Loading...
Loading...

Keaton Verhoeff, defenseman for North Dakota, joins the program ahead of the NCAA Frozen Four. Verhoeff discusses the tournament, North Dakota’s opportunity on the national stage, and what this moment means for him as a 2026 NHL Draft-eligible prospect. The conversation dives into his season, his development path, and what NHL teams may be seeing as they evaluate talent ahead of the upcoming draft.
From front office shakeups to playoff races and the biggest stage in college hockey, it’s another packed episode of The Sheet.
Subscribe for more daily NHL coverage, interviews, and hockey conversation.
#TheSheet #NHL #MapleLeafs #LeafsForever #OttawaSenators #FloridaPanthers #FrozenFour #NHLDraft #Hockey
Leave a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/TheSheet
Email us: [email protected]
SHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!
👍🏼 Fan Duel: https://www.fanduel.com/
👍🏼 Ninja: https://www.sharkninja.ca/ninja-crispi-pro-6-in-1-countertop-glass-air-fryer-rose-quartz/AS101CRS.html?utm_source=Meta&utm_medium=Paid+Social&utm_campaign=H1NinjaCrispi&utm_content=NinjaEN&dwvar_AS101CRS_color=cdb9b8
Reach out to [email protected] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!
If you liked this, check out:
🚨 OTT - Coming in Hot Sens | https://www.youtube.com/c/thewallyandmethotshow
🚨 TOR - LeafsNation | https://www.youtube.com/@theleafsnation401
🚨 EDM - OilersNation | https://www.youtube.com/@Oilersnationdotcom
🚨 VAN - CanucksArmy | https://www.youtube.com/@Canucks_Army
🚨 CGY - FlamesNation | https://www.youtube.com/@FNBarnBurner
🚨 Daily Faceoff Fantasy & Betting | www.youtube.com/@DFOFantasyandBetting
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Connect with us on ⬇️
Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/daily_faceoff
💻 Website: https://www.dailyfaceoff.com
🐦 Follow on twitter: https://x.com/DailyFaceoff
💻 Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dailyfaceoff
Daily Faceoff Merch:
https://nationgear.ca/collections/daily-faceoff
Reach out to [email protected] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Speak at a college University of North Dakota stand out defender stand out
defenseman on his way to the frozen forest Keaton Verhoff that's some
business and then we'll get to the draft some time in June Keaton Jeff
Merrick here how are you when are you leaving for Vegas did you pack your bathing
suit and your suntan lotion are you already for what's in store for you yeah
no I'm good I'm excited to be on here yeah I think we're leaving a Vegas on
Tuesday so get a couple days of practice maybe some sunlight too yeah and then
right to right to business though and this has been such a fascinating year for
you right like this is the first year of the new reality right like the new
reality of of CHLers and NCAA and the the tug and the pull and and on all of it
and you know you're part of that first wave or first class of players that have
said I'm gonna see what this is like over here if you can before we look at
the future could you take us back to like how you came to that decision
initially I was shocked a lot of people were shocked but how did you arrive at
that decision yeah I think well you go we go back to right when the the rule
kind of changed there and you you kind of look at you thought about it and I
think it was always in there's in the back of some of our heads playing out
that season but really I didn't really start thinking about it too much tell
after playoffs ended finished up my season there in Victoria I'm kind of
got reached out or a couple schools reached out to me explored a bit of
them end up going to 18 worlds at the end of the season then after that came
back and looked went on two visits one to North Dakota and one to Michigan and
you kind of go on those visits and you just get a perspective and perspective of
of what it's like here I mean you always have preconceived kind of ideas of
what it's like to play in college or what it's like to be at a certain place
or in an at a certain college but I think for me when I really came North Dakota
to start on my first visit it kind of was a place that really spoke to me and
it was something that I really I wanted to be a part of the culture here and
the people that are here as well just the the group of coaching staff that we
have it was super was super respectful with the decision as well I think
obviously it was a a weird time and a new time as well everyone was everyone was
kind of learning as well with the coaching staff and and the players as well
coming from the CHL but in the end of it North Dakota was kind of just a
place for me it felt right and but yeah I think that the transition was was
definitely a little different than some people's recruiting process mine
definitely flew by it was the marble floors at Ralph ankle stat like you can be
honest like I've I've seen to like it's it's pretty gorgeous right like oh man
marble floors like where do I sign yeah no I don't know what I'm saying the
Ralph is the Ralph is one of the kind the building here is is kind of it's it's
amazing we're so lucky and fortunate to have to have this this great rank and
obviously the alumni that have helped kind of establish the culture and
obviously Ralph Engelstead as well who kind of was a big part in making this
rink was is someone that we really we cherish or deeply around here okay how do
you handle compliments you handle them well do you like your cheeks get red
