Keaton Verhoeff Scouting Report
#18 RD, Keaton Verhoeff
Team: North Dakota
Height/Weight: 6-4 212 lbs was 6-3 190 lbs at the 2023 WHL Bantam Draft. Has added 22 lbs of muscle since being drafted fourth overall by the Victoria Royals in the 2023 WHL Draft. Enrolls at North Dakota this fall.
Shoots: Right
DOB: June 19, 2008.
Overview: Was drafted fourth overall in the 2023 WHL Bantam Draft by the Victoria Royals. He did not see a lot of playing time as a rookie in the WHL. He really broke out in his second year beating out team captain Justin Kipkie for the number one defenseman job on the first line anchoring the blue line for the Victoria Royals. Keaton Verhoeff had 21 goals, 24 assists, 45 points, 12 penalty minutes, and a +23 +/- ratio in 63 WHL games in 2024-2025. Keaton Verhoeff had 1 goal, 9 assists, and 10 points in 11 games in the 2025 WHL Playoffs.
Player Projection: First line defenseman. Keaton Verhoeff has the floor of a first line defender and the ceiling of a NHL team captain that makes the NHL All Star game on a yearly basis since he showed he could supplant the Victoria Royals team captain Justin Kipkie as the Victoria Royals best defenseman as a 16-year-old in his +1 year. There are only a handful of defensemen that entered the NHL with the floor and ceiling of a number one defenseman on an NHL team at age 18. That group includes Aaron Ekblad, Victor Hedman, Drew Doughty, and Rasmus Dahlin. Drew Doughty and Aaron Ekblad are the only two right shot defenseman. Keaton Verhoeff reminds me more of Ekblad as his size is similar to Aaron Ekblad, the former first overall pick by the Florida Panthers in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
Strengths:
Release: Keaton Verhoeff can fire the puck quickly. He got rid of the puck in 0.3 seconds when scoring his first goal for North Dakota in the NCAA. He also knows how to get the puck in tough areas of the net very quickly. He also has the wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, and slap shot power you want in a goal scorer just like Gavin McKenna.
Size: Keaton Verhoeff has imposing size. His size is overwhelming compared to other defenders in the 2026 NHL Draft. Verhoeff can use his size as a weapon to overwhelm forwards in tight spaces.
Weaknesses:
Skating: He struggles to skate in a straight direction consistently. This is not a weakness, but it is also the biggest area of improvement in terms of refining his game because Keaton Verhoeff can skate effectively at times, but he does not skate effectively on a consistent basis. There are a number of reasons why. He is a choppy skater at times who does not always take straight strides, lacks explosiveness at times, his acceleration is inconsistent, and he also has poor balance. His stride varies near the boards meaning he will not always generate the necessary speed you want from a defender near the boards. Needs to improve puck retrievals on his inconsistent strides. Keaton Verhoeff has moments where his skating is a 4 out of 10 and other moments where his skating is an 8 out of 10.
Gap Control: Keaton Verhoeff has a tendency to over-commit and overshoot his gap which allows his opponent to get past him when he does not have the puck.
Skater Ratings:
Skating: 6
Puck Skill: 6
Scoring Ability: 8
Playmaking Ability: 8
Hockey Sense/IQ: 9
Character: 9
Physicality: 10
Defensive Play: 9