Keaton Verhoeff – 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Profile – The Hockey Writers – NHL Entry Draft

Keaton Verhoeff

2025-26 Team: University of North Dakota (NCAA)
Date of Birth: June 19, 2008
Place of Birth: Fort Saskatchewan, AB, Canada
Ht: 6-foot-4 Wt: 212 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Defenseman
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2026 first-year eligible

Rankings

Keaton Verhoeff was one of several high-end prospects to take their talents to the NCAA when the rules changed to allow Canadian Hockey League (CHL) players to go to college. In his draft minus one year, he was regarded as a projected top-five pick after scoring 21 goals in the Western Hockey League (WHL), and that hasn’t changed in his draft year. His transition to the NCAA has been almost seamless, as the goalie-turned-defenseman is at nearly the same goal and point pace for North Dakota as he was for the Victoria Royals.

Related: THW’s 2026 NHL Draft Guide

Verhoeff’s prowess at the college level also caught the eyes of the Hockey Canada brass as they added him to their roster for the 2026 World Juniors. He didn’t look out of place among 19 and 20-year-olds, either. The 17-year-old had an impressive four assists in five games playing limited minutes alongside fellow draft prospect Carson Carels.

In college, Verhoeff has quickly developed into a top option for North Dakota head coach Dane Jackson, as he regularly deploys him over 20 minutes a night. His size and right shot are two obvious reasons why he will be a top pick this year, but his skills go beyond that. Along with his high-end hockey IQ in the offensive zone, he possesses a hard and accurate slapshot and wrist shot that he’s not afraid to use, especially on the power play. He will almost certainly be an elite power-play quarterback in the NHL one day, as he’s already showcasing that fact at a high level in the NCAA.

While Verhoeff skates well for his size, many scouts and experts point to his backward skating and mechanics (pivots, four-way mobility, etc.) as areas for improvement. They describe it as “average”, which could hold him back from hitting the heights of what 2025 first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer is doing in the NHL right now. That said, those things can be fixed with the help of a skating coach. He also needs to work on his rush defense, but as Luc Zdancewicz of McKeen’s Hockey points out, most of his issues there stem from his skating, which will be eliminated if that is fixed.

Other THW Draft Profiles

Keaton Verhoeff – NHL Draft Projection

The only draft expert that has Verhoeff outside the top five is Craig Button; everyone else has him either second, third or fourth. He will likely go very early, with an outside chance of first overall.

Quotables

“In the offensive zone, he is raw, but creative and smart, showing flashes of an explosive power-play defenseman. Though there are shortcomings in his skating and in his defensive game on rushes and in the defensive zones, he will most certainly be going back to college next season to continue to polish his game.” – Linc Zdancewicz, McKeen’s Hockey

“You look at his size and his ability to handle the puck as a big, strong defenceman…A lot of guys can’t do that at his size, but he plays the game the right way. He can skate, he can handle the puck, he can make plays. All the tools to be a very high-end hockey player in the NHL.” – Hockey Canada head scout Byron Bonora

“Verhoeff has good vision and comfort on the puck (though he can occasionally bobble or over-skate it, and is prone to hanging onto it too long because he wants to make something happen), and a big, hard shot. He’s competitive. He’s just an average skater, though, and I’ve seen him struggle with pace — he’s smooth but can look a half step slow out of the blocks/pivots — which has left me lower on him than most. But he can make plays, he can run a power play, and he has an NHL shot.” – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic (from ‘2026 NHL Draft ranking: Ivar Stenberg takes top spot ahead of Gavin McKenna on Wheeler’s midseason top 64,’ The Athletic, 1/20/26)

“Verhoeff is a big two-way defenseman. He’s a strong skater, especially for his size. He isn’t flashy offensively, but he has good skill, sees the ice at a high level and makes difficult plays with a great point shot that will be a threat in the NHL. He’s hard on his checks and uses his size. He projects as a tough-minutes top-pair defenseman who could score at a quality clip.” Corey Pronman, The Athletic (from ‘2026 NHL Draft prospects: Chase Reid, Gavin McKenna and Keaton Verhoeff top Pronman’s ranking,’ The Athletic, 3/10/26).

Verhoeff has all the tools to become a top-pairing offensive defenseman and elite power-play quarterback. Even if his skating doesn’t improve, he will still be a solid NHLer. He models his game after Drew Doughty and Thomas Harley, so if he can improve in that area, his ceiling is pretty high.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 2/5, Reward – 5/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offence – 8/10, Defence – 7/10

Awards/Achievements

Verhoeff was a part of Team Canada at the 2026 World Juniors and walked away with a bronze medal. He also won gold at the 2025 U18 World Championship and bronze at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Interviews/Profile Links

Keaton Verhoeff Statistics

Videos