VICTORIA 6 SEATTLE 1
Victoria Royals rookie Keaton Verhoeff, the lanky six-foot-four defenceman with the 200-foot game, again showed why he is likely headed for the first round of the 2026 NHL draft. Verhoeff’s two goals pushed his season total to nine in leading the Royals past the Seattle Thunderbirds 6-1 in a Western Hockey League game on Saturday night before 3,238 fans at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
“It comes down to making a read. Sometimes it results in a goal and sometimes an assist [Verhoeff also has nine of those for 18 points in 22 games]. And I’ve got to make sure I’m strong on defence, too,” said the talented 17-year-old.
“I’ve adjusted well to the WHL. The more I play the more comfortable I get. My rookie season so far is everything I could have wished for. It’s been tough at times, too, but I’m getting the hang of it.”
That may be one of the understatements of the WHL season.
“We want to keep him under the radar and just let the kid play,” said Victoria head coach James Patrick.
Good luck with that as the NHL scouts will be flocking to Blanshard Street this season and next season to watch the emerging Royals blueliner ahead of the 2026 draft.
Royals forward Brayden Boehm, with a swift move blowing past the Seattle defence to the net from the blueline, scored the goal of the night to open Victoria’s account in the first period.
“Getting the first goal is something you strive for in a game. It was nice for me to have that and get the boys going,” said the Nanaimo product.
“I saw two defencemen standing still and took advantage of that and drove it in.”
The Royals (14-8-5) also got goals from Winnipeg Jets draft pick Markus Loponen, defenceman and San Jose Sharks draft pick Nate Misskey and also Teydon Trembecky with his 12th of the season.
Victoria stored twice on the power play in the second period to take control of the game.
Coster Dunn denied Jayden Kraus’ shutout bid with Seattle’s goal on the power play at 13:41 of the third period.
The Thunderbirds, in a rebuild after trading a ferry-load of future WHL prospects draft picks to load up in winning the 2023 WHL championship, are in a rebuild and fell to 9-14-3 although they beat Victoria 3-2 in a shootout on Friday on Blanshard.
“Our battle and determination after that loss Friday made the difference,” said Verhoeff.
“Stepping up tonight after that shootout loss was huge for us.”
The head coaches, Victoria’s Patrick and Seattle’s Matt O’Dette, know well each other’s tendencies. O’Dette’s Thunderbirds beat Patrick’s Winnipeg Ice in the 2023 WHL final to win the second league title in franchise history.
The Royals host the Regina Pats (6-14-4) at the Memorial Centre on Tuesday.
ICE CHIPS: Those fans tracking Vancouver Canucks future prospects were out of luck Saturday as Canucks’ 2023 third-round draft pick and blueliner Sawyer Mynio was injured and out of the Thunderbirds line-up … Seattle head coach O’Dette knows the Memorial Centre well also as a player who skated six seasons for the Fresno Falcons and Stockton Thunder in the ECHL against the Victoria Salmon Kings.
