1st choice: “Keaton Verhoeff will seriously threaten Gavin McKenna”

Dose
Crédit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvSgoOyXTN8

The 2026 draft is likely to be a lot more exciting than this summer’s. Not only is there a certain Gavin McKenna who we’re hearing more and more about, but there are also several other good prospects who shouldn’t be overlooked.

While McKenna is pretty much guaranteed to be selected at the very top, there’s a certain Keaton Verhoeff who could warm his behind.Hold on to that name, it’s likely to make a lot of pairs of eyes widen.Verhoeff is a 6 foot 4 inch right-handed defenseman. Butthat’s not all: he can do it all on the ice: he’s the perfect prototype that has every manager salivating. The Hlinka-Gretzky Cup will be a good way to see him play in August, as he’s captain of the Canadiens.

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[content-ads]Realistically, he doesn’t seem to have any weaknesses. He’s big and tall (6 feet, 4 inches and 212 pounds), has quite a skating stroke for his size and has an excellent, powerful and accurate shot. What’s more, Verhoeff has great vision and is more than responsible defensively.Some see him as an Aaron Ekblad with greater offensive potential. Inshort, Verhoeff has what it takes to threaten McKenna for the top spot in the upcoming draft. There aren’t many right-handed defensemen in the world with all these attributes.When I tell you he’s got quite a shot, take a look for yourself with this short video showing his highlights from last season.

Verhoeff played with the Victoria Royals for the last two years, where he scored 45 points, including 21 goals, in 63 games in 2024-25. But he (too) opted to play in the NCAA with the University of North Dakota in 2025-26. His Royals teammate, Cole Reschny, will also go to North Dakota next year. Interestingly, he was born in June 2008, making him one of the youngest players in the 2026 draft, which is also true for many. Some even see him becoming a better defenseman than Matthew Schaefer, the last first-ever draft pick. The stats speak for themselves:

Verhoeff and McKenna have an extremely important season ahead of them in the NCAA, and the latter absolutely must not take next season lightly.

Click here for more Verhoeff highlights – he’s a real gem, as is McKenna. spacer title=’Overtime’] – If he can stay healthy, my vote goes to Celebrini. And you?

– Must read.

– Thomas Müller should have a big season with the Vancouver Whitecaps.