Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - In the days leading up to the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo, WGR will provide profiles on some players that could be available for the Sabres with the 27th overall pick in the first round.
Jack Hextall's draft year got started with a bang at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he finished second on the team in scoring with seven points (2+5) in five games, and helped the United States to a gold medal finish.
Hextall was then able to carry that strong play into his second season in the United States Hockey League with the Youngstown Phantoms, where he wrapped up the campaign with 58 points (20+38) in 59 games played. That was good enough to earn Hextall a spot on the USHL's Third-Team All-Star roster at the end of the year.
While Hextall doesn't play like the biggest player at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, he certainly plays with an edge thanks to his compete. He's not afraid to go wherever he needs to on the ice in order to make play, and is willing to go to battle for a puck along the boards, despite his smaller stature.
Hextall's stickwork is very good, as he's strong the forecheck and is good when protecting the puck. The strength on his stick also allows Hextall to get off a strong wrist shot or snap shot with conviction to the net.
The Rolling Meadows, Ill. native also has great touch with the puck on his stick, especially with his deceptiveness. He puck handles very well, and often leaves opposing goalies and defenders second-guessing his next move.
The deception is made possible by some exceptional vision and the ability to control the pace of play with the puck in his possession. He's able to slow down play when working the puck on a power play, allowing for plays to develop and lanes to open up for a shot or pass. He can also pick up the pace and use his acceleration to drive play into the offensive zone for a scoring chance.
With the Phantoms, Hextall was relied on at both ends of the ice, resulting in him playing on the power play, penalty kill and also in late-game situations when needing a goal or to preserve a lead.
While Hextall possesses good burst in his game, if he's able to clean up his footwork and skating technique just a bit, it should make him an even better threat overall, especially on the rush.
In addition, if Hextall is able to build up some strength to his game overall, it should help him become more of a difficult player to compete against shift-in and shift-out.
The 18-year-old is on the right development track going forward, as he's gearing up to attend Michigan State University for his Freshman season this fall. If he can jump into the Spartans roster and make an immediate impact with one of the better programs in the nation, the sky's the limit for the center.
