With the way things are shaping up for Moose Jaw Warriors defenceman Max Wanner, it’s all but certain the word ‘former’ will be part of his status with the team in the near future.
To the point that in most conversations about the team’s overage situation, the former Prairie Hockey Academy standout is barely even mentioned.
Such is the situation with a player the Edmonton Oilers wasted little time signing to an NHL entry-level contract last fall after an impressive showing in his first appearance in rookie camp.
Now it’s a matter of impressing the Oilers brass enough to ideally land a spot with the big team, and failing that, a spot with the Bakersfield Condors in the American Hockey League.
To that end, Wanner has major goals when it comes to taking the ice in the Young Stars Classic this weekend and heading into main camp next week.
“I'm not just kind of holding on this year. I really want to make my presence known right away,” Wanner said on NHL.com. “I'm not just happy being at camp, I want to make an impression at camp.”
As a late-round selection in the 2021 Draft, it would have been easy for Wanner to become an also-ran in the constant carousel of NHL prospects. But a couple of off-seasons of hard work saw Wanner drawing rave reviews out of rookie camp last season, leading to his signing in September of 2022.
“Right now, I think it's just my ability to play defence, lock the game down and be a physical presence out there,” Wanner said when asked what led to his rise in the organization. “But also, move the puck quickly to get it into the forwards' hands.
“Everybody wants to play both sides, but I'm a defensive defenseman first and I make a pass and I join the rush when it's necessary. It's not my go-to and I would say I am more defensive than offensive, but I can play both.”
Wanner suited up in 44 games last season with the Warriors and had eight goals and 30 points while leading the team with a plus-23 plus-minus. He added a further two goals and seven points in 10 playoff games.
As was the case in previous post-Draft off-seasons, Wanner spent a good part of the summer in Caronport working with PHA director of performance Dustin Friesen to improve and develop his game. That’s helped with his confidence heading into Oilers camp this time around.
“It's kind of just about doing the right things every day to put yourself in a position where you're not nervous coming into camp,” he said, “You feel like you've put in the work and it's not going to be an eye opener when you're out there.”
Wanner has the added bonus of having played an exhibition game last season when he suited up against the Seattle Kraken, another factor that helps with his comfort level.
“That was a really good experience,” Wanner said. “You get to play in front of a really big crowd in Seattle and it was my first time seeing the Kraken in person… There were some really good players out there, so it was a really cool experience for me. I was thinking I was really blessed to be there. I’m hoping that I’ll maybe get a little more of that this year.”
Of course, there’s always the infinitesimally small chance Wanner could be returned to the Warriors -- onlookers thought the team had seen the last of standout forward Ryder Korczak last season before the New York Rangers surprised everyone by assigning him to Moose Jaw in November.
“You come in with the mindset to play the best hockey you can, and wherever you end up is wherever you end up,” he said. “That's how I think about it. Just do the best I can with where I'm at.”
You can read the full story on NHL.com right here.
The Warriors close out their pre-season schedule this weekend, as they travel to Brandon to face the Wheat Kings on Friday night before returning home to host Brandon on Saturday. Game time is 7 p.m. at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
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