BUFFALO — Jake Sanderson has the look of a player ready to challenge for a roster spot with the Ottawa Senators.
The 20-year-old defenseman prospect confirmed that a nagging hand injury that prevented him from making his NHL debut last season will not deny him the same opportunity in 2022-23.
Sanderson, the no. 5 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, earned plenty of ice time and played in all situations for the Senators in a 5-4 loss to the Boston Bruins at the Prospects Challenge at LECOM Harborcenter on Friday in the first game for each team.
It was Sanderson’s first game since February, when he represented the United States at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
“It’s been a while, so I was just excited, maybe a little nervous before the game, but I had fun,” Sanderson said. “My hand has been 100 percent for a couple of weeks now. So, all I need to do is just get warmed up before the game and I’m good to go.
“But I think for me, going into this game I just tried to keep it simple and not do too much right away, especially being my first game in a while. So, I just wanted to keep it simple.”
Sanderson was unable to participate in on-ice sessions when the Senators held their development camp from July 11-14. He had surgery on his hand twice in 2022, once after it was stepped on during a late-season game playing for the University of North Dakota, and a second time after what Sanderson called a “freak accident” in the gym.
“He rehabbed real hard, and it’s unfortunate that we couldn’t get him in a game or two last year,” Senators coach DJ Smith said. “We tried but he just wasn’t able to go, so he spent a lot of time in Ottawa rehabbing and a lot of time getting ready for this year. But it’s such a hard thing to say when a young defenseman is going to be ready. The talent can be there, everything can be there, but there’s still the mental part of the game.
“I try and explain to people on any given night there might be 15 or 20 top-five picks in one game, so you’re playing against your own age group. That’s great, but excelling at the next level is something altogether different. We believe [Sanderson] can get there, but there’s a long process ahead of us.”
Sanderson was limited to 23 games for North Dakota last season, but he was one of two players on his team to average more than a point per game (26 points; eight goals, 18 assists). The other was forward Riese Gaber (37 points; 15 goals, 22 assists in 34 games).
Friday helped Sanderson get reacclimated to the speed of the game. A right-hand shot, he looked confident and comfortable in his zone and handling the puck.
“I think the game play, the tempo, was the biggest thing for me to test,” he said. “I haven’t played in like half a year, so it was good that I played that game, got my legs under me. I’m all rested. I’m ready to go.
“I’ve just got to keep doing what I do, playing with the big boys, and play a tougher role. I feel confident doing that, and I feel I can play with anybody. I played with Maxence Guenette (No. 187, 2019 NHL Draft) today and thought we played great together. I feel that’s something I’m pretty strong at, just talking to the guy before the game and kind of building that chemistry right away.”
Troy Mann, the Senators’ American Hockey League coach in Belleville, agreed with Sanderson’s assessment.
“From the bench, you can always really tell the hockey IQ level in terms of making plays and seeing what’s developing out there, and to me that was probably the biggest strength I saw in Jake in terms of finding that lane,” Mann said. “He’s a special player and I think the organization is very fortunate to have someone with his talent level coming in.”
After the Prospects Challenge, Sanderson will try to stand out during training camp next week and, perhaps, create a difficult decision for Senators management.
“He’s going to be an elite D-man,” Ottawa forward prospect Shane Pinto (No. 32, 2019 draft) said. “He’s very dialed in on the ice, very mature for his age and his play will take care of itself. I think you guys will all see what kind of player he really is.”
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