{"id":376799,"date":"2026-06-27T03:42:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-27T03:42:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/376799\/"},"modified":"2026-06-27T03:42:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T03:42:13","slug":"sharks-blow-ninth-overall-pick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/376799\/","title":{"rendered":"Sharks blow ninth overall pick"},"content":{"rendered":"

\tWith the ninth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the San Jose Sharks have selected Keaton Verhoeff. After selecting forward Ivar Stenberg second overall, the Sharks are hoping hard work pays off on Verhoeff.<\/p>\n

\tAlthough Verhoeff has potential, he\u2019s going to take a lot of patience.\u00a0 His lack of skating abilities leave a lot to be desired, and often result in him shying away from physicality.\u00a0 He will need work on the speed of his decision making and his instability on skates at a towering 6 foot 4 inches is reason for concern, as he’s often easily knocked over.\u00a0 In his freshman season with University of North Dakota, Verhoeff registered 20 points (6G, 14A) and +7 in 36 games played.\u00a0 While last year’s season certainly shows he can move the puck, he still has a lot of areas to improve on and requires work but his stick play is exceptional and has some potential.\u00a0 Thankfully, the NCAA can help his preparation to take the next step.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\tHowever, Verhoeff doesn\u2019t seem to do particularly well under pressure.\u00a0 In this year\u2019s NCAA tournament he noticeably fell short, and seriously struggled to maintain composure while playing on North Dakota\u2019s bottom defensive pair.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\tVerhoeff\u2019s large stature is certainly an appealing quality of his, but it doesn’t make up for the long list of shortcomings. For now, Sharks fans can simply hope North Dakota will light a fire under him and propel him to take the next step in his development.<\/p>\n

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