San Jose Sharks
BREAKING: Sharks Pick Keaton Verhoeff No. 9
BUFFALO — The San Jose Sharks have selected Keaton Verhoeff with the No. 9 pick.
Verhoeff is a 6-foot-4 right-handed defenseman who totaled six goals and 20 points in 36 games for the University of North Dakota.
Keegan McNally says, “I absolutely believe he’s going to be a top 4 D in the NHL, I just don’t know if the dynamic skill or skating are there to be a real power play driver.”
Elite Prospects says, “Offensively inclined defender who joins the rush and hammers pucks, while bringing physicality at the other end; top-pair upside is possible with skating and puck management growth.”
Verhoeff, entering the season, was considered by many to be the top blueliner in the 2026 Draft, but he ended up as the fifth pick. No doubt though, the San Jose Sharks are happy that he fell to them.
The San Jose Sharks’ next pick is No. 27, acquired from the Buffalo Sabres last week.
Thank you Eklund!
For all those internet bitchers & moaners that said the #9 pick will not be better than Eky, Pfffffffft!
6’4″ RHD that will pummel opponents & pucks is far more valuable. Add Stenberg and this is a A++ draft.
Yup. Agreed 100%!
I thought it was a bit absurd to grade the trade, or even now, we won’t know for a long time.
And the #9 wasn’t what mattered most as we got Stenberg to replace him and could then go after BPA @9. Verhoeff fell into Grier’s lap!!!
Hopefully Verhoeff will turn into a good player but claiming a kid who hasn’t played a single NHL game and probably won’t for another year or two is “better” is overstating it.
This is classic shiny new toy syndrome. The brand new draft pick who hasn’t played a single game is always the best because you can imagine them to be whatever you want them to be. But the higher draft pick from 5 years ago who is an actual legit NHLer isn’t shiny and new anymore.
Damn it Columbus got Hemming. Gimme Lin, Villeneuve, or Morozov at 27 then.
I wouldn’t mind that 6’7 defender at 27 either (Sokolovski?)
Good call there Fin! Love the Lin pick… I was sure he’d be gone by 27 and Sharks wouldn’t have a chance (I was right and wrong at the same time)
Feel bad for Eklund essentially getting dumped by SJS after surviving the DQ years and then being considered a part of our core of the future just as things are starting to turn. I understand it’s a business and he now gets to play with his best friend Zetts so I hope that helps with him hopefully reaching his full potential
in The Eastern Conference 👍🏻
I doubt Grier ever really considered him as part of his future core.
Recent events prove it.
Seems like Grier has other players he wanted slotted in the top 6. Byproduct of a somewhat lopsided rebuild heavy on forwards.
I’m happy I was wrong 🤩
Jeez for sure. Keegan mocked Bjork to the Sharks at 9 too. Good luck with that toy poodle Jets…
I LOVE the Jets for taking Bjorck! Love, Love Love! Jumped for joy when the Jets announced the pick.
Meant KV was ours!
Sharks absolutely nailed the picks! Now your real work begins, though Mike. Big holes on the blue line still exist for opening night in 3 months. Hope you rested up, Mike for the upcoming week.
well, that worked out good
The Sharks finally got their RHD!
AND Stenberg. I would have been happy with just one of these picks and we got both. Well played
Well, we got a possible candidate for the RHD. He hasn’t played a single NHL game.
Funny I remember saying the same thing to Sharks fans on Facebook when Eklund was drafted at 7. He also slipped down a few spots to the Sharks. I said wait and see and people were pissed at even that mild comment.
Fucking love the pick
If there, im thinking Bleyl, Rogowski, or Sokolovski at 27.
Once again GMMG puts himself into a spot and uses patience to get a player that fits the Sharks. He did that with Dickinson moving up 3 spots prior to the draft to get in place. He did that this week with the Eklund trade that netted Verhoeff. And while he didn’t move around to get the pick, he was patient and let Chernyshov drop all the way to 33 and got him. The 27th pick will be an interesting call. I think Piiparinen because big, defensively responsible RHD sounds like a good fit. But if he’s around, I could… Read more »
What if Lin drops to 27?
That could be a steal.
and there went Morozov …
Still around among d-men: Ryan Lin, Villeneuve, Bleyl, Shcherbakov
from pick 10 (Cullen) to pick 20 (Morozov), the only d-man drafted was Gustafsson.
and there’s the trade. And its for Ryan Lin
Stenner, Hoefs, and Lin. It’s literally everyone I wanted. Pack it up, the rebuild is over.
This is probably Sharks last time picking in the top 10 for (hopefully) a long time, likely last time with multiple 1st round picks for a while too. Damn, Grier and Co. sure seemed to have knocked the shit out of this draft.
I can’t think of a team in the last 25+ years that had so many quality 23 and under players at once.
Master Class
Ryan Lin too!? Holy shit
I might be going out on a limb here, but, I’m pretty sure the Sharks are going to get an “A” for this draft.
Don’t know how they couldn’t. Really great day for the team. Hopefully UFA leads to some decent help on D. Right now this roster is all gas no brakes.
Someone needs to give Grier a drug test. Clearly he’s drunk or high picking 2 guys sub 6′! ;P So the new floor is apparently 5’11”.
Hahaha!
WTF just happened, how did we go from 27 to 21 and took Lin?
27, 62, and 120 to move up
Grier pushed all is remaining chips into the pot.