University of North Dakota defenceman Keaton Verhoeff headlines Canada’s 23-man pre-tournament roster for the Under-18 World Hockey Championships in Slovakia beginning on April 22.
The roster includes 13 forwards, seven defencemen, and three goaltenders who were selected by Team Canada general manager Alan Millar and head scout Byron Bonora.
Verhoeff is coming off a Frozen Four appearance where his team was eliminated by Wisconsin by a 2-1 score in the semifinals on Thursday.
The 6-foot-4, right-shot defenceman helped his team to a 27-9-1 record to finish the season as the No. 2 seed. He registered six goals and 20 points in 36 games in his first season of NCAA hockey.
He joined North Dakota as a 17-year-old last off-season after the NCAA changed its rules, allowing Canadian Hockey League players to play college hockey.
Verhoeff previously played for the Western Hockey League’s Victoria Royals, where he registered 21 goals and 45 points in 63 games as a rookie during the 2024-25 campaign.
The Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., native is projected to be a high lottery pick in the 2026 NHL Draft this season, beginning the year at No. 2 on TSN’s pre-season draft rankings and now sits No. 5 on TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button’s most recent list.
He was one of three draft-eligible players, along with Penn State’s Gavin McKenna and Carson Carels of the Prince George Cougars, to be a part of Canada’s bronze-medal winning team at the 2026 World Juniors in Minnesota at the start of the new year.
Verhoeff captained Canada to a bronze medal at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and also was a member of last year’s gold-medal-winning team at the U-18 World Hockey Championships.
Verhoeff joins defenceman Ryan Lin and forward Alesandro Di Iorio as the only three players returning from last year’s U18 team.
Canada’s roster also includes 13 players who won bronze at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and 12 players who won gold at the 2025 World Hockey Challenge.
This roster will continue to evolve as additions will be announced after the second round of the CHL playoffs.
Hockey Canada will announce to final roster prior to the start of the tournament.
Canada will open the tournament on April 22 against host nation Slovakia.
Canada’s pre-tournament roster:
NamePositionTeamGavin BettsGoaltenderKingston Frontenacs (OHL)Leif OatenGoaltenderLethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)Carter EslerGoaltenderSpokane Chiefs (WHL)Cameron ChartrandDefencemanSaint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)Carter HicksDefencemanBrampton Steelheads (OHL)Ryan LinDefencemanVancouver Giants (WHL)Caleb MitchellDefencemanLondon Knights (OHL)Keaton VerhoeffDefencemanUniversity of North Dakota (NCAA)Lucas AmbrosioDefencemanErie Otters (OHL)Giorgos PantelasDefencemanBrandon Wheat Kings (WHL)Thomas RousseauForwardSherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL)Tynan LawrenceForwardBoston University (NCAA)Alexis JosephForwardSaint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)Mathis PrestonForwardVancouver Giants (WHL)Zach LansardForwardRegina Pats (WHL)Brock EnglandForwardSeattle Thunderbirds (WHL)Alessandro Di IorioForwardSarnia Sting (OHL)Jaxon JacobsonForwardBrandon Wheat Kings (WHL)Adam ValentiniForwardUniversity of Michigan (NCAA)Beckett HamiltonForwardRed Deer Rebels (WHL)Jean-Cristoph LemieuxForwardSudbury Wolves (OHL)Jaakko WyciskForwardGuelph Storm (OHL)Dima ZhilkinForwardSaginaw Spirit (OHL)
