New Jersey Devils sign Max Willman to professional tryout contract

The New Jersey Devils have signed forward Max Willman to a professional tryout contract. He most recently played for the Philadelphia Flyers during the 2022-23 season. There, he didn’t notch any points in the nine-game stint. He played most of the season for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the American Hockey League, scoring nine goals and 23 points in 54 games.

Willman is already 28 years old and has not been able to prove that he’s an NHL-calibre player. The Flyers gave him 50 NHL appearances over the last two seasons and he failed to contribute enough to stay in the lineup. The Devils seem to see something in him that isn’t readily apparent. Willman will be in an uphill battle to earn a spot on the Devils’ roster.

The Devils are going into the 2023-24 season as one of the best teams in the NHL and it would honestly be shocking if a guy like Willman made the opening night lineup. Most likely, he’ll end up in the AHL this season, whether he earns an NHL contract or not.

The Barnstable, Massachusetts native has played 142 career AHL games and scored 22 goals and 67 points in that span.