When we spoke to NHL.com writer and draft expert Mike Morreale on the Speak of the Devils podcast, he was very high on who people believe to be the second-best defensemen in this draft class. Jake Sanderson, NHL Central Scouting's fourth-ranked North American Skater, lives up to the hype.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Whitefish, MT native led all defenders in USA Hockey's Under-18 Development Program with 29 points in 47 games this past season. He's shown leadership ability, serving as captain for the Americans.
"He's an elite skater, great size strength, and has a lot of pro skills," said Morreale. "He makes tape-to-tape, really good passes and sees the ice so well... I know he'll probably be the first United States-born player off the board. I think a lot of teams do like him."
Central Scouting compares him to Boston's Charlie McAvoy. That's high praise for Sanderson, who could see himself be drafted in a similar range as McAvoy, who went 14th overall in 2016. Central Scouting also lauds Sanderson's pace, his battle, and compete level.
Hockey runs in Sanderson's blood. His father Geoff played more than 1,100 NHL games. After being picked in the second round in 1990 by Hartford, Geoff played for the Whalers, Carolina, Vancouver, Buffalo, Columbus, Vancouver, Phoenix, Philadelphia, and Edmonton over the course of his long career.
