Sanderson, top 2020 Draft prospect, named top junior player by USA Hockey

Jake Sanderson of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team and a top prospect for the 2020 NHL Draft, was named the winner of the Dave Tyler Junior Hockey Player of the Year Award on Thursday.

The award is presented annually by USA Hockey to the most outstanding United States-born player in junior hockey.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound defenseman, who is the son of former NHL forward Geoff Sanderson, is No. 4 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters eligible for the 2020 draft.

Sanderson had 29 points (seven goals, 22 assists), three power-play goals and a plus-13 rating in 47 games for the NTDP. He's committed to play at the University of North Dakota starting next season.

Video: Jake Sanderson's top plays with USNTDP

"I'd be shocked if Jake Sanderson isn't selected top-10 in the draft," NTDP U-18 coach Seth Appert said. "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."

Sanderson, who was born in Whitefish, Montana, could be the first player born and trained in the state to play in the NHL.

"My skating kind of separates me from other players," Sanderson said. "I also think my compete level and willingness to go out on the ice every day, compete with my teammates and opponents, is an asset."

Nick Fohr, an associate coach on the NTDP U-18 team who works with defensemen, has been with the program for nine seasons. During that time he's worked with a number of defensemen who have gone on to play in the NHL, including Seth Jones and Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Noah Hanifin of the Calgary Flames and Charlie McAvoy of the Boston Bruins, and he believes Sanderson fits among that elite group.

"Sandy is right in that mix of the top three guys I've coached here, if not the top guy," Fohr said. "That's still to be determined based on how he develops and where he goes, but this is something we've been talking about since last year. Somebody asked me last season where he'd fit, and I said he's already in my top five and that was as an under-17 player."

Sanderson had two assists and a plus-2 rating, and was named Player of the Game at the USA Hockey BioSteel All-American Game on Jan. 20. He finished first in the on-ice testing of 10 different categories a day before the game, placing first in weave agility and in reaction, and second in transition agility and transition agility with puck.

"What I've found through my years at the NTDP is that inner drive and internal clock that makes the good players, great, and Sandy has that 'it' factor," Fohr said. "You can watch 15 video clips with him, and if there's two bad ones he's walking out of there [angry] about the bad ones. He's driven to be not one of the best, but the best, and there's a big difference there."

Listen:Video: Jake Sanderson's top plays with USNTDP