After Jackson Henningsgard finished his junior season with six points in Oregon’s final five games to tie for the team lead with 16 points, he knew his senior year would bring an increased role.

Henningsgard spent his offseason on the ice and in the weight room preparing to be one of the Ducks’ best players, but when he returned to Eugene, the role had drastically changed. With the departure of several seniors, Henningsgard was left as the only senior in Oregon’s forward group, thrusting him into an unexpected leadership role.

“It was a shock at the beginning of the year when we had to lose some guys that we weren’t expecting to, but you just have confidence in the team around you,” Henningsgard said. “It doesn’t really matter their age, we’re all playing the same sport — we’re all playing on the same ice.”

Despite the chaotic start to his senior season, Henningsgard has shattered the club’s previous Division I single-season points record of 19, sitting at 29 with four games remaining. Henningsgard joined the team ahead of its first Division I season in 2022, and in his senior year, he is setting it up for the future, playing on a line with freshman points leader Inde Abresch and runner-up Jackson Ebbott.

“Being one of the few seniors that we have, especially up front, he’s been a great role model for all the new guys that have been coming in,” Oregon head coach Jack Hyman said.

Henningsgard overcame the tumultuous offseason to record points in Oregon’s first six ACHA games, totaling 10 in that span. While Henningsgard retained his production from the end of his junior season, Abresch matched the senior’s point total in his first six ACHA games.

“The recruits that we brought in this year are great. I don’t think it’s a hard school to recruit to — I think people want to come here, and I think it’s only going to get better,” Henningsgard said. “You can see the freshman class having a great year this year, so that’s just going to extend into the following seasons, and this program will keep exponentially growing.”

Henningsgard’s consistency lapsed in Oregon’s most difficult stretch of the season, but he finished 2025 with 14 points in 12 games. On Dec. 13, 2025, Henningsgard was held off the scoresheet in a 9-1 loss to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Since then, Henningsgard has recorded a point in six straight games to match his early-season streak.

The streak began with eight points across two games against San Diego State University. Henningsgard diverted from his typical playmaker role in game two to record his first career hat trick.

“I’ve always been a pass-first kind of player, so really having confidence in my shot right now is pretty fun because I’m still able to make those pass-first plays, but when I can shoot it, my teammates expect me to shoot it,” Henningsgard said.

Before the puck dropped for the Bend Outdoor Classic the next weekend, the most public-facing product of Henningsgard’s increased involvement in the club’s operations was revealed. In game one against the University of Alabama, the Ducks debuted a black alternate jersey, which Henningsgard helped produce.

“Truth be told, Jackson Henningsgard sort of took the reins on this,” Hyman said. “He was like, ‘I think it would be very cool to surprise the team with the black jerseys for Bend.’ He ran with that, and we did a little private reveal in our locker room Thursday night, so none of the guys knew what was gonna happen, and it was great.”

“It’s really cool to be a part of, to see this program grow, and even to add a fourth jersey this young in a program is pretty spectacular,” Henningsgard said.

The jerseys were well-received by both players and fans, and Henningsgard cut through the noise of the special series in alternate jerseys to tie the opening game 1-1 early in the second period. While the Ducks dropped the opener 3-2, they salvaged a split thanks to two Henningsgard goals in a 2-1 win. Oregon was swept by North Carolina State University the next weekend, but Henningsgard continued to power the Ducks’ offense with four points in the series.

Henningsgard came to Eugene from his hometown of Amery, Wisconsin, four years ago, knowing the University of Oregon for nothing besides its “football team and funny basketball court.” With four games remaining in his college hockey career, he has set a new standard for a team that has grown exponentially during his career.

“It’s been a lot of hockey throughout my life. I started skating when I was two or three years old, and it’s been my passion. It’s my favorite thing to do, and to be able to end it in this jersey is pretty awesome,” Henningsgard said. “We’ve got four games left, and I’m just looking forward to those, and then I think the reflecting will really set in.”