Sharks select Keaton Verhoeff No. 9 overall in 2026 NHL Draft

One of the 2026 NHL Draft class’ most well-rounded blueline prospects has a new team. The San Jose Sharks selected Keaton Verhoeff, 18, with the No. 9 overall pick Friday night at KeyBank Center in Buffalo.

Verhoeff falls into the physical archetype every NHL team covets: he’s a 6-foot-4, 208-pound, right-shot defenseman who moves well and can play loads of minutes in all situations. Already built like a man by his age-17 season, he left the WHL’s Victoria Royals after two years and tried his hand at Div. I college hockey with the University of North Dakota in the NCAA, becoming the third-youngest player ever to make the jump to that level. He made the NCHC All-Rookie team as a freshman. Verhoeff also represented Canada the 2026 World Junior Championship, winning bronze, after he was previously part of a gold-medal Canadian squad at the Under-17 World Challenge and Under-18 World Championship, and he suited up at the U-18s again this season.

Like many big, rangy blueliners, Verhoeff profiles as more of a long-term investment than an immediate dominator at the NHL level. He’s reasonably physical and has good offensive instincts, but his skating is good rather than great, and he didn’t perform too well at the NCAA Frozen Four, per Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis. Verhoeff is expected to improve quite a bit as a sophomore. His usage should increase, and he’ll play an important role for Canada at the 2027 WJC. There’s no doubting his raw physical tools. Case in point: Verhoeff originally developed at a goaltender, playing at a competitive level before switching to defense shortly before his teenage years. He’s played his “new” position for less than a decade.

Verhoeff’s body is NHL-sized; next, he’ll work on refining his game. His balanced skill set gives him the potential to become an Aaron Ekblad-like player down the road. That comparison is a popular one among scouts because their similarities are so obvious.