Winners of three straight games, the Edmonton Oilers are firing on all fronts at the moment. They are getting help from everywhere in the lineup, even from players you wouldn’t expect. One of those guys, Max Jones, has quietly been a solid forward and could be huge for this team in the games ahead.
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Jones was recalled on March 13 following Colton Dach being placed on long-term injured reserve. He’s been up and down between Edmonton and the American Hockey League (AHL) since joining the organization at last year’s deadline; however, the way he’s playing now may help him in the long run.
Jones Showing up Everywhere
The 28-year-old is typically known for being a fourth liner who’s out there to wear down the opponent. He’s been doing a great job of that and also showing up on offence as well. He has four points in 15 games, including two points in seven games since being called up. He has a strong on-ice goals percentage of 50% and a team-best on-ice expected goals percentage of 64.4%. While known for his grinder-style, he’s been a surprisingly positive influence on the other end, too.
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It’s not all that shocking he’s shown up late in 2025-26, though. His season in the AHL has included 10 goals and 18 points through 39 games. Jones has gotten himself into penalty trouble in the minors, which is something he has cleaned up pretty well at the professional level this season. He is a physical guy, but plays a smart game.
Jones has 43 hits this season, ranking him 12th on the Oilers. He recorded a season-high of eight in a recent game against the Florida Panthers. The 200-foot game from the veteran is impressive and something the team needs to keep seeing from him.
Oilers Need Jones to Keep Showing Up
The Oilers are certainly thankful to be getting this kind of play out of Jones as of late, especially with the injuries they’re managing. Leon Draisaitl, Trent Frederic, and Dach have all been out for an extended period of time, not to mention Mattias Janmark being ruled out for the season on March 6. Their depth is stepping up in a big way at an important time.
Jones has been on a line with Adam Henrique and Roby Järventie for a little over 17 minutes. They are tied for first in expected goals percentage among all line combinations on the team with a 87.5% rating. This is just one great example of not only how the depth has been huge for Edmonton, but also how Jones has quietly been a great piece alongside the other bottom-six players he’s been with.
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Jones doesn’t need a lot of ice time. He has been creating chances and putting out a consistent effort in each game. This is something to pay attention to as the regular season comes to a close.
Jones Could Be Option in Playoffs
Barring a disastrous finish to the season, the Oilers will be back in the playoffs for the sixth-consecutive season. With the postseason always bringing the most unexpected circumstances and a need for constant adjusting, Jones could find himself as an option for head coach Kris Knoblauch should he need to make a lineup change at some point.
Knoblauch has been known to make changes mid-series before. He made swaps a few times in the 2025 Playoffs, whether to shift the momentum or give different players a chance to show other teams something they haven’t seen. If Jones can keep up the quality hockey, he very well could be a candidate to be inserted into the lineup for some juice if Knoblauch feels a change is needed.
Jones is in a contract year. With a strong finish to this season, he could make a case for a salary bump on his next deal or, at the very least, an extension with the Oilers and a chance at long-term stability in his still fairly young career.