like how do you handle compliments yeah I think I might maybe you'll get a
little red but I all right I think it's yeah take it and stride and take it so
I texted with one of your former coaches today so tell me tell me something
about Keaton this is what came back just before the program pure winner NHL
captain material leader of men for sure and extremely down to earth even with
all that's going on that resonate with you that's no matter what coach that came
from or who that came from that's not that's that's something that I think I
pride myself in and just being a guy that people can talk to in a guy that
is is respected as well so to hear that to hear that from you is pretty
special and kind of it's that's a huge honor to for whoever that came from well
like you have like I've talked to a couple of people about you they all have
the same thing it's like I'm like what's your relationship what's your
relationship like with Keaton like what are the conversations I get everything
that I always get back is you feel like you're his best friend five minutes
into a conversation right like your your personality has become a quickly one
of your calling cards and I'm sure that as you know NHL teams you know come
inquiring like I don't think I don't think you're going to be intimidated by
the combine interviews are you no I think for me it's kind of that's
something that I pride myself in almost is being able to talk with people and
just being an outgoing person that's that's always been my personality as
someone that can go into a room that's silent and make everyone become start
talking and become friends as well to kind of say like that but I think for me
just moving away from home at a young age and being around around different
people and build families as well I kind of I kind of grew up into that that
kind of style that I'm able to talk with people and enable the whole
conversations as well I asked I asked your manager Bryn Chizek about you today
we're having a conversation and he told me that you are take is it sports
journalism you're taking a class in sports you're already coming for all of
our jobs here too you're already looking like past you know the finishing up in
college and the NHL career already looking to take all of our jobs here the
other side of the microphone yeah I took to a sports journalism class in the
first semester I was pretty that was a neat class for me yeah I think both just
because obviously I'm interested in things like that and we got to look at
different sports but I think the main reason it kind of helped me and a reason I
wanted to take it as well was was just with talking with media and seeing stuff
from their perspective like as as me for me this year having a talk with
different different interviews and in different podcasts as well it's it's been
nice to have that class kind of see what you guys think and see what's almost
picking you guys's brain a bit but so now you know how easy it is like here's the
thing like dude this is a secret how easy this thing is now you're in the club
you can't tell anybody you gotta say like oh man these guys work so hard oh what a
tough gig that is yeah you guys are working working all day you don't get
talk with fun people at all no no oh I gotta go to work my wife always that you
don't have to go to work you gotta go watch a hockey game like you're not
working like stop like stop with I gotta go to work you watch hockey game and
go like oh that's off side oh that's gonna be icing and we'll be right back
like essentially that's what that's what we do here Keaton and now you know
the secret and now you know the secrets I'm always curious about players in
their in their draft here look Gavin McKenna's going through this as well I
can I can recall Noah Hanuffin okay years ago so Noah Hanuffin the Quebec
ramparts had his rights in the Quebec League and he didn't consider going for
a second I talked to his his representation then Wasserman now the team and I
said like is there any chance that Hanuffin's gonna go and they said you know what
it's his draft year we don't want him in a new environment we want to like
comfortable things that he's used to the same experiences just focus on the
draft year and playing and and that's it we don't want any other any other
distractions in his life and I understand that like it's a really sensitive
year and you're going through it right now but you've deliberately chosen to
put yourself in a different situation one I think that's commendable right
like here's this is like a really really it's like it's a big year in your life
a big year in your career here and you've and you've challenged yourself like
was was any of this part of the thinking to like you know what maybe I should
stay where it's really comfortable put up big points and a Victoria's gonna have
a good team and or was it like at every single step of the way I want to
challenge myself and you know here you are planning against like 23 year olds
now yeah um for sure I think that was that was always in the back your head I
mean it's hard not to kind of have that stuff floating around there but for
me like you said I just kind of I wanted to have that challenge and I know what
kind of going through that I had that same almost obviously on smaller scale
but I had the same kind of thought process going in my second year U15 um oh
yeah kind of for that WL draft year and it was whether I should stay in my
hometown and play triple A there or ended up moving out to Kelowna and playing and
