Ottawa Senators: Jake Sanderson Headed to the Olympics
By Daniel Bruce
It was announced yesterday that the 19-year-old defenceman had accepted the invitation from Team USA
Being one of the top prospects in all of the NHL, the captain of the American World Junior team, and posting elite-level production in college, there’s no doubt that Team USA made the correct decision inviting Jake Sanderson to the Olympic Games. Sanderson has previously represented the USA at the World U-17, U-18 and the U-20’s, his prior experience and newly refined game should allow him to fit in comfortably on the back end.
Sanderson in an interview with AP, detailed why he made the decision to go to the Olympics, despite all of the worries with Covid-19:
"“It was kind of a no-brainer,” he said. “It’s kind of something you can’t really pass up”"
Going to the Olympics is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and for Sanderson, it was a decision he just couldn’t pass up, there simply is no other better arena in sport.
UND defenseman Jake Sanderson has accepted an invite to play for the U.S. in the 2022 Winter Olympics. Story: https://t.co/UEyf7wNUM1
— Brad Elliott Schlossman (@SchlossmanGF) January 10, 2022
Sanderson has already eclipsed his offensive output from all of last season in 5 fewer games, the two-way defenceman has scored 6 goals and 22 points in just 17 games with the University of North Dakota. His game seems to be a level above the competition on virtually every night in the NCAA, he’s likely too good for college, and Senators fans are anxiously waiting for his sophomore season to conclude, and for their 5th overall pick in the 2020 draft to join the big club. Sanderson’s tremendous skating allows him to evade defenders with ease, typically in transition is where the sophomore defenceman’s skating separates him, but he’s now using it more often as a weapon in the offensive zone, made evident in the clip below:
It’s too easy for Jake Sanderson. He picks up another primary assist here after embarrassing Miami for the millionth time this game. pic.twitter.com/Nk8IQxoVaa
— Everyday Sens (@EverydaySens) November 13, 2021
The way that Sanderson uses his edges to create space in the offensive zone is rare, many players simply don’t have the skating ability to do so, the Olympic size ice should only help his game.
This should be a nice “consolation” prize for Sanderson after the disappointing cancellation of the World Juniors, the tournament will take place from February 9th-20th in Beijing, China.