Bruins Assign Former First Round Winger to…read more
The Boston Bruins have reassigned winger Max Jones, a former first-round draft pick, to their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, as they look for solutions to their early-season struggles. With a record of 6-7-1 in the first 14 games of the 2024-2025 season, Boston’s lack of forward depth, especially in the bottom six, has hindered their offensive production despite the offseason additions of Elias Lindholm and defenseman Nikita Zadorov.
The Bruins’ decision to send Jones down comes after a challenging start for the 26-year-old winger, who joined the team from the Anaheim Ducks. Anaheim had originally drafted Jones 24th overall in 2016, seeing potential in his size and strength – at 6’3” and nearly 220 pounds – as a valuable second-line winger. During his time in the Ontario Hockey League, he put up 28 goals and 52 points in 63 games with the London Knights, raising hopes that he’d become a reliable part of Anaheim’s future.
However, Jones never fully found his footing with the Ducks. Injuries and inconsistent performances held him back, with his most productive season coming in 2022-2023, when he registered nine goals and 19 assists over 69 games, averaging 13 minutes of ice time per game. Last season, he managed just 15 points in 52 games. The Ducks ultimately chose not to re-sign him, and he joined the Bruins, seeking a fresh start and a stable NHL role.
This season, Jones appeared in only four games for Boston, averaging roughly 11 minutes per game, and did not contribute any points. He also found himself a healthy scratch in 10 games, a signal that he was not fitting into the lineup as hoped. In one of his limited appearances, he accidentally slashed an official, which resulted in an unfortunate penalty and further added to his rocky start in Boston.
With his reassignment, the Bruins aim to give Jones a chance to build confidence and refine his game in the AHL, while also reassessing their options at the NHL level. As the team works to address its depth concerns, Jones’s move to Providence will allow Boston to potentially explore other options to strengthen their forward lines and generate the much-needed offense to improve their record in the coming games.
