Pucks of a Feather
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Anaheim Ducks: 3 Takeaways from the 2019-20 Preseason

By Ben Thomasian

ANAHEIM, CA - JANUARY 23: Troy Terry #61 and Max Jones #49 of the Anaheim Ducks battle for the puck against Jay Bouwmeester #19 of the St. Louis Blues during the game on January 23, 2019 at Honda Center in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Debora Robinson/NHLI via Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA - JANUARY 23: Troy Terry #61 and Max Jones #49 of the Anaheim Ducks battle for the puck against Jay Bouwmeester #19 of the St. Louis Blues during the game on January 23, 2019 at Honda Center in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Debora Robinson/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Max Jones
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 23: Max Jones #49 of the Anaheim Ducks on the forecheck during a preseason game against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on September 23, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Max Jones, the Stud Muffin

If you weren’t already on board the Max Jones bandwagon after his energetic play last season, then this preseason should have nudged you towards buying a ticket. Strong and fast, Jones is a bull.

Jones appears to have the hands of Jason Blake with every shot he fires honing in on the netminder’s chest protector like a logo seeking missile. However, let us not forget Jason Blake was once a 40-goal scorer.  Can Jones become a 40-goal scorer? While this is probably unlikely, the Jones line, and Jones as an individual, is converting those Corsi events to meaningful and dangerous opportunities. This is certainly, a massive step in the right direction.

Both last year, and so far this season, Jones has been one of the teams better defensive forwards, and outside of actual goal-scoring, one of the teams most dangerous players. Thus far during the preseason, Jones ranks 7th amongst forwards for high danger chances, 9th for scoring chances, and 10th for expected goals, at even strength.

While some may think that isn’t necessarily notable, it should be taken into consideration that he has played more even-strength minutes than all of the players ahead of him on the list. He also has one of the lowest PDO’s on the team at 88%. This comes on the back of last seasons efforts in which he was the ranked 4th for Corsi For %, expected goals %, scoring chance %, and high-danger scoring chance %, amongst forwards who played more than 3 games.

While data points and numbers surely don’t tell the whole story, they are certainly backed up by the eye test. Jones seemingly charges towards the net at will, using his size and strength to bully opposition defencemen out of the way and his speed to blow past them like they’re traffic cones. Jones is exhibiting every hallmark of the prototypical power forward with a new school bent.

Can Jones become a top 6 player? The jury is certainly out. However, in his present 3rd line role he is everything any team could possibly want in that slot. Strong. Fast. Defensively responsible. A dangerous offensive weapon. Presuming much, the day Jones’s hands catch up with the rest of his play he won’t merely be the best of the Anaheim Ducks youngsters, he’ll be one of the premier power forwards in the league. A dominant force on the ice and an absolute joy to watch.

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