Max Jones Bio
Max Jones is an American professional ice hockey forward who plays for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on February 17, 1998, in Rochester, Michigan, he was selected by the Anaheim Ducks with the 24th overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. A physical, hard-nosed winger standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing around 216 pounds, Jones built his reputation through a decorated junior career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) before climbing the professional ranks in the American Hockey League (AHL) and NHL.
Early Life and Background
Max Jones grew up in Rochester, Michigan, a suburb north of Detroit, in a household steeped in professional hockey. His father, Brad Jones, is a former NHL player who appeared in 148 games with the Winnipeg Jets, Los Angeles Kings, and Philadelphia Flyers. That family background gave Max an early window into life at the highest level of the sport and shaped his competitive outlook from a young age.
He began his organized hockey journey in the Honeybaked Hockey program, one of the most respected amateur development organizations in the United States. As a teenager, Jones earned a place on the U.S. National Development Team, where he suited up during the 2014–15 season and gained exposure to a high-performance environment. Across 24 United States Hockey League (USHL) games that year, he produced 5 goals and 10 points while racking up 116 penalty minutes, and he added 18 goals and 28 points in 38 games with the U17 squad, a reflection of both his offensive instincts and his aggressive playing style.
Path to Hockey
Following his season in the USHL, Jones was selected by the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League in the first round, 18th overall, of the 2014 OHL Priority Selection. He joined London for the 2015–16 campaign and made his league debut on September 25, 2015, against the Hamilton Bulldogs. He collected his first OHL point with an assist on October 4 against the Oshawa Generals and scored his first league goal on October 17 against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
Just one week later, on October 24, Jones notched his first career OHL hat trick, including the overtime winner, against the North Bay Battalion. He followed it with another three-goal performance against the Saginaw Spirit on October 31, finishing his rookie season with 28 goals and 52 points in 63 games. That spring, Jones helped the Knights win the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions, and the team carried that momentum into the 2016 Memorial Cup, where London captured the national title. Jones contributed a goal and an assist in the championship victory over the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, capping a memorable first major-junior season.
Max Jones Career
Early Career (2015–2017)
After winning the Memorial Cup in 2016, Jones returned to the London Knights for the 2016–17 season. He set a career high with four points against the Saginaw Spirit on October 24, but injuries and a 10-game suspension limited him to 33 games in which he still managed 17 goals and 36 points. In the playoffs, he added 7 goals and 12 points in 14 games as the Knights pushed to the Western Conference final before falling to the Erie Otters.
Following the Knights’ elimination in April 2017, the Anaheim Ducks assigned Jones to their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, for the remainder of the Calder Cup playoffs. He made his professional debut on April 22, 2017, and scored his first pro goal on May 10 against the San Jose Barracuda, finishing the AHL postseason with a goal and an assist in nine games.
Anaheim Ducks Era (2018–2024)
Jones began the 2018–19 season with the San Diego Gulls before earning his first NHL recall in January 2019. He made his NHL debut on January 17, 2019, helping Anaheim to a 3–0 win over the Minnesota Wild at the Xcel Energy Center. He registered his first NHL point on February 19 and scored his first NHL goal on March 8 against goaltender Carey Price in an 8–2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Across his first NHL season, he tallied 2 goals and 5 points with Anaheim.
Jones made the Ducks roster out of training camp in 2019–20 and split time between Anaheim and San Diego. He played the entire 2020–21 campaign in the NHL, recording 11 points in 46 games, and signed a three-year contract extension on August 10, 2021. A torn pectoral muscle cost him most of 2021–22, but he returned for 2022–23 and earned a larger role, skating on the top two lines alongside Troy Terry and Mason McTavish. In 2023–24, he appeared in 52 games, scoring 5 goals and 15 points, before Anaheim declined to issue him a qualifying offer and he became an unrestricted free agent.
