Right from the start of training camp with the Moose Jaw Warriors, defenceman Max Wanner started turning heads.
The 19-year-old Estevan product came into the pre-season bigger, stronger and quicker after an off-season of hard work and training out in Caronport at Prairie Hockey Academy, all with the goal of not only performing well at the Moose Jaw Events Centre but also attracting attention when he attended training camp with the Edmonton Oilers.
“I obviously wanted to put on a couple of pounds because I felt it would compliment my game if I could be more of a physical defenceman,” Wanner said shortly after a pre-season practice. “But other than that, getting faster and quicker is a big thing for me, because if you have a big guy who can move quick, he’s pretty dangerous out there. So if I can keep working on that it’ll be beneficial.”
Beneficial, and how.
From the moment he showed up in Edmonton for his second pre-season run with the Oilers, staff with the National Hockey League club saw the same thing the Warriors had seen. Wanner quickly became one of the ones to watch through rookie camp, drawing media attention and accolades for his play and improvement.
On Friday morning, all that hard work paid off.
Days after returning to the Warriors line-up, Wanner signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Oilers, signifying his status as a bona fide blue-line prospect for Edmonton for the foreseeable future.
Wanner, 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, was selected in the seventh round, 212th overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft after putting up four assists in the 17 games in the East Division Hub.
Wanner was unable to play in the Oilers rookie camp that fall but skated with veterans like Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Darnell Nurse for a week in main camp.
He ended up playing 55 games in the 2021-22 WHL campaign, putting up six goals and 17 points in 23 games before adding another three goals and seven points in nine playoff games.
Wanner joins fellow defenceman Denton Mateychuk as Warriors with NHL contracts, with Mateychuk having signed days after being drafted in the first round, 12th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets this summer.
He’s also one of five players in the Warriors’ line-up drafted by NHL clubs, joining defenceman Cole Jordan (Calgary, fifth round, 2021), forward Martin Rysavy (Columbus, seventh round, 2021) and forward Jagger Firkus (Seattle, second round, 2022). Forwards Atley Calvert and Eric Alarie also attended NHL rookie camps as invites.
The Warriors will have their full line-up in play for the first time this season on Friday night when they host the Prince Albert Raiders. Game time is 7 p.m. at Moose Jaw Events Centre.
