ROOKIE CAMP: Wanner prepared to make presence known in Penticton

EDMONTON, AB – ‘His name is Maximus Decimus Wanner, and he will have his vengeance – in this season or the next.’

Only two of those names are his real ones, but if Edmonton’s 2021 seventh-round selection were to swap places with actor Russell Crowe in the 2000 blockbuster film ‘Gladiator’, you’d still be plenty entertained.

“I kind of just leave it up to whomever. I like Maximus or Max,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of nicknames, but Maximus is a fun name, so I don't mind.

“I think [my parents] wanted to name me Maximillian, but maybe they just saw ‘Gladiator’ one too many times.” 

The Moose Jaw Warriors blueliner was born almost three years after the film’s release but has the name to match his dominant defence-first approach that’s allowed him to ascend from a late-round selection in 2021 to prime-prospect status within the Oilers organization.

“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 describing his on-ice identity. “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 signed his three-year entry-level contract with the Oilers last September before playing 44 games with the Warriors during the 2022-23 WHL season, tying for the team lead in goals by a defenceman with eight and adding a further 22 assists and a team-best +23 plus/minus rating.

Heading into what will be his second appearance at Oilers Rookie Camp and the Young Stars Classic tournament this weekend in Penticton, the 20-year-old will not be content this time around just absorbing the experience – he wants to dominate.

“I'm not just kind of holding on this year. I really want to make my presence known right away,” he added. “I'm not just happy being at camp, I want to make an impression at camp.”

The 6-foot-3, 194-pound defender has put in the work over his offseasons when training outside of Moose Jaw in the town of Carenport, SK alongside trainer Dustin Friesen, and the effort is paying off.

Wanner’s growth as a player continues to trend upward heading into this weekend’s Young Stars Classic and fast-approaching Oilers Main Camp, and his status as a top prospect on the back end for Edmonton has been directly influenced by that tireless work he’s put in to make himself comfortable in any game situation.

“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.”

Last preseason, the defenceman was thrown into NHL action for the first time on the road against the Seattle Kraken, where he was charged with defending against Edmonton’s Pacific Division rivals that dressed some strong names like 2023 Calder Trophy winner Matty Beniers and former Oilers blueliner Justin Schultz.

“I played one game in Seattle last year and 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.”

Wanner was paired alongside Markus Niemelainen, who as a recent graduate to the Oilers from junior hockey and the AHL stressed to the up-and-coming d-man the emphasis on playing fast and physical.

“He had some good tips. He was a good presence,” Wanner said. “It’s a junior mindset to hold onto the puck a little bit, so he said to make sure you move the puck quick.”

As a 20-year-old who’ll be eligible to play in both the WHL and AHL this coming season, Wanner is leaving those decisions up to management and focusing on what only he can control, which is what he brings on the ice.

“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.”