Max Westergård – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

Westergård’s vision and overall smarts shine in his game. He had some brilliant passing sequences during the season, which even translated to the SHL, arguably hockey’s most difficult league outside the NHL. Westergård creatively finds ways to locate teammates for scoring chances, and he’s willing to battle for pucks along the boards to set everything up.

Off the puck, he’s effective as both a shooting and passing threat. He’s great at getting in the high-danger areas, giving him upside as a complementary player. Westergård intelligently creates offense for himself, too, but that was more prevalent when competing against his age group.

There’s work to be done both physically and defensively to reach his potential as a pro-ready player, but it’s not for a lack of trying. Westergård’s motor is good for someone with his physical profile, holding his own when engaging in contact, and he’s also active on the back check. While he’s not necessarily an all-around player at this stage, that could be his future.

Westergård flashed his skating speed, which was useful off the rush and when defending. He has several intriguing traits that NHL teams may like.

Other THW Draft Profiles

Max Westergård – NHL Draft Projection

Westergård is arguably a second-round talent, but he may slip. While impressive, his profile isn’t exactly unique. He could be a third- or fourth-round pick, as a result.

Quotables

“Offensively, there are a lot of good habits – he’s always driving to the net, and he gets his shots off quickly. But where things fall apart is when he needs to play any form of defensive hockey. It feels like he’s always out of position and doesn’t help out physically.” – Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff

“Max Westergard is a young, toolsy, high-compete winger with NHL skating, high-end hockey sense, and a well-rounded game. He’s trending toward being one of Finland’s top eligible forwards in a weaker draft class and has shown the ability to play up in age — both internationally and professionally. His ceiling will depend on how well he fills out physically and how quickly he can clean up puck management and develop his finishing ability.” – Neutral Zone

“He possesses excellent speed and agility, allowing him to navigate through defenders with ease. His quick acceleration and ability to change direction quickly makes him a constant threat in transition. This speed not only aids in offensive plays but also allows him to backtrack effectively, contributing to his defensive responsibilities.” – Jocke Andersson, FCHockey

Strengths

Under Construction – Improvements to Make

NHL Potential

If Westergård hopes to make an impact at the NHL level, it’ll likely be as a two-way player. With skill, IQ, and a decent motor, that can certainly be useful to a bottom-six.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 2.5/5, Reward – 3.5/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense – 5.5/10, Defense – 5/10

Awards/Achievements

Interviews/Links

Max Westergård Stats

Videos