Max Willman Bio
Maxwell Willman is an American professional ice hockey forward who most recently played for the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Buffalo Sabres selected Willman in the fifth round, 121st overall, of the 2014 NHL entry draft. Listed at 183 centimeters and 83 kilograms, the forward has worked his way through college hockey, the ECHL, and the AHL to reach the NHL, and remains an unrestricted free agent heading into the next campaign.
Early Life and Background
Maxwell Willman was born on February 13, 1995, in Barnstable, Massachusetts, to Peyton and Timothy Willman. He began ice skating at the age of three, and he played for minor ice hockey programs in Barnstable and Foxborough, Massachusetts before joining the varsity team at Barnstable High School. At Barnstable, he made six total postseason appearances between ice hockey and lacrosse, led the ice hockey team in scoring for two seasons, and served as captain during the 2012–13 season. With Willman on their roster, Barnstable won 52 regular season games and captured three consecutive Old Colony League championship titles.
When Willman received no NCAA Division I scholarship offers to play college ice hockey, he planned to abandon the sport and attend Quinnipiac University as a non-athlete. He reconsidered after being noticed by the head coach of the ice hockey team at Williston Northampton School, a private college-preparatory school that participated in a number of ice hockey tournaments and showcases. He spent a postgraduate year there, serving as captain and as top-line center, and he led the team with 21 goals and 44 points.
Path to Professional Hockey
Willman went on to play college ice hockey at Brown University of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), a program to which he had already committed at the time of the 2014 NHL entry draft. He scored his first NCAA goal in his first game, finding the net in a 4–2 win over the United States Military Academy. After setting career highs during the 2016–17 season with 11 goals and 26 points in 31 games, Willman played only nine games during his senior season in 2017–18, missing the final 21 games after suffering a knee injury.
The injury granted Willman an additional season of NCAA eligibility, and he enrolled in a graduate program at Boston University in order to play a year with the Boston University Terriers. His development across Brown University and Boston University helped him mature into a two-way forward capable of contributing at the professional level.
Max Willman Career
Early Career (2019–2021)
The Buffalo Sabres opted not to sign Willman after his year at Boston University, and he accepted an offer from the Reading Royals of the ECHL, a minor league affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers. By the end of the 2019–20 season, he had moved up to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League, the top minor league in the NHL system. His steady climb from ECHL forward to AHL contributor set the foundation for his eventual NHL opportunity.
Willman continued to refine his game in the Philadelphia organization across multiple seasons, earning a reputation as a reliable depth forward who could be trusted in defensive-zone situations. His work ethic and patience through the minor leagues positioned him to take advantage of an opening at the NHL level.
Philadelphia Flyers Breakthrough (2021–2023)
Willman made his NHL debut in the Philadelphia Flyers’ 2021–22 season home opener against the Vancouver Canucks on October 15, 2021, filling in for a roster that had been thinned out by travel protocols and injury. He made an immediate impression in a limited top-line role, and on December 10, 2021, he scored his first NHL goal in the second period of Philadelphia’s 4–3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. The milestone goal cemented his arrival in the NHL after years of perseverance in the minors.
He spent the remainder of his time in the organization moving between the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and the Flyers, providing energy, penalty killing, and bottom-six minutes whenever called upon. After four seasons with the Philadelphia system, Willman left as a free agent.
New Jersey Devils Era (2023–Present)
Following his time in Philadelphia, Willman accepted a professional tryout contract to attend the pre-season training camp of the New Jersey Devils. He was subsequently signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Devils on October 7, 2023, and was immediately placed on waivers. He cleared waivers the next day and was assigned to begin the 2023–24 season with AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets.
Willman was recalled to the Devils on November 4, 2023, and scored his first goal as a Devil the next day in a 4–2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. On May 7, 2024, as a pending free agent, Willman signed a one-year, two-way contract extension to remain with the New Jersey Devils organization. He continues to split time between the NHL club and the Utica Comets, contributing as a versatile depth forward.
Driving Style and Strengths
Willman is recognized as a two-way forward with strong defensive-zone awareness, reliable penalty killing ability, and the versatility to play center or wing. His path through multiple minor-league stops sharpened his puck-management skills and his ability to fit into a structured bottom-six role. Pairings with experienced AHL and NHL coaching staffs have helped him refine his faceoff work and forechecking reliability.
Notable Events and Milestones
Willman’s most memorable early-career moments include his first NHL goal against the Vegas Golden Knights on December 10, 2021, and his first goal as a New Jersey Devil against the Chicago Blackhawks on November 5, 2023. Being selected 121st overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2014 NHL entry draft also stands as a defining milestone, given that he entered the draft without an NCAA Division I scholarship offer.
Max Willman Career Wins
Max Willman’s career has been defined more by steady development, milestone appearances, and role-player contributions than by headline goal totals. His most celebrated achievements are his first NHL goal with the Philadelphia Flyers and his first goal with the New Jersey Devils, each of which marked the next stage of his professional journey.
NHL and AHL Highlights
Willman’s NHL highlight came on December 10, 2021, when he scored against the Vegas Golden Knights to help Philadelphia to a 4–3 victory. His most recent notable contribution came on November 5, 2023, when he found the net against the Chicago Blackhawks in his first game back with the New Jersey Devils. Across his AHL stints with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and the Utica Comets, he has continued to serve as a dependable contributor on the checking lines and the penalty kill.
Other Wins and Performances
During his postgraduate year at Williston Northampton School, Willman served as captain and top-line center while leading the team with 21 goals and 44 points. At Brown University, his 2016–17 season stood out as his most productive college campaign, with 11 goals and 26 points in 31 games, and he scored in his very first NCAA game against the United States Military Academy.
Max Willman Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Max Willman was raised by his parents, Peyton Willman and Timothy Willman, in Barnstable, Massachusetts. His early introduction to ice skating at age three and his development through Barnstable-area minor hockey programs reflect a supportive family environment that encouraged his athletic growth.
Personal Life
Willman attended Barnstable High School in Massachusetts before continuing his education and hockey development at Brown University and later Boston University. He is an American by nationality, and his career has taken him across multiple cities in the northeastern United States, including Barnstable, Providence, Boston, Reading, Allentown, and Utica.
2025 Season Outlook
Heading into the 2025 calendar year, Maxwell Willman remains connected to the New Jersey Devils organization after signing a one-year, two-way contract extension on May 7, 2024. His primary role continues to be that of a depth forward who can shuttle between the Utica Comets of the AHL and the New Jersey Devils of the NHL, providing penalty killing, energy, and reliable defensive-zone play.
With the contract extension keeping him in the Devils system and his NHL debut goal already on the books, Willman will likely look to build on his two-way game and earn additional NHL appearances throughout the 2025 portion of the campaign. His experience across the ECHL, AHL, and NHL gives the Devils flexibility to deploy him whenever injuries or roster needs arise.
If Willman becomes an unrestricted free agent again following the 2024–25 season, his track record as a versatile, defensively responsible forward should keep him in demand as a depth signing for organizations seeking reliable bottom-six help.