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Keaton Verhoeff
Canadian ice hockey player (born 2008) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Keaton Verhoeff (born June 19, 2008) is a Canadian college ice hockey defenseman for the North Dakota Fighting Hawks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). He previously played two seasons for the Victoria Royals of the Western Hockey League, and is considered a top prospect for the 2026 NHL entry draft.[1]
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Playing career
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Junior
Verhoeff had originally started playing hockey as a goaltender, and switched to defense when he was 12. He was drafted by the Victoria Royals fourth overall in the 2023 Western Hockey League (WHL) draft.[2]
On December 5, 2023, Verhoeff made his WHL debut with the Royals.[3] He would play in 11 more games with the club, scoring two assists. He would also be held scoreless in four playoff games.
Verhoeff entered his first full WHL season with high expectations. After leaving the team early in the season to represent Canada at the 2024 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, Verhoeff returned and impressed.[4] Verhoeff's play would lead to being named the WHL Rookie of the Week in mid-December, as well as being named a finalist for the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy for the WHL's top rookie.[5][6] In total, Verhoeff would finish his with 21 goals and 24 assists for 45 points in 63 games, setting the franchise record for goals by a defenseman, as well as becoming the third 16-year old defenseman in WHL history to score more than 16 goals in a season.[7] He also added a goal and nine assists in 10 playoff games.
Collegiate
After the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced in November 2024 that they would allow CHL players to join college ice hockey starting in 2025-26, many speculated whether Verhoeff would be one to take advantage of the new opportunity. On May 30, 2025, Verhoeff, alongside Royals teammate Cole Reschny, announced their commitment to University of North Dakota to join the Fighting Hawks.[8]
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International play
Verhoeff has represented Canada on the international stage, playing for the team during the 2024 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, 2025 IIHF World U18 Championships, where he won gold both times, and the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.[9][10][11] He captained Canada White in 2024, and served as an alternate captain at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where Canada earned bronze.[12]
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Career statistics
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External links
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