Royals Select Defenceman Keaton Verhoeff with the Fourth Overall Pick in 2023 WHL Prospects Draft
The Victoria Royals selected defenceman Keaton Verhoeff with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft on Thursday. Verhoeff tallied 13 goals and 33 assists for 46 points in 27 games with RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna U15 Prep during the 2022-23 season. Hailing from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Verhoeff stands at 6’3 and 191lbs.
Verhoeff becomes the second highest player selected in Royals franchise history, at fourth overall. The right-handed defenceman finished second in CSSHL U15 Defenceman Scoring and first in CSSHL U15 Defenceman Scoring for 2023 WHL Draft Eligible players. Verhoeff also played two games for the RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna U16 team and one game for the RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna U18 team over the course of the season.
“We are very proud to be able to select Keaton with the 4th overall pick,” said Royals Assistant General Manager and Director of Player Personnel, J.F. Best. “Keaton checks all the boxes. He is a person of high character with a great work ethic, who embodies what it means to be a Royal. As a player, he is a skilled defenceman with dynamic abilities and creative offensive instincts. Defensively, he plays with a good stick and is an imposing presence down low and around the net. We are excited to welcome him and the Verhoeff family to the Royals organization.”
About the Victoria Royals
The Victoria Royals are a Canadian major junior ice hockey club in the Western Hockey League (WHL) owned and operated by GSL Group. The Royals play all their home games at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre and have entered their 12th season of their existence.
About Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre
Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre (SOFMC) is designed, constructed, developed and operated by GSL Group. SOFMC is Victoria’s premier entertainment facility and the largest arena in British Columbia outside Vancouver. The state-of-the-art 7,000 seat facility is home to the Victoria Royals of the Western Hockey League and regularly hosts large-scale concerts and other special events such as figure skating, curling, plays, trade shows and conferences. SOFMC also features a fine dining Lion’s Den Restaurant, as well as retail and meeting space.
