It’s still early, but the Philadelphia Flyers are certainly looking to have a potential draft steal on their hands with Max Westergard.
Westergard, 17, quietly made waves last season as the only draft-eligible player to score goal in the SHL playoffs, finishing with a goal and two assists in 11 postseason contests for Frolunda HC.
That’s notable, too, because Westergard only played in four regular season games for the Swedish outfit, which also ranked 15th amongst all draft-eligible skaters in the SHL last season.
But, since being drafted by the Flyers in June, the Finnish forward has continued to show growth and progress, building on a decent showing at the Flyers development camp at the beginning of July.
Playing against Lausanne HC in some Champions HL action Sunday, Westergard picked up two assists in just 8:51 of ice time.
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One of the 2025 fifth-round pick’s assists, which made the rounds on social media as a highlight, showed what Westergard can be at the peak of his powers.
The 17-year-old backchecked hard in the high slot, effectively stick-lifting an attacking Lausanne player and winning the puck back for his team with just two touches.
Westergard then raced down the right wing with relative ease, blowing past three defenders, dropped his shoulder at the right circle, and fed the puck back into the crease at the last possible moment to earn an assist.
Westergard and Frolunda ultimately won 5-2, marking a second consecutive victory for the club.
The Flyers prospect, standing at 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, will need to add more weight and play strength to successfully play this style consistently at the NHL level, but he’s already more than holding his own against men in the SHL and Champions HL.
Speed and playmaking elements seem to be hallmarks of Westergard’s game so far, but we’ll see how far he can come with creating offense for himself with that speed.
A small sample size, yes, but Westergard is already showing signs of maturity and talent that bode well for an NHL future with the Flyers.
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