PuckSleuth
85Cap hit
$8M
7.7% of $104M cap
Term
6 yrs
Through 2031-32, then UFA
Clause
M-NTC
10-team no-trade list
Surplus value
+$2.048M
vs. $10.048M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2025-26 regular season
GP
67
Goals
14
9.5% shooting
Assists
40
17 primary
Points
54
0.81 per game
TOI/GP
24:50
PP 3:15 · PK 2:57
xGF%
58.0
5v5, +6.8 vs. last yr
Game Score
+0.88
per game
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
+16
Blocks 128 · Hits 29
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 23 vs CAR · L 2-1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 13:19 | 2:44 | 2:45 | — | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.43 |
| Apr 20 @ CAR · OTL 3-2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 43:06 | 2:45 | 0:30 | — | 64 | 5 | 0 | +2 | +1.50 |
| Apr 18 @ CAR · L 2-0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 27:25 | 5:39 | 4:51 | 0-1 | 40 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.19 |
| Apr 11 @ NYI · W 3-0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 27:38 | 6:03 | 7:06 | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | +2 | +1.20 |
| Apr 9 vs FLA · W 5-1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 22:22 | 0:56 | 2:00 | — | 25 | 3 | 0 | +2 | +1.83 |
GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 1,137 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
97th percentile
80th percentile
77th percentile
93rd percentile
90th percentile
96th percentile
82nd percentile
79th percentile
97th percentile
96th percentile
91st percentile
90th percentile
44th percentile
55th percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleElite puck-moving defenseman
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Sanderson is a blazing-fast, elite playmaker who dominates the rush and generates offense at an exceptional rate. His shot volume and puck skills create constant scoring chances, though he plays a lighter brand of defense and rarely engages physically.
- Shooting volume
- 92
- Playmaking
- 88
- Zone entries(est.)
- 26
- Forechecking
- 43
- Physicality
- 31
- Defensive impact
- 70
- Puck management
- 77
- Speed
- 100
Where he shoots from
Slot 11% · Mid-range 30% · Perimeter 59%(240 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Nearly elite speed (100th percentile) allows him to lead and join transition plays
- Exceptional playmaking (88th percentile) creates high-quality chances for teammates
- Elite shot volume (92nd percentile) keeps constant pressure on opposing goalies
Watch-outs
- Struggles to gain zone entries off the rush (26th percentile) limits some transition efficiency
- Minimal physicality (31st percentile) means fewer battle-for-puck advantages
- Limited forechecking involvement (43rd percentile) means less defensive zone initiation
Similar style: Brock Faber (MIN), Matthew Schaefer (NYI)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 67 GP
Season total +58.8, or +0.88 per game.
- Scoring
- +37.4
- Shooting
- +11.0
- 5-on-5 goals
- +1.8
- Defense
- +2.0
- Penalty kill
- +1.0
- Physical play
- +7.0
- Puck battles
- -2.5
- Penalties
- +1.1
Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Ottawa Senators | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 11.1 | 26:19 | — |
| 2025-26 | Ottawa Senators | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | +2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.0 | 27:57 | — |
| Career | 2 seasons | 9 | 1 | 4 | 5 | +1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 7.1 | 26:52 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- Senators open post-Tkachuk era with a win over Leafs; Sanderson leaves with injury
CFJC Today Kamloops · Oct 4
- Senators beat Leafs in Battle of Ontario opener, await word on Jake Sanderson
Ottawa Citizen · Oct 4
- Senators’ Jake Sanderson leaves game against Leafs
Daily Faceoff · Oct 4
- Jake Sanderson Reinjured In Senators’ Season Opener In Toronto
Yahoo Sports · Oct 4
- Senators' Jake Sanderson exits with apparent injury vs. Maple Leafs
Sportsnet.ca · Oct 4
- Sanderson exits Senators’ season opener with lower-body injury
TSN · Oct 4
- Sanderson exits Senators’ season opener with apparent injury
TSN · Oct 4
- NHL Status Report: Sanderson in lineup for Senators opener
NHL.com · Oct 3
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average +0.95 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 24.4 mph
- 100th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 204
- Hardest shot
- 99.7 mph
- 96th pct
- Distance
- 232.2 mi
- OZ time
- 44.8%
- 90th pct
- DZ time
- 37.8%
Age curve
NHL defensemen · production index
At 24, defensemen typically produce 100% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 29, when the typical level is 93%.
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
6 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | OTT | $8M | 7.7% |
| 2027-28 | OTT | $8M | 7.0% |
| 2028-29 | OTT | $8M | — |
| 2029-30 | OTT | $8M | — |
| 2030-31 | OTT | $8M | — |
| 2031-32 | OTT | $8M | — |
UFA after 2031-32. M-NTC (10-team list). $48M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).