Sharks go bold with No. 9 pick of Verhoeff in 2026 NHL Draft
San Jose secures a towering blueliner with upside, but skating questions linger after dominant college season.
9 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Standing 6-foot-4 and shooting right, Verhoeff brings a physical presence to San Jose’s blue line. In 36 games during the 2025–26 season, he produced six goals and 20 points, showing offensive upside from the back end.
His size and mobility drew comparisons to top-tier NHL defensemen, though analysts remain split on his skating fluidity and dynamic puck-moving ability. The bypassed several forwards to land what many evaluators considered the draft’s top defenseman. Team brass emphasized his potential to anchor a future top-four unit, citing his two-way profile and high-end hockey IQ.
