Analyst hypes former first round pick ahead of Oilers new season

The Edmonton Oilers kicked off training camp this week with one of the deepest forward groups in recent memory. With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl leading the top of the lineup, attention is naturally on the bottom six where players are fighting for limited spots.

One of the most interesting names in that mix is winger Max Jones. Analyst Jason Gregor captured the paradox perfectly on his show this week. He noted that Jones’ tools are obvious even if the results have yet to follow consistently.

“Man, Max Jones, when you see his speed and you see his size and you see his wrist shot and you're just like, this guy should be more… he is a practice player that makes you go, wow. I understand why this guy was a first round pick.”

“And I understand why organizations are still interested in him because if for some reason the light bulb would just go on and Max Jones would be like, you know what guy, I'm going to find my consistency at 27.”

Jones had high potential

Jones’ career has been a mix of promise and challenge. While fans have witnessed flashes of his physical hard-hitting style, maintaining that edge over a full season has proven difficult. His early NHL games often showed a player ready to make an impact but inconsistency has prevented him from securing a permanent spot.

“I know some people say that'll never happen. It might not. And you watch him…you remember his first few games, he's banging bodies like, hey, this guy. And then just slowly erodes. And it's not as physical. He's not as engaged…Cause it's hard. That's what's difficult about the NHL.”

“But there's lots of guys with skill, but then it's one of the best attributes, consistency. And it is hard to find it,” Gregor added.

The 6-foot-3 winger has the frame and skill of a modern forward capable of making an impact on both sides of the puck. Drafted 24th overall by Anaheim in 2016, Jones has suited up for three different organizations over the past four seasons.

That turnover tells its own story. While teams continue to see enough in his profile to give him a look consistency remains the missing piece.

Over 284 career NHL games, he has 32 goals and 64 points with a minus-57 rating. While the numbers fall short of what many projected his physical edge particularly his forechecking and ability to engage opponents is notable.

After joining Edmonton at the 2025 trade deadline, Jones led the team in hits per 60 minutes at five-on-five according to HockeyViz showing the value he can provide even without high scoring totals.

Adam Henrique to be a major support for Max Jones come next season

Competition in Edmonton’s left-wing group is fierce. Veterans Mattias Janmark and Kasperi Kapanen along with new addition Trent Frederic and younger options like Vasily Podkolzin and Isaac Howard all vie for limited roster spots. Early camp deployments have Jones skating alongside Noah Philp and Curtis Lazar, giving him an opportunity to demonstrate responsible two-way play.

A possible boost for Jones comes in the form of a familiar teammate. He previously played with Adam Henrique in Anaheim and the two shared stretches of success, posting a strong goal share during the 2023-24 season. Henrique’s steady, two-way game could help Jones regain rhythm and rediscover the form that made him a first-round pick.

Ultimately, Edmonton is looking for Jones to be a dependable presence rather than a top six scorer. If he can convert his tools of speed, size, shot and physicality into consistent performance he could earn a meaningful bottom-six role on a team with Stanley Cup aspirations. If not, he risks being relegated to depth status.