Boston Bruins and Trade to Edmonton (2024–2025)
On July 1, 2024, Jones signed a two-year, $2 million contract with the Boston Bruins. He made the opening roster out of training camp but struggled to find his footing, appearing in only four games before being placed on waivers on November 5, 2024. He went unclaimed and was assigned to the Providence Bruins, where he produced 13 goals and 21 points in 38 AHL games. Boston recalled him briefly in January 2025, but he returned to Providence after going scoreless in three NHL contests.
On March 4, 2025, Jones was traded to the Edmonton Oilers, along with unsigned prospect Petr Hauser, in a multi-player exchange. He was assigned to the Bakersfield Condors but was recalled the next day and made his Oilers debut on March 6, 2025, recording an assist in a 3–2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. He closed the regular season with the Oilers, netting his first Edmonton goal in the finale against the San Jose Sharks. Although Edmonton reached the Stanley Cup Final, Jones was a healthy scratch throughout the playoffs.
Driving Style and Strengths
Jones is recognized around the league as a power forward who combines physicality with a willingness to play in tough areas of the ice. He forechecks aggressively, finishes checks, and is comfortable dropping the gloves, a style that has produced heavy penalty-minute totals at every level. He has shown flashes of offensive upside, particularly during his time on the top two lines in Anaheim, and his skating and strength have made him a reliable middle- and bottom-six contributor.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the highlights of Jones’s career are his 2016 Memorial Cup championship with the London Knights, his first NHL goal against the Montreal Canadiens in 2019, and his transition to three NHL organizations by age 27. His selection 24th overall in 2016 and his path from USHL to OHL to AHL to NHL reflect a steady climb through the North American development system.
Max Jones Career Wins
Max Jones’s career is highlighted by a Memorial Cup championship with the London Knights in 2016, an OHL title the same spring, and a bronze medal with Team USA at the 2018 World Junior Championship, where he scored in the opening game against Denmark. He has not captured a Calder Cup or Stanley Cup.
Major Junior and Memorial Cup Highlights
With the London Knights, Jones won the J. Ross Robertson Cup in 2016 as OHL playoff champions and followed it with the 2016 Memorial Cup title. Across his OHL career, he twice recorded hat tricks in his rookie season and produced a career-high four-point game against the Saginaw Spirit on October 24, 2016.
International Highlights
Representing the United States at the 2018 World Junior Championship, Jones scored his only goal of the tournament in a 9–0 win over Denmark. Team USA went on to claim the bronze medal, capping a strong showing for the young American forward.
Max Jones Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Hockey runs deep in the Jones family. Max’s father, Brad Jones, played 148 NHL games across stints with the Winnipeg Jets, Los Angeles Kings, and Philadelphia Flyers, giving his son an inside view of the professional game from an early age. That pedigree helped shape Max’s path through the U.S. development system and into the OHL.
Personal Life
Max Jones is married. Details about his spouse and any children have not been publicly disclosed.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been one of the most eventful of Jones’s professional career. He opened the year with the Boston Bruins, only to be reassigned to the Providence Bruins in November 2024 after appearing in just four NHL games. In Providence, he rediscovered his scoring touch with 13 goals and 21 points across 38 AHL contests, a strong return to form that kept him firmly on Boston’s depth chart.
His season took a dramatic turn on March 4, 2025, when he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers as part of a multi-player deal. After a one-day stint with the Bakersfield Condors, he was recalled to the NHL roster and made an immediate impact, recording an assist in his Edmonton debut against the Montreal Canadiens on March 6. He closed the regular season with 19 games in an Oilers uniform, scoring his first goal for the club in the finale against the San Jose Sharks.
Although Jones did not appear in the playoffs, the Oilers advanced all the way to the Stanley Cup Final before falling in six games. Looking ahead, he remains under contract for the 2025–26 season and is expected to compete for a bottom-six role with Edmonton, where his physicality and recent AHL production make him a candidate to push for regular NHL ice time.