Film Room: Keaton Verhoeff’s special toolkit should receive first overall consideration

While Gavin McKenna received all the headlines for his NCAA commitment to Penn State in the summer, Keaton Verhoeff has steadily adapted to college hockey more rapidly than the dynamic winger, brimming with aggression and confidence. 

Despite being one of the youngest top-end talents in the 2026 Draft, Verhoeff earned consideration for Canada’s World Junior Championships roster, cracking the training camp roster. If he makes it, the 6-foot-4 right-shot defenceman would become just the 13th draft-eligible blueliner to do so since 2000.

Why did Verhoeff win the invite over older and significantly more polished contenders?

Simple, he brings special elements.

From a throwback howitzer one-timer to a rare blend of aggressiveness and intuition on both sides of the puck, Verhoeff is unlike any other