Senators draft Jake Sanderson 5th overall

The Ottawa Senators took defenseman Jake Sanderson with the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

Jake Sanderson

Position: Defense
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 185 lbs
Age: 18
Club: U.S. National Team Development Program
Nationality: American

(Stats source: Eliteprospects.com)

Sanderson turned a ton of heads as the season progressed, finishing as the fourth-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting after receiving a midterm rank of 11th. The 6-foot-1 blue-liner is known for his shutdown ability and could be the defensive anchor for an NHL blue line in the coming years.

NTDP associate coach Nick Fohr praised the young defenseman this season and said Sanderson is part of an elite group of rearguards to come through the program, including Zach Werenski, Seth Jones, Noah Hanifin, and Charlie McAvoy.

What they're saying

"Jake Sanderson is a very smooth and smart defenseman. He isn't going to dazzle on highlight reels and his offensive upside likely isn't elite, but he makes a lot of plays all around the ice. He is very solid defensively due to his mobility and brain, and has enough skill to be a power-play guy as a pro," The Athletic's Corey Pronman said.

"I'd be shocked if Jake Sanderson isn't selected top 10 in the draft," said NTDP U-18 coach Seth Appert, according to NHL.com's Mike Morreale. "He plays the game so efficiently, defends so hard and can jump into the play and add offense ... he's the prototypical modern-age defenseman. I know other defensemen get more notoriety because of the points they put up, but the beauty of Jake Sanderson is the more you watch him, the more you start to appreciate what an unbelievable defender he is."

Highlights