Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen may use the club's Round 1 selection in the 2026 NHL Draft as part of a blockbuster trade but, if that type of roster-altering deal doesn't materialize, the front office isn't pigeonholed into a specific position with the No. 27 overall pick.
We previously saw the Sabres linked to one of the class' most intriguing defensemen, Xavier Villeneuve, and now Hannah Stuart of Bleacher Report is projecting Buffalo to select USHL standout forward Jack Hextall in a mock draft released Wednesday.
"From what we've seen of the Buffalo Sabres this season, it is not difficult to picture Hextall fitting into their identity," Stuart wrote. "He's versatile, useful on either the wing or at center, and trusted both with and without the puck. We've seen tantalizing moments where he's shown deception and creativity in his already good playmaking; moving forward, it would be good to see him make that a regular part of his play."
Hextall, along with many of the class' top prospects, are in Buffalo this week for the 2026 NHL Scouting Combine. The draft is also taking place in the City of Good Neighbors this year, with the opening round set for June 26 at the KeyBank Center.
The 6-foot-1 center is coming off an impressive campaign with the Youngstown Phantoms, scoring 58 points (20 goals and 38 assists) across 59 USHL appearances.
Phantoms head coach Ryan Ward expressed effusive praise of the potential first-round pick.
"He's a complete 200-foot centerman ... I'm not sure that in my four years in the USHL, I've seen a centerman play as complete a game as Jack," Ward told Mike G. Morreale of NHL.com. "Unfortunately, we're in a day and age where if you're looking at elite prospects, you want to see guys that have 100 points. But the reality of the situation is, Jack cares a (heck) of a lot about every facet of the game, whether it's shutting teams down in critical moments or needing a momentum shift in the offensive zone. He takes that personally and wants to make sure that he's the most complete player that he can possibly be."
His scoring production did take a significant step forward this season after tallying a more modest 34 points in 53 games for Youngstown in 2024-25.
Hextall has committed to play college hockey for Michigan State starting in the fall, and he'll probably end up spending at least two years with the Spartans based on his development trajectory.
Jack Hextall's offensive growth at Michigan State will determine his NHL fate
Hextall gives off a similar vibe to Sabres forward Noah Ostlund. He's not going to blow you away with his attacking skill and he probably won't become a perennial 90-point scorer in the NHL, but his team is seemingly always better when he's on the ice.
His defensive awareness is off the charts for an 18-year-old center, and his hockey IQ consistently stands out. It feels like he's constantly in the right spot on the ice.
Now the question is whether the the Illinois native can get his offensive game to a level that'll make him a viable middle-six center at the sport's highest level.
Hextall should benefit from playing against elite collegiate competition at Michigan State, and the Spartans are building a strong roster for 2026-27, which means there will be a fierce battle for playing time as he arrives to East Lansing for his freshman season.
Expecting a point explosion right away probably isn't fair. Even the forward, who was a Team USA standout at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup last August, understands there's a learning curve.
"I think it's just being more comfortable playing against older players, and the USHL is a hard league," Hextall told Morreale about college hockey. "Obviously, my first year I adjusted and then, my second year, I was more comfortable."
Similar growth across a couple seasons at Michigan State would be a great sign.
Specifically, Hextall needs to prove himself as a player who's willing to do the dirty work around the crease to score gritty goals. What he lacks in highlight-reel flash, he's more than capable of making up for with his compete level in front of net.
If that happens, everything else should fall into place for the otherwise well-rounded center. He certainly possesses an NHL skill set when playing his best hockey.
The Sabres also have enough talent, both on the big club and in their system, to bring Hextall along slowly if they do select him late in the first round.
A few seasons with the Spartans followed by a campaign or two with the AHL's Rochester Americans would put him on a path to arrive in the NHL around the start of the new decade.
That's a realistic timetable for Hextall, whether he lands with Buffalo or another organization.
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