2020 NHL Draft prospect profile: Jake Sanderson scouting report

Jake Sanderson is one of the best defensemen available at the 2020 NHL Draft. If teams are looking for a defenseman, he could move into the top 15.

The 2018-19 season was a banner season for the USNTDP, as eight players from the program were selected in the first round. This season was completely different, as the team was far less stacked. Defenseman Jake Sanderson will likely be the program’s only first round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

Sanderson served as the team captain and wound up finishing fifth on the team in points with 29 in 47 USDP games. If his last name sounds familiar, it’s because he’s the son of former NHL left wing Geoff Sanderson. There’s a good chance his name will be among the first 15 called whenever the 2020 draft is held.

Prospect Profile

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Height: 6’1″
Weight: 185 pounds
Teams: USNTDP (USDP and USHL); Committed to University of North Dakota
Country: USA/Canada (has played with Canada internationally)
Position: Defenseman
Handedness: Left-handed
Date of birth: July 8, 2002

All profile info is courtesy of Elite Prospects.

Rankings

22nd by Hockey Prospect
17th by Future Considerations
11th by ISS Hockey
10th by McKeen’s Hockey
12th by Elite Prospects

Strengths

Today’s NHL revolves around mobile defenseman who can move the puck. Sanderson fits that description, as he’s very talented with the puck and he skates quite well for a defenseman.

Sanderson is very raw, which I see as both a strength and a weakness. It’s a strength because teams should be able to mold him into a very solid defenseman. One thing that stands out about Sanderson to me is how smooth of a skater he is. He exerts very little energy while skating, which is good.

He has all the tools to be a good power play quarterback, perhaps even on a first unit. At the very least, Sanderson should be a second unit option. He can also kill penalties and makes good decisions while shorthanded.

Sanderson has the tools to be a very good all-around defenseman. His defense is light years better than it was as recently as October. I came away unimpressed with him during his stint with the national development team last year, but I’ve been impressed with him this season. His hockey IQ is off the charts and he’s a very good leader, which are two qualities that are never bad to have on your resume.

Weaknesses

As mobile as he is, he isn’t that fast. Sanderson’s quicker than he is fast and can be out skated by other forwards. As I said earlier, his defense this season was so much better than last season. But I still think he needs to improve in the defensive zone. Still, I’m very optimistic about his chances of doing so, considering how much he improved defensively.

While Sanderson is great with the puck, I don’t see any signs of elite offense coming from him. If you’re looking for points, you might not be impressed. That said, Sanderson does a lot of the little things that don’t end up on the scoresheet.

What They’re Saying

His game seemed to transform as the season wore on. Has all-around upside, including untapped offensive skills. – Cam Robinson, Dobber ProspectsHe’s got four-way mobility, his head is always up, he gaps well and he tracks the play effectively to make sure he doesn’t get burned in soft spots on the ice. – Scott Wheeler from The Athletic

Highlights

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Overall Outlook

Sanderson has what it takes to be a good NHL defenseman. However, will he be great? He certainly has the tools to be great, but he has to put them all together more consistently. The 2020 draft has a lot of great forwards, but not many defenseman. This could lead to Sanderson’s name being called early.

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