Matthew Gard News: Links up with Philly in Round 2

Gard was the 57th overall pick by Philadelphia in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday.

Gard has elite size (6-foot-4), solid foot speed and is a center. Those are three things every single NHL organization is looking for on draft day. The offense? Well, that's a work in progress. Gard finished 2024-25 with 19 goals and 36 points in 66 regular-season appearances for WHL Red Deer, which are underwhelming numbers for a legitimate prospect. To Gard's credit, he does the little things well. He wins board battles and has a physical element to his game. Although the upside here is limited, Gard might be able to use his combination of size and speed to develop into a fourth-line penalty killer.