With the 30th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Calgary Flames selected American centre Jack Hextall. The 6-foot-1, right-shot centre scored 20 goals and added 38 assists in 59 games for the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL this past season.
Hextall's Path to the NHL
Hextall is set to join Michigan State University in the fall, where he will play alongside Cullen Potter, a Flames prospect taken 32nd overall in 2025. “I think they’re going to get a competitive player, a smart player and I do whatever I can to help my team win,” Hextall said on Sportsnet’s draft broadcast.
Scouting Report
Scouts praise Hextall’s vision on the ice and his ability to find teammates with passes. While his skating still needs refinement, his competitiveness is considered a major asset. The Flames had previously taken left-shot defenceman Carson Carels with the sixth overall pick earlier in the night.
Flames' Draft Strategy
This marks the third consecutive year the Flames have added a centre in the first round, following two centres selected in 2025. The team continues to build depth down the middle, and Hextall's offensive production in the USHL suggests he could develop into a reliable two-way forward.
