Max Jones (ice hockey)

Lore & Background

Jones grew up in Rochester, Michigan, playing in the junior Honeybaked Hockey program before joining the U.S. National Development Team for the 2014–15 season. He was selected by the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in the first round, 18th overall, in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection. In his rookie OHL season, Jones scored 28 goals and 52 points in 63 games, helping the Knights to a 105-point season and a third-place finish in the Western Conference. He was suspended 12 games for a blind-side bodycheck during the 2016 OHL playoffs but returned to help London win the J. Ross Robertson Cup and the 2016 Memorial Cup.

Jones returned to the Knights for the 2016–17 season, setting a career-high with four points in a game on October 24, but missed time due to injury and a ten-game suspension for a cross-check. He was traded to the Kingston Frontenacs in January 2018, where he suffered a broken thumb after six games and missed the remainder of the regular season. He played nine playoff games with Kingston, scoring three goals and four points.

After being drafted by Anaheim, Jones signed a three-year entry-level contract on August 26, 2016. He made his NHL debut on January 17, 2019, and scored his first NHL goal on March 8, 2019. He signed a three-year extension with Anaheim on August 10, 2021. After tearing his pectoral muscle early in the 2021–22 season, he missed the remainder of that year. He returned for the 2022–23 season, gradually increasing his playing time and moving up to the first two lines. In the 2023–24 season, he missed 30 games due to injuries and appeared in 52 games, scoring 5 goals and 15 points. The Ducks declined to offer him a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Reader's Guide

Max Jones's career with the Anaheim Ducks spanned six seasons, from his draft in 2016 to his departure as an unrestricted free agent in 2024. He was a first-round pick who developed through the OHL, winning a Memorial Cup with the London Knights in 2016. His NHL tenure with Anaheim was marked by flashes of offensive potential, including his first multi-point game on March 28, 2021, but was frequently interrupted by injuries, most notably a torn pectoral muscle that cost him nearly the entire 2021–22 season. Despite these setbacks, he appeared in 46 games in the 2020–21 season and 52 games in 2023–24, showing resilience. The Ducks' decision not to extend a qualifying offer at the end of the 2023–24 season ended his time with the organization. He subsequently signed with the Boston Bruins on July 1, 2024, but struggled to secure a regular roster spot, appearing in only seven games before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers on March 4, 2025. His legacy with Anaheim is that of a promising first-round pick whose development was hindered by injuries, yet who contributed depth scoring and physical play when healthy.

Did You Know?

• Jones scored his first career OHL hat trick on October 24, 2015, including the overtime winner.
• He was suspended 12 games in the 2016 OHL playoffs for a blind-side bodycheck.
• Jones scored his first NHL goal against Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens on March 8, 2019.
• He tore his pectoral muscle after playing the first two games of the 2021–22 season and missed the remainder of the year.