Building Blue: Max Sasson Acclimated Quickly in Rookie AHL Season and is Ready to Build in Year Two

In his first full season as a pro, Max Sasson learned a lot of valuable lessons at the centre ice position with the Abbotsford Canucks and is looking to build on his accomplishments as he heads into year two. 

The 23-year-old, left-shot centre brings a two-way versatility to his game that he feels helps create cleaner breakouts from the defensive zone and spring linemates on odd-man rushes through the neutral zone. 

When Sasson looks back on the season that was, the first thing that comes to his mind is the sheer volume of hockey that he played and how that was so different than his time in the NCAA. 

“I knew going into my first full pro year that it would be a lot more hockey. I mean, in college, we played 30 games. Here, with preseason, the Young Stars tournament, the season, and playoffs; I probably played 70-80 games. I knew it was going to challenge my body and I learned more about the challenges to the mental side of the game,” said Sasson. 

Sasson focused on improving physically during the offseason in the summer of 2023. He was fresh off a small stint in the AHL following him signing out of the NCAA and wanted to get stronger before his first full season as a pro. 

He quickly learned that though the physical side matters, the mental side is just as important when you are going through the trials and tribulations that come from a season as a pro. 

“I learned how important it is to build bonds with your teammates and coaches to make every day an enjoyable experience at the rink. A lot of games look different than others. In some games, you get a bunch of chances, and your line doesn’t score and then in some games, you get two or three chances and score on all of them. You need to learn to stay even keel and know that the year will balance out if you keep working.” 

Though the jump from the NCAA to the AHL is a tough one, Sasson immediately found some confidence in the new league. He gives credit to the puck-moving ability of some of the Abbotsford Canucks defenceman as he found that it was easier to work through the neutral zone when you are given tape-to-tape passes. 

Finishing fifth in scoring on the Canucks was a notable accomplishment for Sasson as he completed his rookie season in the AHL with 18 goals and 24 assists for 42 points in 56 games.

Sasson feels his biggest strength is his skating ability and when he gets moving from zone to zone, his hockey IQ kicks in and allows him to find the next play.

Following his 2023-24 season, Sasson had his exit meeting with Daniel and Henrik Sedin. The twins told Sasson that they believe he has set a sturdy foundation in his rookie AHL season and that with some arduous work in the offseason, he could potentially be playing NHL games this coming year. 

That motivated Sasson to the nth degree and the Sedins preached about how working on strength and conditioning like a pro will be the most important thing for him to find the next level in his game. 

“My main goal this summer is to work hard so that at training camp, I show that I deserve a look in the NHL next season. Last year, I was simply happy to be at an NHL training camp. This year, I feel super confident, and I feel like I can make a really good case for myself to get into some NHL games,” Sasson said. 

“If I end up back in Abbotsford, the goal is just to keep getting better and becoming more dominant in the areas RJ and the coaching staff want me to dominate. They focus on the wall battles, offensive zone puck protection, and maintaining strength and mobility throughout the year. I am just ready to do whatever to make a case to play NHL games.”

With a full pro season now under his belt, Sasson is hoping to take more on his shoulders and be another one of the young leaders on the club. 

“It would be really cool to take on more of a leadership role,” said Sasson. “I’m not going to say I was a leader last year, but I think I had the respect of the guys if I wanted to say something to the group between periods. I learned a lot from guys like Matt Irwin and Christian Wolanin about how to lead.” 

On top of the hockey, Sasson is ready for another year of being a key contributor for the social media side of the Abbotsford Canucks. If the social media team ever needed a player for a video, Sasson was always ready to step up and do his part and will continue to be in front of the camera for the 2024-25 season.

"I think the social media team loves reaching out and having me do their acting work. I love having some fun and doing that stuff. We will come up with some good ideas for next season. Canucks fans should expect some more laughs coming your way."