Flames select Jack Hextall No. 30 overall at the 2026 NHL Draft

The Calgary Flames have selected center Jack Hextall with the Jack Hextall overall selection of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.

Hextall was projected to be selected around 35th overall on average across all of the main draft rankings, going as high as 18th and as low as 64th. He was also ranked 34th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis projected him to go slightly below consensus at 39th overall.

Ellis had this to say about Hextall in his most recent draft rankings:

“Hextall had multi-point efforts in nearly all my viewings this year, both internationally and domestically, with Youngstown. He was no stranger to dominant performances, showcasing a dynamic skill set with an endless motor. That’s what I love about his game – he won’t be a high-end producer in the NHL, but he can play a variety of roles while being effective. He has a good shot, but he’s even better as a setup guy. On the power play, he doesn’t waste much time blasting shots past goalies. I also think he got better physically as the season wore on. I think he’ll be a solid support player at the next level unless he can figure out how to be more impactful at 5-on-5.”

Hextall spent the entirety of his 2025-26 season with the Youngstown Phantoms in the United States Hockey League. He played in 59 games that season, accumulating 20 goals and 38 assists for 58 points as the Phantoms finished first in the Eastern Conference and the USHL with a 43-14-3-2 record. The Rolling Meadows, Illinois, product was 15th in the USHL in points and 10th in assists.

Hextall also had a goal and an assist for two points in four playoff games, as the Phantoms were upset in the conference semifinals by the Madison Capitols after getting a bye in the first round. Hextall was tied for third in scoring on Youngstown.

Hextall is committed to Michigan State University for the 2026-27 season.