Ottawa Senators rookie defenseman Jake Sanderson ready to move past hand injury
Jake Sanderson is 100 percent ready for Ottawa Senators training camp.
The Senators rookie defenseman, who is expected to make the team and splash into the season, said on Tuesday he’s ready to move beyond a lingering hand injury.
Late last season in a game playing for the the University of North Dakota, Sanderson had his hand stepped on in what he called a “freak accident.”
“It was just a freak accident how it happened the second time,” he told the Ottawa Sun. “I was just in the gym, doing my thing, and stuff happens. It was an accident and I was lucky enough to catch it early and have the second surgery right away.”
Sanderson underwent two surgeries between February and mid-July.
The rearguard was seen at the NHLPA rookie showcase on Tuesday, where he said he has healed from the injury and is ready for training camp.
Senators rookie defenseman Jake Sanderson says his lingering hand injury has healed and expects to be 100% for training camp. pic.twitter.com/m5DsATQAT0
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) September 6, 2022Sanderson, according to DailyFaceoff’s Brock Seguin’s rookie model, is projected to score 35.1 points over a full 82-game season this season. The impact of the 6-foot-2, 190-pound defenseman is expected to be palpable this season.
He was selected by the Senators fifth overall in the 2020 NHL draft and spent the last two seasons at the University of North Dakota where, over 45 games, he scored 10 goals and 31 points.
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.