One of the biggest complaints from fans of the Flyers is that the team doesn't seem willing to leave its past behind. The team prefers to keep things "in family" when it comes to hiring for team positions. The current admin of the Philadelphia Flyers has Daniel Briere, Keith Jones, Bill Barber, Bobby Clarke, John LeClair, Patrick Sharp, Paul Holmgren, and Sam Morin, amongst others, in key positions of leadership. Except for Chuck Fletcher, every Flyers' GM since 1995 was a former Flyers' player.
It doesn't end there. Remember Mike Knuble? The Flyers drafted his son, Cole, in 2023. Earlier this year, Cole signed a two-year contract. At least he is a fairly good prospect.
Well, Flyers-nepotism can continue. A cousin of a former Flyer could end up drafted to Philly. His name is Jack Hextall. His father, Corey, is Ron's cousin and is part of the great Hextall dynasty. Jack, though, has never met Ron. And no, Jack isn't a goalie. He's a center and could be someone the Flyers consider.
Hextall plays for the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL and could be part of a recent trend of Flyers top prospects from that league, including Shane Vansaghi, Devin Kaplan, and Knuble. Hextall stands at 6'3" and weighs 185 lbs. Considering he played mostly on the second line, he scored 58 points in 59 games this year.
Depending on which draft source you look at, he could land anywhere from #20 to #40. That's a wide range, but it depends on what you are looking at. There are hundreds of prospects from Europe and North America to look at, so after the top ten or twelve players, it starts to get a little muddy.
One of Hextall's strengths is his speed. He is widely regarded as a quick mover with a high-end motor. The Hockey Writers wrote this about his abilities:
"Hextall has a real willingness to drive to the net. He has nice hands, sets up plays, and is a legitimate power-play weapon. His elite hands on the rush allow him to enter the offensive zone with control and create chances at full speed. His wrist shot is accurate, and he’s not afraid to score in the hard or “dirty” areas."Matthew Buhrmann
"Legitimate power-play weapon." That alone sounds like something the Flyers desperately need, as they have stunk on the power play since before COVID was a thing. A guy who can win a draw in the offensive zone and get a power play moving would be a great addition.
However, the knock on him is that he is a bit small. Not that 6'3" is small, but he needs to bulk up a bit. Some scouts see him as a bottom-six forward, but with his skill set, he could creep up on the lines. We'll see. A lot can change between being 18 years old and being 20, 22, or 24.
If you are looking for a player to make an immediate impact, Jack Hextall is probably not your guy. If you are looking at someone who might be able to replace Christian Dvorak, Noah Cates, or Sean Couturier after a few years of seasoning in a junior league and/or the AHL, then he might be worth taking a look at. This pick might be playing more of the long game, like Jett Luchanko was in 2024, but much like Luchanko, it might be worth it in the long term. And who knows, maybe Jack Hextall might live up to his family's legacy.
