A long-rumored move finally occurred as Michigan picked up another commitment
After months of rumors, Jack Nesbitt has formally committed to Michigan for the 2026-27 season. Michigan adds another draft pick to its deepest forward class in years.
Nesbitt, who plays center, immediately becomes the tallest person in the Wolverines’ lineup (which always tends to run shorter). At six-foot-five and 183 pounds, he needs to fill out his frame a bit more, but a summer spent with trainer Joe Maher will certainly help that.
He’s from Sarnia and spent the last three years playing with the Windsor Spitfires, who drafted him 20th overall in 2023. Nesbitt grew from recording just 18 points in 58 games in his first season to becoming a point-per-game player in his next two seasons, notching 25 goals and 33 assists in 55 games. He centered RW Liam Greentree and LW Ethan Belchetz (headed to MSU) this year on the Spits’ top line, though Belchetz missed the back half of the year with a broken clavicle, so they weren’t linemates the whole year. Nesbitt was also suspended for three games in November for receiving a fighting major against Saginaw; hilariously, it was his second suspension in two years for fighting against Saginaw.
Nesbitt is a first round draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers, so it would probably be best to put him and Pens prospect Will Horcoff on separate lines. I kid, but I do think it’s unlikely that they’ll be playing much together; if Horcoff puts his game together more consistently, he and Michael Hage will probably be stapled together.
Nesbitt was somewhat of a reach for the Flyers at that pick because he’s still, as one scout put it, a work in progress. He projects as a two-way, bottom-six center in the NHL — if he makes it there (a few scouts I spoke with had doubts). He’s a clunky skater, his offense doesn’t pop and his hands aren’t great.
What he does well is facilitate plays. He’s an excellent passer and has good vision on the ice, and isn’t afraid to use his size. Nesbitt is also a strong two-way player and is structured defensively, which will mesh well with coach Brandon Naurato’s message of defensive responsibility for all players.
If all the forwards listed on Elite Prospects as joining the team actually joined, MIchigan would have five extra forwards, so I don’t anticipate all of them will. I expect Alex Hage to stay in the OHL another year, which takes it down to four, but that’s still too many. However, Nesbitt’s commitment has been a long time coming for Michigan, and I see him slotting into the lineup at 3C.