Max Jones Bio
Max Jones is an American professional ice hockey forward who currently plays for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born and raised in Michigan, Jones developed through the United States national development system and major junior hockey before launching a pro career that has carried him across multiple organizations. He was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft and has since become known for his physical, straight-line style of play.
Across junior, American Hockey League (AHL), and NHL levels, Jones has built a reputation as a hard-working winger who brings energy to every shift. After spending the formative part of his career with the Anaheim Ducks organization, he later joined the Boston Bruins before being traded mid-season to the Edmonton Oilers, where he continues his professional journey.
Early Life and Background
Max Jones was born on February 17, 1998, in Rochester, Michigan, a suburb north of Detroit long associated with competitive youth sports. He grew up in a deeply athletic household, which helped shape his early interest in hockey. Jones played in the junior Honeybaked Hockey program, one of the most respected amateur development organizations in the country, where he refined his physical, north-south playing style.
Jones comes from a strong sporting family. His father, Brad Jones, is a former NHL player who suited up for 148 games with the Winnipeg Jets, Los Angeles Kings, and Philadelphia Flyers, giving Max a direct connection to the professional game. His mother was an alternate on the United States Olympic Diving Team in 1988, underscoring the family’s deep athletic pedigree. Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing around 216 pounds, Jones developed a power-forward frame that would later define his role at higher levels.
Path to Hockey
Jones joined the U.S. National Development Team program ahead of the 2014–15 season, a traditional pipeline for top American prospects. In 24 games with the United States Hockey League (USHL) squad, he recorded five goals and 10 points while accumulating 116 penalty minutes, demonstrating a blend of offensive instinct and physical edge. He also played 38 games with the U.S. under-17 team, scoring 18 goals and 28 points along with 189 penalty minutes, finishing the year as one of the more talked-about power-forward prospects in his age group.
Selected 18th overall by the London Knights in the 2014 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Priority Selection, Jones joined the Knights for the 2015–16 season. He made his OHL debut on September 25, 2015, and quickly became a productive contributor, recording his first goal on October 17, 2015, and his first career hat trick one week later, including an overtime winner against the North Bay Battalion. He finished his rookie season with 28 goals and 52 points in 63 games and helped London capture the J. Ross Robertson Cup and the 2016 Memorial Cup. A strong second season followed before Jones was traded to the Kingston Frontenacs in January 2018, where injuries cut his campaign short.
Max Jones Career
Early Career (2017–2019)
Following the end of the London Knights’ 2017 playoff run, the Anaheim Ducks assigned Jones to their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls. He made his professional playoff debut on April 22, 2017, and scored his first professional goal on May 10 against the San Jose Barracuda. Jones began the 2018–19 season in the AHL before receiving his first NHL call-up in January 2019. He debuted with the Ducks on January 17, 2019, contributing to a 3–0 win over the Minnesota Wild, and later scored his first NHL goal on March 8 against the Montreal Canadiens.
Jones returned to the Gulls for the Calder Cup playoffs, scoring four points in eight games despite a late-season injury. His combination of size, skating, and physicality gave Anaheim a promising depth winger to develop.
Anaheim Ducks Breakthrough (2019–2024)
Jones earned a full-time NHL roster spot out of training camp in 2019 and spent most of the 2020–21 season with the Ducks, registering 11 points in 46 games. On August 10, 2021, he signed a three-year contract extension with Anaheim, signaling the club’s long-term belief in his upside. Unfortunately, his 2021–22 season ended after just two games due to a torn pectoral muscle, requiring surgery and a long recovery.
Jones returned healthy for the 2022–23 campaign and gradually earned more responsibility, eventually skating on the top two lines alongside Troy Terry and Mason McTavish. The following season, he played 52 games, scoring five goals and 15 points, though a series of injuries limited his availability. After six seasons with the organization, Anaheim declined to issue a qualifying offer, allowing Jones to reach unrestricted free agency.
