PWHL Detroit added another defender on Wednesday, signing Sydney Bard to a two-year contract through the 2027-28 season.
The deal makes Bard the sixth player under contract for Detroit and the club's first addition during Phase 3 of the PWHL's Expansion Player Distribution Process.
The 25-year-old defender spent the 2025-26 season with the Vancouver Goldeneyes, recording two assists in 30 games after joining the club through the 2025 PWHL Expansion Draft. Prior to her season in Vancouver, Bard began her professional career with the Boston Fleet, who selected her 22nd overall in the fourth round of the 2024 PWHL Draft.
Bard appeared in 30 games as a rookie with Boston in 2024-25, registering one goal and two assists. Her first PWHL goal came in just her third career game on Dec. 8, 2024.
Before turning pro, Bard enjoyed a decorated five-year collegiate career at Colgate University. The New Hartford, NY native helped the Raiders capture four ECAC championships and served as team captain during her senior season. She surpassed the 100-point mark in her final NCAA campaign and finished her collegiate career with 112 points, including 13 goals and 99 assists.
Internationally, Bard represented the United States at the 2019 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship, earning a silver medal.
The signing gives Detroit its second blue liner under contract, joining Olympic gold medalist Cayla Barnes, who was signed during Phase 2 of the expansion process. Bard will also reunite with forward Hannah Bilka, her former Boston teammate, after Bilka signed a two-year deal with Detroit earlier this week.
Detroit has been one of the busiest teams during expansion, previously adding forwards Daryl Watts, Britta Curl-Salemme and Jesse Compher, along with Barnes and Bilka.
Phase 3 of the expansion process allows expansion franchises to sign up to three players on expiring contracts before existing PWHL teams finalize their protection lists. The signing window remains open until Friday at 3 p.m. ET, with teams required to submit their protected-player lists two hours later ahead of the next phase of expansion.