Overview
- The Calgary Flames officially drafted center Jack Hextall with the No. 30 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
- NHL Central Scouting ranked Hextall 34th among North American skaters and public boards averaged him near the mid-30s, so the No. 30 selection modestly exceeded consensus placement.
- Hextall scored 20 goals and 38 assists for 58 points in 59 USHL games for the Youngstown Phantoms as the club finished first in the league; he added one goal and one assist in four playoff games in an early upset loss.
- Scouts praise Hextall for his playmaking, high motor, power-play shooting, and faceoff work while noting questions about his consistent 5-on-5 impact and ceiling as a high-end producer.
- The pick gives Calgary a versatile middle‑six prospect who will remain at Michigan State for 2026–27 and whose NCAA development and adjustment to 5-on-5 play will determine how quickly he projects to reach the NHL.