With the ninth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the San Jose Sharks have selected Keaton Verhoeff. After selecting forward Ivar Stenberg second overall, the Sharks are hoping hard work pays off on Verhoeff.
Although Verhoeff has potential, he’s going to take a lot of patience. His lack of skating abilities leave a lot to be desired, and often result in him shying away from physicality. He will need work on the speed of his decision making and his instability on skates at a towering 6 foot 4 inches is reason for concern, as he's often easily knocked over. In his freshman season with University of North Dakota, Verhoeff registered 20 points (6G, 14A) and +7 in 36 games played. While last year's season certainly shows he can move the puck, he still has a lot of areas to improve on and requires work but his stick play is exceptional and has some potential. Thankfully, the NCAA can help his preparation to take the next step.Â
However, Verhoeff doesn’t seem to do particularly well under pressure. In this year’s NCAA tournament he noticeably fell short, and seriously struggled to maintain composure while playing on North Dakota’s bottom defensive pair. Â
Verhoeff’s large stature is certainly an appealing quality of his, but it doesn't make up for the long list of shortcomings. For now, Sharks fans can simply hope North Dakota will light a fire under him and propel him to take the next step in his development.
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