The NHL posted an interesting anecdote on their NHL Edge website recently, promoting Ottawa Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson’s skating ability.
According to their data, during the Senators’ game against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night, Sanderson reached the top skating speed by an NHL defenceman this season at 24.37 miles per hour (MPH).
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NHL Edge has captured data on the league since the beginning of the 2021-22 season, and over the five years it has recorded data, Sanderson’s skating speed is the second-highest ever by a defenceman. His mark trails Quinn Hughes’ 24.56 MPH.
Sanderson was aware that he had set the record, and he could recall the exact moment when it happened in Tuesday’s game. It occurred during a shift in the third period when he carried the puck down and around the Vancouver net.
“I knew I was going fast,” Sanderson recalled. “But, I didn’t know I was going that fast.”
Thanks to the NHL’s player-monitoring and tracking sensors, that information is readily available to players.
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The speed data is something that Sanderson talks about all the time with David Perron.
“The speed stuff we like to be aware of,” the defenceman admitted. “We joked about it a month ago and started talking about (skating speeds). It’s really nothing, but it is kind of cool to look back at your history. For me, it kind of makes me want to get my legs going and make sure I’m sprinting out there.”
Jake’s father, Geoff, played 1,104 games across 17 seasons in the NHL, where the two-time All-Star was renowned for his speed.
Credit genetics or the work habits of Jake, but his father played a large role in his development as a child.
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“At a young age, I did a lot of power skating,” Sanderson said. “At the time, it was very boring. Obviously, when you’re younger, you want to be able to shoot pucks and play games.
“My dad always taught me and my brothers that skating is the number one thing. My older brother Ben was probably faster than I was. He just flew around, and in my teen years, he was a big role model for me because of how he trained. I look up to him a lot.”
In terms of all skaters this season, Sanderson’s recorded speed is the third-highest in the league behind Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (24.61 MPH) and Utah’s Logan Cooley (24.38 MPH).
Being mentioned in the same breath as McDavid when discussing skating is an impressive accomplishment in the sport.
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“It’s cool,” Sanderson acknowledged. “With guys like McDavid and (Nathan) MacKinnon, those top speeds are more natural to them, and they’re hitting it probably every game. They’re also handling the puck just as fast, which makes it even more impressive.
“But yeah, it’s pretty cool to see (my name and metrics approach theirs).
Senators fans and observers are unlikely to be surprised by Sanderson’s placement.
The blueliner often draws comparisons to Hall of Fame defenceman Scott Niedermayer for his efficient and smooth skating. Sanderson ranks in the 99th percentile in max skating speed, 22-plus MPH bursts, 20 to 22 MPH bursts, and 18 to 20 MPH bursts. The 23-year-old leads all NHL defencemen in 22-plus mph speed bursts (24) and is second among blueliners in 20-plus mph speed bursts (153), trailing only the Islanders’ rookie phenom, Matthew Schaefer (169).
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It is that skating ability that helps Sanderson get back quickly to retrieve and break pucks out of the defensive zone. Clean zone exits and entries have quickly become hallmarks of the defenceman’s game.
“(Skating) can be a huge advantage,” Sanderson described. “It goes back to the saying, ‘If you can’t skate, you can’t play.’ It’s also not just the exits, it’s being able to get open for (Artem Zub) or sprinting to a spot on retrievals and making it easier on him to make plays.”
Sanderson’s skating has also allowed him to expand his offensive game.
Successful entries lead to more opportunities for sustained possession in the offensive zone. His speed and skating also afford him chances to join the attack and create odd-man rushes.
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Sanderson established career highs in goals (11) and points (57) last season, but through 46 regular season games, he appears poised to smash those totals as he is on pace for 16 goals and 62 points.
In the past, Sanderson has downplayed his offensive game relative to defencemen like Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes, whose offensive production has dominated the Norris Trophy conversation. In saying that, there is no mistaking the growth in Sanderson’s offensive game over the past few years.
It still feels like there is room for development, because using his speed to make plays and create separation in the offensive zone is something he wants to do more frequently. It is also a point of emphasis that the Senators’ coaching staff has encouraged as well.
“I have to continue to do more of it and use my speed in the offensive zone,” Sanderson said. “That is something I’ve got to work on. Obviously, you don’t want to force things, and you need to read the situation and the play. But if you have legs, you have the gas, and you can make it an odd-man rush, go ahead.”
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Sanderson finished top-10 in Norris Trophy balloting last season, but if his offensive production can continue to evolve, he will only continue to garner more attention and votes in future candidacies.
Graeme Nichols
The Hockey News – Ottawa
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