Jake Sanderson

Sanderson underwent hand surgery in the middle of March but GM Pierre Dorion does not think that the injury will prevent him from attending developmental camp in the summer. The Senators first round pick and fifth overall in 2020, Sanderson is great on his skates and excels at controlling the tempo of the game, two skills that are highly coveted amongst NHL defensemen. He should be selected late in deeper pools next season.

Sanderson signed his entry-level contract with Ottawa just over a week ago. He isn't sure if he will be able to play before the end of the regular season. Sanderson doesn't want to rush himself back.

"We're very pleased to get Jake under contract," said Senators GM Pierre Dorion. "An important cog to our future on defence, Jake is an effortless skater who possesses all the tools to be a complete NHL defenceman. A mature leader despite his young age, he played big minutes in college with a blend of poise and confidence. While he still has progress to make in overcoming a current injury, we are hopeful of seeing him in our lineup before the end of the season." Sanderson reportedly had hand surgery in mid-March, which cut his sophomore season short with the University of North Dakota. He amassed 41 points (10 goals, 31 assists) in 45 career collegiate contests. The Senators chose Sanderson with the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. He will join the team this week and could make his NHL debut at some point before the end of the 2021-22 campaign. 

Sanderson doesn't have a timetable for his return, so playing at the NHL level with Ottawa before the end of the year hasn't been ruled out yet. However, it appears as though he won't be able to complete his sophomore season with the University of North Dakota