playing in rink so at ring Kelowna so it was kind of a familiar situation but
yeah I think the the kind of things that went into it and the thought
process and the people I had supporting me was super huge kind of coming here
was definitely gonna be a challenge and I knew that but I had so many people to
talk with and and like I said earlier the coaching staff was kind of on a was
so we're so respectful and and kind of wanting to take me to take me through
this process and really be there for me as well I mean this year I've had
those guys beside me every step of the way to kind of talk with and do extra
work or do extra video and whenever things are kind of like there's gonna be
ups and downs in the air so whenever things are going bad they're there for me
whenever things are going good they're there for me as well so it's it's you know
it's anything to we we always hear the term distraction and we never think
that it can actually be a good thing and what are the things that I wonder about
like you know this year first year on campus significantly away from home
etc um we always think the distractions are bad but there's is such a thing as
a positive distraction that through all of this sometimes like you can't be 24
seven consumed by the draft and the season and what's coming in June and where
I'm gonna go and looking at NHL standings and draft simulators and prospect
regularly you can drive yourself crazy like what are some of the positive
distractions that you would have in your life this season so you don't just get
overwhelmed by the draft year I think I think honestly for me it's just been
surrounded myself with the guys really kind of throwing myself into it I mean
you look at junior and it's a little bit different in a sense where some guys
are going to school some guys are out of school and so you're kind of hanging
out with with if you're going to school you're hanging out with the guys that
are going to school if you're not going to school you're hanging out with those
guys so I think for me in college every single guy is going to class every single
guys around the school and around the ring pretty much all the time so to kind
of have those guys and really become really close to those guys has been
super super good for me this year and it's kind of a thing that I think I
really enjoyed this year I mean we're a really close group I don't think we
would be where we are today if we aren't if we weren't as close to we were we
we've gone through so much I mean start of the in the summer we we start kind
of coming together and and really learn each other's games and and kind of
personalities and then as the year goes on you just become closer and closer with
guys and and now there's guys here that are are my best friends and I I'm so
happy that I get to spend every day with these guys at the rink and in a way from
rink and traveling and all that stuff
let me ask you about your your season because early on it was like highlight
highlight highlight and that's great and that's cool and then we look at you
play now and it's like like he looks like a pro like you have like a real
maturity to your game where early on I can understand it like 17 years old like
highlights man like let's let's let's make some videos here and now we watch
you play and it's like wow he really has like a mature poise to his game like
was is that just like was gonna happen through the season was it like at a
certain point you realize I need to start playing a more pro style game here like
I remember I'll give an example I remember going to watch the uh you 16
Toronto Marley this is when Conor McGaver is on the team and Josh Hossing they
were the two stars and Josh Hossing was a guy that would like dangle five guys
and then regroup in the neutral zone just so you could do it again and then he
would go and score where McDavid like at 15 like looked like a pro Mike oh my
God this guy looks like he's like forget OHL he's going right to the NHL from
from you 16 like was there like moments throughout the season where you like I
got to mature my game here or did that just happen naturally yeah for sure I
think kind of going back to that decision I think to come to North Dakota is
kind of a place where um the maturity is is established from the people that
have been here before us um but yeah I think going into the year um there's
definitely some holes in my game um and some spots that I that I wanted to fix I
mean a big big point for me was was coming here to kind of improve my
defensive ability and and my my D zone structure and that stuff um and obviously
playing against those older and more mature guys it kind of comes along with
it I think the biggest difference for me in college this year was just the
details of guys um the details like for the guys you play against and the details
of um your teammates as well so being able to learn from those guys has has been
super huge but I think at the start of the year you kind of you go and start of
the year and you're you're playing like I'm kind of I was playing almost a
different type of game um you you're going you're you're putting up lots of
numbers and you're doing that stuff but and that's all great and fun but I
think at the end of the day the game I'm playing right now is is something that
it is more mature and more capable to be able to take to the next level it's it's
not as much of a running gun game it's more of a kind of know the situation and
