A highly mobile defenseman, Sanderson is incredibly athletic and has an incredible toolbox. Using his smooth skating to be a dynamic puck-moving defender, his hands and decision-making have steadily caught up with his feet. He’s incredibly elusive with the puck, able to turn on the jets and cut through traffic with ease. Gets up to speed in a hurry, both forward and backward, with long, smooth strides. Likes to take matters into his own hands and carry the puck for zone exits and entries. Defensive work is average, as he keeps a good gap and can recover into position quickly, but he lacks size and strength, and doesn’t seem to see the ice quite as well without the puck as when he has it. Turns over the puck at times, but that’s to be expected for a guy who has it on his stick as much as he does. Offensively, he exudes a lot of confidence and clearly wants to make a positive difference for his team. However, his decision-making is an issue, as his puck rushes often end up going right into dangerous areas before the puck ends up getting turned over and going the other direction. He uses his skating to get his shot through opposing defenders, though his shot itself and his passing are good but not elite. He mostly makes simple plays on the man-advantage because he doesn’t have enough creativity. Overall, he is a defender that has the potential to combine mobility, strength, physical play and speed with a high-level vision and hockey IQ.

– FCHockey’s 2020 NHL Draft Guide