D Keaton Verhoeff - Victoria Royals, WHL (2026 Draft)

[GermanSpitfire]

Keaton Verhoeff - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Keaton Verhoeff, 2008-06-19 Fort Saskatchewan, AB, CAN Canada. Most recently in the WHL with Victoria Royals. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

Massive defender already at 15 (6’3”, 190lbs) - Verhoeff is a man amongst boys on the ice. Verhoeff is a very good two way defender already at his age. He is a kid that has good instincts that has surprising good puck skills and uses his size very well positioning himself well to win loose puck battles. There is always the chance that he is a kid that may be dominating because he is more physically developed than his peers at this stage, but nonetheless he is a guy to watch moving forward.

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[GermanSpitfire]

Interesting that PuckPreps has Verhoeff ranked #1 for the 2023 WHL Draft early on this season.

I think that’s a little optimistic - I love the player and he would be my #1 ranked defender for the WHL draft but #1 overall is real optimistic from the guys at PuckPreps.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

 

[GermanSpitfire]

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Has build on his last season, now playing in the U18 team.
4 games, 3 goals and 10 points.

 

[LeProspector]

this kid is 15!!? Yeah, definitely a kid that hit physical maturity earlier than his peers.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

+1
1 sog
his team won 5-4

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He's very raw. He's very tall, can skate well, plays good defense, but his puck game is hit or miss. He can make clean plays, but he also makes too many that he needs to improve on.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

8 goals, 30 points in the CSSHL U18 Prep

scored his 2nd WHL point (11th game) in his last game

He is huge 15 year old, 6 foot 3, 200+ lbs

 

[User1996]

Playing so many games as a 15 year old should really benefit him going into next year.

 

[landy92mack29]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1837349493957677353

 

[wetcoast]

He scored the GWG later in the 3rd period as well.

 

[landy92mack29]

He scored the GWG later in the 3rd period as well.

was in OT on a nice net drive feed from Reschny. He looked really good all game moving the puck and playing well in his zone. With Misskey+Kipkie gone to NHL camp he was the #1 dman tonight and didn't look out of place. Hopefully still gets good minutes when they come back.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1837356687499399575

 

[wetcoast]

was in OT on a nice net drive feed from Reschny. He looked really good all game moving the puck and playing well in his zone. With Misskey+Kipkie gone to NHL camp he was the #1 dman tonight and didn't look out of place. Hopefully still gets good minutes when they come back.

Thanks, I read the boxscore wrong I guess.

Good outing and hopefully part of a good core for Victoria going forward.

 

[macbowes]

Verhoeff looked absolutely fantastic in both games. Firstly, he's enormous, and skates very well. He's got decent hands, and a great release. Has really good offensive instincts, reading the play well, and activates at good times. Very exciting prospect.

 

[Bubbles]

So I just caught my first viewing of Keaton live. Wow, this kid is impressive. He is huge out there, and loves to initiate contact. He is not afraid to hit people. He had all kinds of ice time on PP and PK because all of the missing Dmen, but handled it fine. I could see him going Top 10 in 2026.

Right handed D, great size and skates well. That's catnip to NHL teams.

 

[landy92mack29]

So I just caught my first viewing of Keaton live. Wow, this kid is impressive. He is huge out there, and loves to initiate contact. He is not afraid to hit people. He had all kinds of ice time on PP and PK because all of the missing Dmen, but handled it fine. I could see him going Top 10 in 2026.

Right handed D, great size and skates well. That's catnip to NHL teams.

There's some Ekblad to his game. Early but the 26 WHL class is looking darn good

 

[hockeykid87]

This kid was an absolute freak show against Tri-City on the weekend. Already a top-pairing defenseman with like 15 games of WHL experience under his belt. Great shot, great skating, huge reach, huge in general. He is a monster. Write his name in ink for the top half of the 1st round in 2026.

 

[Bubbles]

This kid was an absolute freak show against Tri-City on the weekend. Already a top-pairing defenseman with like 15 games of WHL experience under his belt. Great shot, great skating, huge reach, huge in general. He is a monster. Write his name in ink for the top half of the 1st round in 2026.

Yeah looked good all weekend. I wonder if they should trade one of Kipkie or Misskey to get some forward help. I was keeping my eye on Reschny too and he looked like he was all alone offensively all game.

 

[macbowes]

 

[hockeykid87]

Yeah looked good all weekend. I wonder if they should trade one of Kipkie or Misskey to get some forward help. I was keeping my eye on Reschny too and he looked like he was all alone offensively all game.

I was not overly impressed with Reschny over the weekend. Didn't have a ton of help with a lot of Victoria's top offensive guys at camps, but Reschny seemed to hurt his team more than help them in the two games. Very undisciplined.

 

[MS]

6 points, +9 through 4 games.

This is the best 16 y/o WHL D in a very long time. 6'4 RHD with + mobility and + puck skills and is well-developed defensively.

 

[Leviathan899]

Verhoeff looked absolutely fantastic in both games. Firstly, he's enormous, and skates very well. He's got decent hands, and a great release. Has really good offensive instincts, reading the play well, and activates at good times. Very exciting prospect.

Hard to not see this kid at the very least be on the level of say Yakemchuk, who no disrespect to at all, he’s very good in itself.

6 points, +9 through 4 games.

This is the best 16 y/o WHL D in a very long time. 6'4 RHD with + mobility and + puck skills and is well-developed defensively.

Better than Rudolph?

 

[pgfan66]

Hard to not see this kid at the very least be on the level of say Yakemchuk, who no disrespect to at all, he’s very good in itself.


Better than Rudolph?

He very well may be.

 

[wetcoast]

He very well may be.

Ryan Lin is bad either but it's too early to tell, everyone is super excited about huge guys off to a big start.