With the 30th pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft, the Calgary Flames selected Jack Hextall out of the USHL
Who is Jack Hextall?
| Position | Handedness | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centre | Right | 6’1″ / 185 cm | 184 lbs / 84kg |
Hextall hails from Rolling Meadows, Illinois, and is a right-shot who plays centre. He is committed to Michigan State University in the NCAA for the 2026-27 season.
Hextall’s on-ice production
Hextall played minor hockey with the Windy City Storm 13 AAA in the HPHL. He then would go on to play one season with the Chicago Mission 15U team before joining the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL.
| Year | Draft Relative | League | Team | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | D-1 | USHL | Youngstown Phantoms | 53 | 8 | 26 | 34 |
| 2025-26 | D+0 | USHL | Youngstown Phantoms | 59 | 20 | 38 | 58 |
Hextall’s performance has trended upward throughout his time in the USHL. This season, he was essentially a point-per-game player, which resulted in his draft stock rising. Hextall also appeared for the USA in the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, scoring seven points in five games.
Hextall’s strengths
Hextall’s biggest selling point is that he does a lot of things that winning teams value. He may not be the flashiest player in the 2026 draft class, but he consistently impacts the game through intelligence, work ethic, and attention to detail. The Calgary Flames have emphasized competitiveness and smart hockey sense when it comes to young players; Hextall checks many of the boxes they typically look for in prospects.
His greatest strength is his hockey IQ. Hextall processes the game at a high level, anticipates plays before they develop, and routinely makes smart decisions with and without the puck. He understands where to position himself in all three zones and rarely forces low-percentage plays. That intelligence allows him to influence games even when he is not producing offensively.
Another major asset is his playmaking ability. Hextall consistently finds teammates in advantageous positions and helps drive puck possession through quick, efficient decisions. He plays a connected style of hockey, supports the puck well, and helps create offensive opportunities through vision and timing rather than pure skill. Those traits often translate effectively to higher levels because they are not dependent on physical advantages.
Hextall’s areas of improvement
The biggest area for growth for Hextall is physical development. Hextall wins a lot of battles today through positioning, anticipation, and effort, but at higher levels, he will face older, stronger, and more physically mature opponents. To remain effective at centre, he needs to add muscle to his frame and improve his overall strength. More strength would help him protect pucks longer, establish inside positioning around the net, and become more difficult to knock off possession. It would also improve his effectiveness in faceoff situations and allow him to handle tougher defensive assignments against larger forwards.
Hextall projects as a smart playmaker and reliable two-way centre, but questions pop up about whether he can drive offence at a top-six NHL level. He often facilitates plays and supports teammates effectively, but he does not always take control of offensive sequences himself. Over the next few years, developing a more assertive offensive mindset could elevate his ceiling. That means attacking scoring areas more frequently, looking to use his shot when opportunities arise, and becoming more comfortable creating offence under pressure rather than always distributing the puck. His offensive IQ is already a major strength; becoming more of a scoring threat would make him much harder to defend.
Hextall’s next steps
Hextall’s next step is a significant one. After establishing himself as one of the USHL’s top draft-eligible centers, he is expected to join Michigan State in the NCAA, where he will face faster, stronger, and more physically mature competition. The NCAA has become one of the premier development paths for NHL prospects, and Michigan State’s recent success at developing NHL-calibre talent makes it an excellent environment for his continued growth. The primary goal over the next two seasons will be physical and offensive development. Hextall already possesses the hockey sense, defensive habits, and playmaking ability that project well to professional hockey. At Michigan State, the focus will be on adding strength, improving his explosiveness, and proving he can create offence consistently against older competition
Hextall will likely spend some time in college before earning a contract with the Flames. Then he could appear in the AHL, where his development will take the next level. If everything goes well, Hextall could be in the pros quicker than many expect
Projection with the Flames
Hextall’s projection is somewhat unique compared to many first-round prospects. His appeal is not built around elite physical tools or highlight-reel offensive talent. Instead, it stems from his hockey sense, playmaking ability, defensive reliability, and the belief that he can become the type of center coaches trust in every situation. Because of that, his floor appears relatively high, even if his ultimate ceiling may not be as flashy as some of the more offensively gifted players in the 2026 draft class.
In a best-case development path, Hextall grows into a highly intelligent two-way centre for the Flames capable of playing in all situations while producing top-six offence. The more realistic projection is that Hextall develops into a reliable middle-six center. In this role, he would likely slot as a second- or third-line center who contributes in all three zones, helps drive possession, and can be trusted in defensive situations. His intelligence and versatility would make him a valuable piece of a competitive lineup, even if he never becomes a point-per-game producer.
