligible prospect, Wanner might have been known only for his handedness and size, but he has continued to grow his game. At this point, there are a lot of things to like about Wanner as a prospect.
Strengths and weaknesses
As mentioned, being a 6’3” right-handed defenceman is often seen as a positive. Wanner quickly established himself as a formidable defensive defenceman in the WHL after being drafted, using his size and strength in archetypal fashion. Big bluelines are en vogue across the NHL, and the sheer wingspan and accompanying long reach is clearly an asset.
On top of this, Wanner is a great skater. Through the seasons this has improved, as Wanner is willing and able to activate offensively. While this does give him range in defending through transition, Wanner is also bold and capable of pulling off aggressive plays with an unexpected grace and agility.
The raw tools are impressive, but Wanner has shown great hockey sense, earning a bigger role each season, and becoming a more multidimensional player. Wanner has even impressed in an Oilers jersey, a standout in past rookie camps, including a dominant performance paired with Philip Broberg in 2022–23. While Wanner’s defensive game is mature beyond his years, he clearly has a mind for the game to pair with his outstanding physical qualities.
At the risk of being too positive, Wanner has some offensive capabilities, even beyond the hard shot one would expect from his size. Wanner is increasingly confident in his puck skills, deking out defenders, walking the blueline to open lanes, cutting to the middle of the ice, and even using his backhand for shots and passes. Wanner is not Evan Bouchard with the puck, but he is not Vincent Desharnais either.
Wanner’s production
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts |
| 2020-21 | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | 17 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 2021-22 | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | 55 | 6 | 17 | 23 |
| 2022-23 | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | 44 | 8 | 22 | 30 |
| 2023-24 | Bakersfield Condors | AHL | 68 | 7 | 10 | 17 |
As we can see Wanner continued to grow his role and effectiveness through his WHL career. Some might not be impressed with his production in junior, his AHL rookie season showed that his offensive game translates to the pros to some extent. Wanner’s defensive game might be a safer projection as an NHLer, but an offensive step forward in 2024–25 would be significant.
Wanner’s seven goals are already noteworthy, but increasing his assist numbers will be a key marker. Reaching 25 assists next season would be a big deal, but most importantly is that Wanner is able to make effective passes to help his team out of his zone. At this point, Wanner’s production suggests that his offensive abilities are strongest during in-zone attacking, making space for himself to get shots off from the blueline.
Next steps
A big step for Wanner’s potential upside is to keep improving his passing game. As a defensive defenceman, Wanner being able to help his team exit the zone and transition on up ice is a skill that will vastly improve his overall effectiveness. That ability to move his team up the ice will, in turn, help him utilise his in-zone offensive tools.
Wanner reaching his defensive upside is more certain. His strength, skating, and balance should continue to improve, requisite for the professional ranks. Experience will be crucial as well, as he becomes a more reliable player with a bigger role against top competition. Grizzle, savvy, and poise are the major areas that will propel Wanner into the NHL.
2024–25 projection
We should look to see Wanner take on a bigger role in the AHL in 2024–25, playing a large role on the penalty kill as well. Combined with any sort of offensive progression, Wanner could become the Oilers foremost defence prospect by the end of the season. Given the Oilers offseason gameplay of adding a number of capable and experienced call up options, especially on the right side with Troy Stecher, Josh Brown, and Connor Carrick.
This will give Wanner a lot of competition for icetime, and given the Oilers Stanley Cup aspirations, calling up a veteran option is far more likely. Even if Wanner is able to earn top four AHL minutes, even outplaying some of his veteran counterparts, there is little reason to think the Oilers would rush Wanner into the NHL.
5 Comments