Max Jones was the second roster piece the Edmonton Oilers acquired. Along with Trent Frederic, he will serve as a depth forward for the Oilers. Jones has played the entire season in the AHL with the Providence Bruins. He has had a solid season, scoring thirteen goals and 21 points in 38 games. Jones has never found his footing in the NHL, maybe a change in scenery will bring out the best of him.
Max Jones playing career
The hockey career of Max Jones began with the US National U17 and U18 teams. Things did not work out well for him there, hence the move to the OHL for the 2015–16 season. His first season with the London Knights was a special one, as they won the OHL championship. This was an exceptional team that had the dominant line of Mitch Marner, Christian Dvorak, and Matthew Tkachuk. In the Memorial Cup Final, Max Jones had an assist on the game-tying goal from Christian Dvorak. They became Memorial Cup Champions thanks to Tkachuk’s game-winning goal in overtime. Max Jones ended up playing four seasons in the OHL with the Knights. The Kingston Frontenacs acquired him for a playoff run in 2018, which ended in nine games.
Jones, a highly anticipated prospect, was drafted in the first round. He went 24th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft to the Anaheim Ducks. He went just five picks ahead of teammate Trent Frederic. Things never worked out well for Jones in Anaheim. He was in the bottom-six the majority of the time and did not develop as well as many expected. Jones went on to spend parts of six seasons with the Ducks before signing with the Boston Bruins in the summer of 2024.
His tenure in Boston did not last long as he only played 45 games with the Boston Bruins organization before the trade to Edmonton. Now he has a new chance to prove he belongs in the NHL.
Max Jones international play
The 27-year-old has been able to represent his country a couple of times. He was a part of Team USA in the U17 World Hockey Challenge in the 2014–15 season. Jones was one of the top scorers in the tournament where he put up eleven points in six games. He led the tournament in goals and only trailed teammate Clayton Keller for points.
The other time he represented the United States was at the 2018 World Junior Championship. Max Jones and Frederic were teammates on this team. Jones put up two points in seven games as Team USA captured bronze.
Max Jones career statistics
Max Jones has always been a bottom-six forward in the NHL. He is effective in that role as he can use his tough play to win puck battles and set the tone. His statistics are shown below.
| Season | Age | Team | Pos | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | ATOI | BLK | HIT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 20 | ANA | LW | 30 | 2 | 3 | 5 | -1 | 14 | 13:10 | 5 | 30 |
| 2019-20 | 21 | ANA | LW | 59 | 8 | 4 | 12 | -6 | 36 | 14:16 | 18 | 82 |
| 2020-21 | 22 | ANA | LW | 46 | 7 | 4 | 11 | -9 | 36 | 14:10 | 11 | 100 |
| 2021-22 | 23 | ANA | LW | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 15 | 9:54 | 0 | 2 |
| 2022-23 | 24 | ANA | LW | 69 | 9 | 10 | 19 | -21 | 77 | 12:43 | 18 | 110 |
| 2023-24 | 25 | ANA | LW | 52 | 5 | 10 | 15 | -6 | 33 | 12:03 | 14 | 127 |
| 2024-25 | 26 | BOS | LW | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4 | 8 | 10:01 | 3 | 14 |
Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/5/2025.
Max Jones Player Profile
Max Jones brings more depth to the Edmonton Oilers. He is similar to Trent Frederic with his style of play. Both use physicality in their game to wear down the opposing team.
Strengths
Max Jones brings a power-forward presence to the team. His ability to be a power-forward benefits him by being able to get to the net and score greasy goals.
Over his past two full seasons in the NHL, Max Jones racked up over one hundred hits in both seasons. This will serve well in the Oilers’ bottom-six as guys like Connor Brown and Jeff Skinner do not provide much physical attendance. Max Jones and Trent Frederic can help create more chaos in the opposing team’s zone when they are on the ice. Both of them are not afraid to drop the gloves.
Weaknesses
Max Jones does have a few weaknesses in his game. These include consistency in the NHL, penalties, and lack of opportunity. Finding consistency has been hard for Jones, who has never put up more than twenty points in an NHL season. He seems to do just fine in the AHL, but taking the next step is a struggle. His physical play brings along some penalty minutes. This is expected with a player of his style.
Lastly, Max Jones is not likely to move in the lineup. He will stay in the bottom-six without gaining any time on special teams.
Where does Max Jones fit into the Oilers lineup?
The Rochester Michigan native will most likely spend his time in the AHL. There is a possibility he gets a chance on the fourth line if the Oilers decide to make a change. Jones has had a fairly solid season in the AHL, so maybe there is a chance he gets a call-up.
If injuries seriously affect the Oilers roster down the stretch, Max Jones could be one of the first forwards getting a promotion. Overall, he brings more depth to the squad up front.
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