Considering the expectations on the team entering the season, it’s hard to imagine the Toronto Maple Leafs would already be in the draft lottery conversation, but here we are. Of course, that still seems like a pretty unlikely scenario given the talent this roster boasts that will soon return from injury. But fed-up fans can dream, can’t they?

On Tuesday, projected top-two 2026 draft pick Keaton Verhoeff joined Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill on Leafs Morning Take. With all eyes on him during his draft year, the 17-year-old University of North Dakota defenceman described his game.

“Big two-way defenceman,” Verhoeff said. “I like defending. I take pride in my defensive zone, hard on guys in the D-zone. Then getting up the ice, I’m kinda able to transition the puck pretty quickly I think. Using my size and my shot in the offensive zone to create time and space and create some passing lanes and be able to wire the puck. That’s kinda my game. I pride myself in taking care of the D-zone, and then obviously jumping up in the rush and trying to create is just an added bonus.”

At 6-foot-4, 212 lbs., with the defensive abilities to back that big body, it’s not hard to see where the interest from NHL teams comes from. Add to that his offensive contributions, and he’ll be a slam dunk add for any team looking for a two-way presence on the blue line. Verhoeff recorded four goals and four assists in 12 games played with North Dakota. Last year with the WHL’s Victoria Royals, Verhoeff put up 21 goals and 45 points in 63 games. The thought of adding a huge, reliable young defender that can contribute offensively would be massively exciting for the Maple Leafs. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

Dreams of a blue chip prospect aside, Verhoeff has an interesting perspective as part of the first wave of players moving from Canadian juniors to college hockey in the US. For many players moving forward, this could serve as a transition pipeline to the NHL, with Verhoeff already noting a few different in how the game is played at the college level.

“Obviously they’re a little stronger and faster, but you adapt to that,” he said. “For me, the biggest difference was just the maturity in their play styles. The most notable thing for me was sticks and defensive positioning. Going back for a puck, I make a move and go up the wall, and maybe that worked, but now you gotta add a slip play in there or something like that. Just kinda the technical skills of defending, stick positioning and body positioning, is something that I had to adapt to.”

Check out Alberga and Rosehill’s full interview with Verhoeff here and be sure to tune into Leafs Morning Take weekdays at 11am on The Leafs Nation YouTube channel!

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