Senators’ prospect Jake Sanderson will lead the way for Team USA at the junior world championships

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Jake Sanderson is ready, willing and able to lead the way for Team USA.

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With the junior world championships set to kick off on Boxing Day in Edmonton and Red Deer, a household name for Ottawa Senators fans will carry the “C” for Americans as they attempt to repeat as the tournament gold medal winners.

The 19-year-old Sanderson, the club’s No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft, was named captain by coach Nate Leaman and the American staff Tuesday night. The University of North Dakota defender has been a dominant force in US college hockey this season with six goals and 19 points from 15 games.

Team USA staff like Sanderson because he leads by example.

“First of all, Jake is a winner,” said Leaman, the Providence College head coach. “The way he plays compared to last year, the summer, with North Dakota, he plays like a winner. I don’t think it’s about him and that’s why I think sometimes you don’t notice him.

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“He is the best college hockey player this year and I said it before this tournament. He is a winner in the way he plays, he is highly respected in our room for the way he behaves. It has never been about himself and it has always been about the team.

“It is a quality that a young man with his abilities has, I would not say that he is unique, but when your best player is the hardest worker, he can really boost the team. Jake’s character and identity will help propel our team and we hope they will help us get through the tournament. “

Not many will disagree with Leaman’s assessment of Sanderson, and naming him captain feels like the next natural step in his career. He and his UND teammate Tyler Kleven, who was also selected by Ottawa, are back for their second season with Team USA.

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“I want to be someone who dominates every time I’m on the ice,” Sanderson said. “As a team, we want to win, and that’s why all the guys are here. We have a winning team and as (Leaman) mentioned, we are all winners and we also have a lot of chemistry.

“I am excited with our group. I know this is one of the best hockey I’ve ever played, so every time I get a chance to practice with the guys, I’m super excited. “

Senators will keep a close eye on Sanderson during the tournament.

Head Scout Trent Mann will be in attendance along with Canadian scouts George Fargher and Don Boyd. European head scout Mikko Ruutu and Anders Ostberg are scheduled to reach the end of the tournament, but that could change due to COVID-19.

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General manager Pierre Dorion and Pierre McGuire, the club’s senior vice president of player development, are scheduled to head to Edmonton on December 30, but there is much uncertainty at this time given that the club is currently closed due to the virus.

Senators know that Sanderson will appreciate the opportunity to be captain.

“To hear other players talk about (Sanderson) and the level that he drives everyone to be at, he has high-level leadership,” Mann said from his home in New Brunswick. “He likes those challenges and he accepts them.

“We are biased because we know it is a great choice. Whether you have the ‘C’ on your shirt or not, you are going to play a leadership role. That is what it is “.

Sanderson had two assists in seven games at the tournament last Christmas when he was 18 years old. He should be the type of player who shocks his team every time he hits the ice, but the key is that he doesn’t try to do too much.

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The junior world championships is a great stage because the buildings are often crowded and there is a large television audience watching TSN coverage all over the world. Yes, the tracks will be limited to 50 percent of their capacity, but that just means more people will be watching TV.

“Yeah, it’s a great stage, and it’s a great stage because there are more people watching, but the game is the same between the boards,” Leaman said. “It’s the same ice, the same nets, and I don’t want our guys to go out and be intimidated by the stage or an international (tournament), or the fact that a lot of people are watching these games at home.

“I want our guys to be in a position where they can go out there and perform. My job as a head coach is to get each player to play their best hockey. In these short tournaments, you have to see what the best qualities of your players are and how I can make them play their best hockey.

“I want to make sure our guys are in a position where they play mindlessly, I want them to play with their instincts and take advantage of their strengths. I don’t want them to think about the stage because it’s the same game between boards ”.

And that’s the only approach senators want to see from Sanderson, too.

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Twitter: @sungarrioch