Tue 4 Aug 2026 - 5:00PM
THE LOWDOWN ON FORWARD MAX GRONDIN
By Jono Bullard
Canadian forward Max Grondin is the latest addition to Nottingham Panthers 2026/27 roster after his signing was revealed with a treasure hunt around Nottingham City Centre on Saturday afternoon.
The 6’4 power forward from Hearst, Ontario played AAA junior hockey in Ontario for North Bay Trappers and then Vaughan Kings at under-16s.
The 26-year-old was drafted in the second round by Saginaw Spirit in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Draft. Grondin spent just over two seasons in Michigan, icing 151 games for Spirit, scoring 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points.
After attending Carolina Hurricanes development camp and then icing 13 games for Spirit at the start of the 2018/19 season, Grondin was acquired by fellow OHL side Peterborough Petes, joining Great Britain forward Liam Kirk on their roster.
He played 109 games for the Petes across the 2018/19 and 2019/20 season before the shutdown due to the covid pandemic. Grondin scored 24 goals and 25 assists for the Petes while amassing 137 penalty minutes.
In 2021, he committed to playing for University of Ottawa Gee-Gees in USports from the start of the 2021/22 season. Grondin played 114 games for the Gee-Gees over five seasons, scoring 46 goals, 38 assists and amassing 275 penalty minutes. He was part of the Gee-Gees squad that won the USports University Cup Championship in 2024/25.
He enjoyed his best points-scoring season in 2025/26, scoring 14 goals and 19 assists for 33 points in 32 regular-season and play-off games, while amassing 72 penalty minutes.
In March, with his time in USports at an end, Grondin earned his first professional tryout when he signed for Atalanta Gladiators of the ECHL. He played three games for the Gladiators, scoring his first professional goal against South Carolina Stingrays on 15th March. He also had two assists with Atlanta and his three-game spell caught the attention of the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch.
Crunch signed Grondin to a Professional Tryout (PTO) contract on 17th March. He played eight games for Syracuse, scoring a goal and an assist while amassing 28 penalty minutes.
Described as a tough, fast-skating forward who combines size, physicality and offensive output, he ticks the right boxes for Head Coach Danny Stewart.
We look forward to seeing him in action for the first time against Ducs D’Angers on Sunday 23rd August at the Motorpoint Arena (16:00 face-off).