Jake Sanderson will make another stop on the world stage.<\/p>\n
The Ottawa Senators top defenceman had a hard time finding words when Bill Guerin, the general manager of Team USA, called in the days before the official announcement on Jan. 2 that Sanderson had been named to the 23-man roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics Games.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was pretty emotional when I got the call,\u201d the 23-year-old Sanderson told the Ottawa Citizen in an interview last week.<\/p>\n
While players were headed in different directions after the final buzzer sounded on Thursday night in Philadelphia, Sanderson, captain Brady Tkachuk and video guru Mike King went to New York City following the game to prepare to fly to Milan, Italy, with Team USA on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just been a lot of hard work,\u201d Sanderson said of making the American squad. \u201cThis is something I\u2019ve been thinking about for years, not just the past couple of months.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlaying for the national team development program, knowing the pride of wearing the Team USA jersey, and you don\u2019t realize when you\u2019re that age, because you put it on every single day in practice. But once you get older, you have more of an appreciation for it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was just an amazing feeling when I got the call.\u201d<\/p>\n
He went into the break with 11 goals and 46 points in 57 games with the Senators.<\/p>\n
Sanderson\u2019s Olympic experience<\/p>\n
This won\u2019t be Sanderson\u2019s first trip to the Olympics, but it will be his first time experiencing the real feeling around the Games. He suited up for Team USA at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, but didn\u2019t get much of a chance to enjoy it.<\/p>\n
He caught COVID-19 while travelling from the University of North Dakota to Los Angeles for a brief training camp. He had to quarantine in a hotel in California before flying overseas. To make matters worse, Sanderson got injured in the first game he played.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll let Sanderson\u2019s father, Geoff, take it from there.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe team goes to China and he\u2019s behind quarantining in a hotel room,\u201d said Geoff, a former NHLer from his Calgary home last week. \u201cThe Olympic Committee was unbelievable, bringing him exercise equipment up to his room, letting him work out in the stairwells.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut when he finally passed our COVID test, they told him, \u2018We don\u2019t know what kind of test the Chinese Olympic Committee is doing. It\u2019s different than ours and there is a possibility that you fail when you get there, and you\u2019ll be put into quarantine in China.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cImagine, as a parent, what are you kidding me? I actually lightly tried to nudge Jake. I don\u2019t know whether this is all worth it for these Olympics? This is going to be spectacular.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sanderson and the rest of the participants from the National Hockey League missed the Opening Ceremonies because of scheduling, but they won\u2019t be treated any differently than the amateur athletes who are participating.<\/p>\n
They\u2019ll be in the Athletes Village, enjoying the day-to-day activities surrounding the Games and hopefully getting the opportunity to see some other sports. Yes, there will be pressure competing for a gold medal, but Sanderson wouldn\u2019t give up on this opportunity.<\/p>\n
How did Sanderson fare in 4 Nations Face-off?<\/p>\n
He answered the call for the Americans last February when he suited up at the last minute when defenceman Quinn Hughes wasn\u2019t healthy enough to play at the 4 Nations Face-off in Montreal and Boston. Sanderson had a strong effort in that tourney.<\/p>\n
\u201cI put a lot of pressure on myself last year to make that team,\u201d Sanderson said. \u201cWhen I didn\u2019t, it just added more fuel to the fire. Being disappointed last year, it makes you work harder.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you look back, you\u2019re kind of glad those things happened to you, because it makes you stronger.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sanderson\u2019s family is heading overseas to see the games. Geoff, mother Ellen, and siblings Ben and Sawyer will be on hand.<\/p>\n
What role will Sanderson play for the Americans? That\u2019s to be determined by coach Mike Sullivan. A shutdown spot in the top four might work. Sanderson ranks fifth in the NHL in average time on ice at 25 minutes and seven seconds per game.<\/p>\n
Related<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s really competitive defensively, like a lot of guys,\u201d said Geoff, who played 17 years in the NHL, mostly with Hartford and Columbus. \u201cI wasn\u2019t born with that gene, but he was born to be competitive defensively.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe always wanted to be the goalie in hockey, the goalie in soccer or the catcher in baseball. His compete defensively is probably why he went under the radar for so long as a younger player. He\u2019s a guy who would rather prevent a goal than score one.\u201d<\/p>\n
What does Sanderson look forward to most about going to the Olympics?<\/p>\n
\u201cNext to a Stanley Cup, the gold medal is as high as it gets,\u201d Sanderson said. \u201cIt\u2019s cool just being on the world stage.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s so much history with USA Hockey in the Olympics and we haven\u2019t won gold in a while.\u201d<\/p>\n