Could the Bruins end up taking a center in the first round this year?
Although the Boston Bruins will not receive the Toronto Maple Leafs' 2026 first-round pick, they still have their own first-round pick. The Bruins have the 23rd overall pick in this year's draft and will be looking to land an impactful player with it.
The Athletic's Scott Wheeler recently released his first 2026 NHL Mock Draft, and he had the Bruins take an interesting center with the 23rd overall pick: Jack Hextall.
"Hextall isn’t a sexy, flashy, offensive first-rounder, but he’s well-liked and well-respected around the USHL and NHL, and widely viewed as a first-rounder for a lot of the same reasons Command is: a heavy stick, pro habits and details, position, etc. He’s got some big backers, and I could see the Bruins being interested in him as a potential future middle-six center behind James Hagens," Wheeler wrote.
Hextall, 18, spent this season with the Youngstown Phantoms and took a notable step forward with his development. In 59 games with the Phantoms this campaign, he had 20 goals, 38 assists, 58 points, and a plus-8 rating. This is after he had eight goals and 34 points in 53 games for Youngstown during the 2024-25 season.
With the Bruins needing help at the center position, it would be understandable if they took a chance on Hextall if he's still available once they are on the clock. He has the potential to become a good NHL forward later down the road.
It will be interesting to see if Hextall ends up being the Bruins' first-round pick this year. The 6-foot-1 center would be a nice addition to their prospect pool, but time will tell what happens on that front.