know the the area of when I should maybe jump up in the play and and make a
rush player or stay back and kind of be that be that reliable defensive defensive
defenseman so I think for me the the maturity my game has been a huge jump for
me um I'd say honestly that's that's been the biggest biggest kind of thing for
me that's developed issue mm-hmm a couple of more minutes left with you I want
to ask about a couple of things specifically throughout your season you know
there was that ASU weekend where you're in January I believe it was where you
were just like lights out like that was like holy smokes Keen Verhof holy
geez were there moments like that like throughout the season that we we may
have missed along the way where yeah my ASU weekend was good but how about this
weekend really like your last game was fantastic here too to get you here
the frozen for but like were there moments where you stand out and you go like
yeah you know what I'm really proud of this weekend or this game or these two
games yeah hundred percent I think everyone kind of goes to that weekend you just
kind of look at the numbers and you look at the production wise and then you you
watch the games and you see I played pretty well but honestly in my head that
was a good weekend production wise but for myself like playing I felt good I
know there was better though for me and I think weekends that that don't show up
on the score sheet as much that are kind of good stepping stones where I I
know I played well and and things like that kind of the things just don't fall
on the back than that but things like for me Colorado we went to Colorado
college right after the world junior break and I went there and I played a
super solid game I was moving box quick and and joining joining the rush and
doing things like that but it's just those type of games where I'm playing the
the important times and I'm playing the the right way or things that I really
look for and and I really pride myself in in learning this year honestly and
and maturing my game that way miss playing goalie no not as much anymore
I'll get the pads on a couple months ago here and I still a little bit yeah I
still got a little bit of game in me but not much I don't think my
abilities where it was I look more like what what skates did you wear do you
wear goalie skates it's just where you're on your own I was in the straight
normal player skates I wasn't moving very well I was more of a up-down
walk around okay but I still got some hand died going that's good I just
got the mitt that's all right you still got the mitt okay well we'll we'll
land on this one's I know every day is busy for you so let me let me end on
this one what do you want people to know about you I'm always curious like you
know you want to you know share your personality you got a big personality
you're you're easy to like like all of it but what do you want people to know
about you like what do you want people to take away from either seeing this
interview or or having a conversation with you what do you want people to know
about yourself yeah I think for me it's just get to know me as a person in kind
of the the way I handle myself in the way I'm gonna be respectful to
everyone something that I kind of I always pride myself in being is being
a like being a friend with everyone on the team not kind of having clicks and
not being in different groups but being a guy that that every single guy wants
talk to and can can be around and hang out with is is something that I that I
kind of like to be in and like to be around all the guys as well but I think
for me is just my the down to earth kind of human I am I don't really I don't
really want to to go around and flash lots of things I mean there's things to
talk about and obviously when when hockey comes up there's fun things that
that come along with it but also just kind of making sure that I'm a
different I'm a person away from the rank as well and and lots of lots of
other things to kind of talk about and making sure that I'm not just a one
dimensional person that that can only talk about hockey it can be there to
talk about other things with people and and be a guy that can they can just
hang out away from the rank as well what a revelation a young man that
doesn't just want to talk about hockey 24-7 I love it you have a favorite NHL
team by the way yeah I think for me it's got to be oilers I grew up a I grew up
a Montreal fan when I was a goalie because I really like Kerry Price
and then eventually and I fell into the oil the oilers the oilers fan base
growing up in the Minton area so I kind of have grown to like watching them
for it's a sketch one I have a favorite oiler oiler I don't know right now
as of right now I kind of just I'm cheering for the team there's lots of
guys on there I mean actually you know what yeah I guess I do now probably Colton
doc my cousin all right I got I got news for you unless they significantly
trade up in the draft you're not going to get drafted by the Edmonton
oilers it's getting me much much much higher listen thank you so much for
stopping by with me today this has been a really great conversation really
appreciate a good luck in Vegas and I know it'll be interesting for you if it
comes down to to you and Michigan you and Michigan here so well we'll see
what that ends up you you be well we'll talk soon awesome thank you very much
take care

The Sheet with Jeff Marek

The Sheet with Jeff Marek

The Sheet with Jeff Marek