Sharks take defenseman Keaton Verhoeff with No. 9 pick at NHL draft
The right-shot defenseman is the highest drafted player in Victoria Royals history after San Jose addressed a blue-line need with the No. 9 pick.
- On Friday, the San Jose Sharks selected University of North Dakota defenseman Keaton Verhoeff ninth overall in the 2026 NHL Draft, marking the highest drafted player ever from the Victoria Royals organization.
- General manager Mike Grier acquired the ninth overall pick from the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, trading winger William Eklund and prospects Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda to secure the selection.
- Standing six-foot-four and 216 pounds, Verhoeff credits coaches James Patrick and Don MacGillivray for his development. "Jeep was a huge game changer for me," Verhoeff said of his former mentor.
- The Sharks also selected Swedish-born winger Ivar Stenberg in the first round, holding the 27th overall pick as Friday's first round concluded.
- Verhoeff plans to return to the University of North Dakota for his sophomore season to anchor the defensive corps, joining an organization featuring Hart Trophy finalist Macklin Celebrini.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Schlossman: Keaton Verhoeff waited, then landed in ideal situation
GRAND FORKS — Keaton Verhoeff may have waited a few minutes longer than he expected Friday night. But sometimes, good things come to those who wait. The UND freshman defenseman was selected No. 9 overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo's KeyBank Center. It may not have been in the top five, which was a possibility entering the night. But Verhoeff joined an organization with one of the most intriguing young cores in the NH…
Sooke News Mirror
Port Alberni Valley NewsFormer Victoria Royals defenceman Verhoeff selected 9th overall in 2026 NHL draft
A towering defenceman has shattered the Victoria Royals franchise record at the NHL entry draft. The San Jose Sharks selected Keaton Verhoeff ninth overall in the first round of the 2026 draft on Friday (June 26), making the right-shot blue-liner the highest drafted player to ever come through the Victoria organization. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Victoria Royals (@victoriaroyals) The selection eclipses the previous benchmark …
UND’s Verhoeff + Moorhead’s Cullen selected Top 10 in the 2026 NHL Draft
On Friday, June 26, the National Hockey League hosted the first round of the league’s annual entry level draft. University of North Dakota freshman defenseman, Keaton Verhoeff, was selected with the ninth overall pick by the San Jose Sharks. In his freshman season at UND, Verhoeff totaled 20 points on six goals and 14 assists over 36 games. The six-foot-four-inch defenseman is listed around 210 pounds and will make the decision to either return …
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 46% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
