Jack Hextall was with the Youngstown Phantoms last year and built a name for himself as a 200 ft player. How will this translate to college, and how much of an impact can he make as a Spartan?
Jack Hextall is joining a stacked Michigan State roster that has championship aspirations. With the Spartans bringing in a lot of high-end talent, where does Hextall fit into the mix, and how will he bring value to the roster?
Hextall was drafted 30th overall by the Calgary Flames this past June, and although he’s a first-round pick, there will be a lot of players ahead of him in the depth chart, especially if he plays down the middle.
One trait that will get him on the ice is his instincts away from the puck. He does an excellent job getting into passing lanes and taking away options through the middle of the ice, while his smooth skating stride allows him to stay involved defensively without getting caught out of position. He consistently finds open areas where his teammates can get him the puck, giving him value as an outlet and helping keep plays moving.
In transition, he defends well by forcing opponents to slow their pace while still maintaining the ability to handle quick passes and changes in direction. With the puck, he is generally a simple, efficient passer who makes the right play and keeps the game moving. At times, he can try to be a little too cute with the puck, but for the most part, he plays within himself and makes sound decisions.
He is more of a give-and-go player right now, but I would like to see him develop more of a possession-based game. There are opportunities for him to take more control of shifts, dictate the pace, and be more aggressive when he has the puck on his stick. He is already a fairly deceptive skater, and if he can add another gear to his pace, he could become a difficult player for defenders to contain.
Towards the end of the year in 2026 for Youngstown, he really dialled up his defensive effort and consistency, and that will be a large part of his game this year.
He will likely play a bottom-six role where he is asked to play against some top lines and will be expected to kill penalties and play an overall gritty and shutdown role.
He has the tools to do so and will make a large impact on this roster in that given role.
You can put him next to some high-skill players and allow him to be the more defensive and safe player on the line, or you can let him be the offensive play-driver alongside some higher-motor and heavy puck retrievers.
There will be a lot asked of him, and I believe he’s going to be up to the challenge.
