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Keaton Verhoeff
Defense · SJS · NCAA

Keaton Verhoeff

Age
18
Height
6'4"
Weight
208 lb
Shoots
R
Drafted
2026, round 1, 9th overall
Born
CAN
2026-27
NCAA · Univ. of North Dakota
Games
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
Points
0
Prospect score · 2026-27
High end

32nd of 1,160 prospects in the NHLnew

3rd in the SJS system · 2nd among its defensemen

+0.6WAR a season if he sticks
Outlook
NHL odds85%Becomes a full-time NHL player — 200 games by 26
Impact odds47%Better than the typical NHL regular among defensemen
Arrival2027-28The season his comps who made it typically became regulars
WAR a season if he sticks−0.0+0.6+1.2Low, middle and high outcomes among his comparables who became regulars

Of the 10 players most like him at the same point in their development, 9 became full-time NHL players.

Development

His scoring, converted to an NHL equivalent, against every player his age and position that season. Zero is the average player his age; the band is where his comparables were at each age.

-10+1+2+3151617Age2023-24, age 15, 12 GP: -0.46 vs. his age group (0.03 NHL-equivalent points per game)2024-25, age 16, 63 GP: +1.74 vs. his age group (0.13 NHL-equivalent points per game)2025-26, age 17, 36 GP: +1.30 vs. his age group (0.14 NHL-equivalent points per game)
HimMiddle half of his comps at that ageAverage player his age
Comparables

Past prospects at the same position and the same stage after their draft, matched on draft slot, age, size and league-adjusted production. What they became is already known. The outcome is judged at 26: 200 NHL games by then makes a regular.

#PlayerMatchNHL GP by 26Career NHL GPOutcomeWAR a season
1Cam Fowler2010 · #12 · at 1856%6201131Regular+0.57
2Noah Hanifin2015 · #5 · at 1854%678838Regular+0.95
3Zach Werenski2015 · #8 · at 1854%486647Regular+1.10
4Jakob Chychrun2016 · #16 · at 1853%541628Regular+0.46
5Seth Jones2013 · #4 · at 1847%658920Regular+0.96
6Juuso Välimäki2017 · #16 · at 1847%271271Regular+0.37
7Rasmus Ristolainen2013 · #8 · at 1847%608823Regular−0.09
8Mikhail Sergachev2016 · #9 · at 1845%552638Regular+1.16
9Charlie McAvoy2016 · #14 · at 1844%504574Regular+1.50
10Cal Foote2017 · #14 · at 1843%145145Did not stick—
Season by season
SeasonGPGAPtsPIM
2026-27NCAA · Univ. of North Dakota20000
2025-26WJC-20 · Canada U2050440
2025-26NCAA · Univ. of North Dakota366142029
2025-26Hlinka Gretzky Cup · Canada U1851340
2024-25WHL · Victoria Royals6321244514
2023-24WHL · Victoria Royals120222
2022-23U15 AAA · RINK HA Kelowna U15 Prep602760870
2022-23John Reid Memorial · RINK HA Kelowna U15 Prep53582
2022-23CSSHL U18 · RINK HA Kelowna U18 Prep10000
2022-23CSSHL U16 · RINK HA Kelowna U16 Prep20110
2022-23CSSHL U15 · RINK HA Kelowna U15 Prep2713334612
2022-23Alberta Cup · Team Alberta Black51340
2021-22AEHL U15 · Fort Saskatchewan Rangers U15 AAA3413243716

The prospect score is a percentile of his expected outcome among every prospect in the league: the chance he becomes a regular, times how good his comparables who did became against others at their position. A player who never sticks counts as zero, which is why a long shot with a high ceiling can rank below a safe bet. All Sabres prospects · How the rankings work