Canadian defender Keaton Verhoeff looks set to go high in this year’s NHL draft (June 26–27, 2026, at KeyBank Center in Buffalo).
And that’s no surprise for followers of IIHF play. The Alberta native represented his country at World Juniors and World U18 this year, winning gold in January before captaining the younger age group in Slovakia.
That was his second time with the U18s, a rare returnee on Canada’s roster. And he’s excited about the contribution international hockey has made to his impressive development.
“To come out here and compete, to play against the best of the best, it’s an incredible opportunity,” Verhoeff said of his time wearing the Maple Leaf.
“It’s the trust as well. It’s awesome to come out to the these tournaments.”
Canada’s Slovakian adventure ended prematurely, knocked out in the quarterfinal by eventual champion Sweden.
But amid that disappointment was a sense of growth.
“Every single game is another stepping stone,” Verhoeff said in Trencin. “There’s growth as a player, but most important as a team.
“You learn so much from getting together and finding that chemistry, and it’s super fun.”
Verhoeff won junior gold as one of the youngest players on a team that features the projected #1 draft pick, Gavin McKenna. Later, at the draft combine, McKenna talked up his team-mate’s talents.
“Keaton’s obviously a big boy and a very smart hockey player,” McKenna said. “Playing with him at World Juniors was my first time and he definitely didn’t disappoint.
“He’s got an unbelievable shot and he doesn’t seem to make mistakes back there. He’s going to be great in the next level for sure.”
Away from the international game, Verhoeff was one of the players who opted to play his draft year in the NCAA. After the CHL allowed 17-year-old players to move to college, the defender was quick to go to North Dakota.
He left the Victoria Royals after two seasons and immediately played his way into the NCHC all-rookie team after helping North Dakota to the regular season championship, collecting 20 points in 36 regular-season games along the way.
At North Dakota, he was working with head coach Dane Jackson, who was associate head coach as Jake Sanderson emerged through the system to step into the Ottawa Senators lineup at the start of the 2022-2023 season. Sanderson arrived at North Dakota after being selected at #5 and played two years in college, honing his game.
And Jackson anticipates a similar path for Verhoeff, a player he believes will benefit from another year or two in college to close the gap to the big league.
Verhoeff himself believes that playing against bigger, faster, stronger opponents has helped him to grow up fast and add new levels to his play. “I rounded out my game and became a more mature defenceman,” he said at the combine.
And he may have another insight from an earlier time in his career after taking his first steps as a goalie rather than a skater.
While Verhoeff admits it was a very different style of hockey among kids still learning to skate, he agreed that it gives him a slightly different view of the ice – whether that’s boxing out forwards, or coming down the ice and finding the most testing shot at the opposition net.
“It changes my opinion on goaltending,” he said. “It gives a different perspective for sure.”
And that’s no surprise for followers of IIHF play. The Alberta native represented his country at World Juniors and World U18 this year, winning gold in January before captaining the younger age group in Slovakia.
That was his second time with the U18s, a rare returnee on Canada’s roster. And he’s excited about the contribution international hockey has made to his impressive development.
“To come out here and compete, to play against the best of the best, it’s an incredible opportunity,” Verhoeff said of his time wearing the Maple Leaf.
“It’s the trust as well. It’s awesome to come out to the these tournaments.”
Canada’s Slovakian adventure ended prematurely, knocked out in the quarterfinal by eventual champion Sweden.
But amid that disappointment was a sense of growth.
“Every single game is another stepping stone,” Verhoeff said in Trencin. “There’s growth as a player, but most important as a team.
“You learn so much from getting together and finding that chemistry, and it’s super fun.”
Verhoeff won junior gold as one of the youngest players on a team that features the projected #1 draft pick, Gavin McKenna. Later, at the draft combine, McKenna talked up his team-mate’s talents.
“Keaton’s obviously a big boy and a very smart hockey player,” McKenna said. “Playing with him at World Juniors was my first time and he definitely didn’t disappoint.
“He’s got an unbelievable shot and he doesn’t seem to make mistakes back there. He’s going to be great in the next level for sure.”
Away from the international game, Verhoeff was one of the players who opted to play his draft year in the NCAA. After the CHL allowed 17-year-old players to move to college, the defender was quick to go to North Dakota.
He left the Victoria Royals after two seasons and immediately played his way into the NCHC all-rookie team after helping North Dakota to the regular season championship, collecting 20 points in 36 regular-season games along the way.
At North Dakota, he was working with head coach Dane Jackson, who was associate head coach as Jake Sanderson emerged through the system to step into the Ottawa Senators lineup at the start of the 2022-2023 season. Sanderson arrived at North Dakota after being selected at #5 and played two years in college, honing his game.
And Jackson anticipates a similar path for Verhoeff, a player he believes will benefit from another year or two in college to close the gap to the big league.
Verhoeff himself believes that playing against bigger, faster, stronger opponents has helped him to grow up fast and add new levels to his play. “I rounded out my game and became a more mature defenceman,” he said at the combine.
And he may have another insight from an earlier time in his career after taking his first steps as a goalie rather than a skater.
While Verhoeff admits it was a very different style of hockey among kids still learning to skate, he agreed that it gives him a slightly different view of the ice – whether that’s boxing out forwards, or coming down the ice and finding the most testing shot at the opposition net.
“It changes my opinion on goaltending,” he said. “It gives a different perspective for sure.”