Bruins Newcomer To Be Fan Favorite In Jim Montgomery’s Eyes

Boston Bruins fans haven’t seen much of Max Jones this preseason.

Jones, who signed a two-year, $2 million deal with the Bruins this offseason after six seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, missed most of the exhibition slate due to an undisclosed injury and made his preseason debut Thursday night in a 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings.

Jones, unlike a Bruins roster hopeful, didn’t really jump off the ice with his play in the defeat. But the Boston fan base is going to like what they see out of the veteran forward.

Take Jim Montgomery’s word for it.

“I thought it was a good first game,” Montgomery told reporters Friday, per team-provided video. “You could tell there was some rustiness, you could tell he was a little not maybe as poised with the puck. Everything seemed a little rushed. I talked to him about it. But the speed, a couple of the hits — I mean, he hits hard. Bruins fans are going to like him.”

Jones has no issue throwing his 6-foot-3, 216-pound frame around. He collected 127 hits a season ago and can display some skill as he’s just two seasons removed from registering a career-high 19 points off nine goals and 10 assists.

Jones doesn’t need flashy play to fit in with the Bruins. In fact, the 26-year-old’s grit and physicality will be celebrated in Boston. And Montgomery definitely sees value in Jones’ hard-nosed playing style.

“There were some moments where him and (Cole) Koepke in particular, on a couple of rush drills (in practice) where they just go wide and they take it hard to the net,” Montgomery said. “The speed with the power and I guess, for lack of a better word, how brave they are going to hard areas is something that’s nice to see. And it’s something we’ve looked to add to part of our group.”