Keaton Verhoeff had a busy season. Not only did the 18-year-old defenseman start his NCAA career with North Dakota, but he also played for Canada at the World Junior Championship (winning a bronze medal) before returning to the Fighting Hawks and helping them go all the way to the Frozen Four semifinal.

He easily could have taken the rest of the spring off in preparation for the NHL draft, but instead, he hooked up with Team Canada again for the world under-18s, where he captained a squad that lost a tough quarterfinal matchup against Sweden.

One of the top prospects in the draft heading into the season, Verhoeff has maintained that lofty position after leaving WHL Victoria and jumping to the NCAA, where he put up 20 points in 36 games for North Dakota. Needless to say, the Fighting Hawks were stoked to have him on campus.

“It was nothing but thrill and excitement,” said assistant coach Dillon Simpson, who handles the defense corps. “He’s a kid who has all the tools in the world, and you saw what he did at such a young age with Victoria. So it was a huge get for us – but even more so after we got to know him. The type of kid he is, the presence he has and how he goes about his business, made it that much more exciting. He’s super likable as a teammate and has such a mature presence as a young guy. It puts a cherry on top.”

Verhoeff, who turned 18 a week before the 2026 NHL draft, also got to experience all the perks of being on the most popular team in a state that doesn’t have a major professional sports team and loves its Fighting Hawks.

“It was awesome,” Verhoeff said. “Our fans are amazing. During my visit, our coach talked about the way our fans travel and fill away rinks. A prime example for me is that, for Arizona State, some fans bought ASU season tickets, then sold the rest of the games when we weren’t there. We really feel the support, and it’s amazing.”

The travel was also a step up. While he and his teammates back in Victoria had to take a ferry off the island before even starting a bus trip for away games, the Fighting Hawks often lived up to their name by taking flights.

“We usually chartered if it was anything over a four-hour drive,” he said. “The travel time is always important to get to know your teammates more. You really feel like you’re treated like a pro. It’s super special and fun to be held to that standard.”

Those plane trips also gave him a chance to bond with teammates by playing cards, board games and impostor games they found on TikTok.

At the Frozen Four in Las Vegas, their squad ran into a hot Wisconsin team that ground down the Fighting Hawks in the semifinal. The Badgers’ forecheck was difficult to deal with, and that sort of pressure is something scouts saw Verhoeff learning about all season long. But they also appreciated how North Dakota’s coaches helped him adjust.

“There’s a ton of skill and really good players in junior hockey, but you often get more time and space there to look for that next-best play,” Simpson said. “Keaton had a great mindset coming in, knowing the defensive side of the game was something he wanted to focus on improving, so he bought in to trusting us to put him in spots to succeed. There were times when we could push him, and maybe he’s a little uncomfortable, but it’s good for his development. At other times, we could put him in spots where he could do what he does best and have success. We saw down the stretch that if he was playing against top lines, we weren’t concerned.”

And even if it wasn’t always easy, he came to the NCAA for a reason: to take the next step in his development.

“Going into the year, I knew I had some holes in my game that I wanted to feel and fix,” he said. “Having the opportunity to play those older, stronger guys was super helpful for me. I switched my game from being a run-and-gun guy to someone who plays more mature and a complete 200-foot game. I was happy with how my game developed.”

Verhoeff plans to be back in North Dakota next season. Away from the rink, he’ll keep working in classes like sports communication, which sounds like it will come in handy for the burgeoning star.

“I learned about the media side of things and saw what your guys’ point of view is,” he said. “That was helpful for me, just learning what you guys are thinking when talking to us.”

Well, Keaton, right now, we’re thinking that we’ll be writing about you for the next decade or two.

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This feature appeared in The Hockey News' Draft Preview issue featuring Gavin McKenna on the cover.

Not only does it feature scouting reports on the NHL draft's top 100 prospects, but it also goes further into the stories of some of the top players available, such as McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, Keaton Verhoeff, Carson Carels, JP Hurlbert and the Ruck twins.

There are also team-by-team reports that cover immediate and long-term needs, cap situation, players in the system, shrewd picks from the past and not so shrewd picks. It's worth a read during and after the draft.