Boston Bruins Era (2024–2025)
On July 1, 2024, Jones signed a two-year, $2 million contract with the Boston Bruins. He made the team out of training camp but struggled to find a regular role, appearing in only four NHL games before being placed on waivers on November 5. He was assigned to the Providence Bruins of the AHL, where he produced 13 goals and 21 points in 38 games. Jones was recalled briefly in January 2025 but returned to Providence later that month.
Edmonton Oilers Era (2025–Present)
On March 4, 2025, Jones was traded to the Edmonton Oilers as part of a three-team deal that also sent Trent Frederic to Edmonton. He was briefly assigned to the Bakersfield Condors before being recalled the following day. Jones made his Oilers debut on March 6, 2025, recording an assist in a 3–2 win over the Montreal Canadiens, and went on to play 19 regular-season games for Edmonton. Although the Oilers advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, Jones did not appear in any postseason contests as a healthy scratch.
Driving Style and Strengths
Jones plays a north-south, physical brand of hockey built on straight-line speed, board work, and forechecking pressure. Listed at 6 feet 3 inches and 216 pounds, he uses his frame to win puck battles and protect pucks along the walls. His willingness to engage physically and to play a straight, simple game has made him a reliable bottom-six presence, while his skating and shot allow him to contribute offensively when given opportunity.
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 trade to a Stanley Cup contender in Edmonton in 2025. Representing Team USA at the 2018 World Junior Championship, where he helped the Americans capture a bronze medal, remains another career milestone.
Max Jones Career Wins
Max Jones’s career has been defined less by individual trophies and more by championship contributions and milestone performances at each level. His most notable team triumph came with the London Knights, who won the 2016 Memorial Cup, while his international highlight was a bronze medal with the United States at the 2018 World Junior Championship.
Junior and Professional Highlights
At the junior level, Jones helped London capture the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions in 2016 and followed it with a Memorial Cup title. He recorded multiple hat tricks during his OHL career, including back-to-back three-goal games in October 2015 that announced his offensive potential. In the AHL, he has produced consistently as a checking-line winger capable of contributing secondary scoring.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his championship-level success, Jones has been a steady producer in the AHL, posting 13 goals and 21 points in 38 games with Providence during the 2024–25 season. His NHL totals include stints with Anaheim, Boston, and Edmonton, where he has continued to deliver energy and physicality in a depth role.
Max Jones Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Jones’s family is deeply rooted in professional sport. His father, Brad Jones, played 148 NHL games across stints with the Winnipeg Jets, Los Angeles Kings, and Philadelphia Flyers, giving Max an insider’s understanding of the league from a young age. His mother, a former alternate on the 1988 United States Olympic Diving Team, added to the family’s deep athletic tradition.
Personal Life
Max Jones is married and resides primarily in North America during the hockey season. He maintains an active presence on social media, where he shares insights into his training and life as a professional athlete.
2025 Season Performance
Max Jones’s 2024–25 season was a year of transition, beginning in Boston before shifting to Edmonton midway through the campaign. After signing a two-year deal with the Bruins in July 2024, he struggled to crack the NHL lineup and spent significant time with the Providence Bruins, where he produced 13 goals and 21 points in 38 games. His recall to the NHL in January 2025 was brief, but his strong AHL play kept him in the conversation.
The defining moment came on March 4, 2025, when Jones was traded to the Edmonton Oilers as part of a three-team deal. Recalled the next day, he debuted with an assist against the Montreal Canadiens and went on to play 19 regular-season games for the Oilers, scoring his first Edmonton goal in the season finale against the San Jose Sharks. Although he did not appear in the playoffs, his steady, physical presence helped Edmonton’s depth through the regular-season stretch run.
Looking ahead, Jones remains under contract and will look to carve out a more consistent NHL role with the Oilers in 2025–26. His combination of size, speed, and physicality fits the style of contending teams, and he will aim to translate his AHL production into a stable NHL spot next season.