If fantasy hockey managers are looking for a defenseman capable of making another jump in 2026-27, Jake Sanderson deserves to be near the top of the list.
My projection has the Ottawa Senators defenseman finishing with 15 goals, 52 assists and 67 points in 79 games this season. And there is legitimate upside beyond that number.
Sanderson quietly produced 14 goals, 40 assists and 54 points in only 67 games last season, a 66-point pace across 82 games. He also averaged an enormous 24:50 of ice time per game, led Ottawa’s defensemen in scoring and established himself as one of the most important players on the Senators roster.
The interesting part for fantasy managers is that this projection does not require a massive breakout. Sanderson is already producing at nearly the level we’re projecting.
The potential difference in 2026-27 is opportunity.
Ottawa traded Brady Tkachuk to Florida after he recorded 59 points in 60 games last season and subsequently acquired William Eklund. With Tkachuk’s offensive touches needing to be redistributed, Sanderson could become even more important as the quarterback of an Ottawa power play built around players such as Tim StĂĽtzle, Drake Batherson, Eklund and Dylan Cozens.
Jake Sanderson 2026-27 Fantasy Hockey Projection for the Ottawa Senators
My projection model isn’t forecasting Sanderson becoming a completely different player. It’s forecasting more games, continued elite deployment and a modest increase in offensive efficiency.
Sanderson’s 54 points in 67 games represented 0.81 points per game. Simply maintaining that scoring rate over a healthier season puts him comfortably into the 60-point range.
I’m taking him slightly higher.
NHLTradeRumor.com Jake Sanderson Projection
2026-27 Games Played: 79
Goals: 15
Assists: 52
Points: 67
Projected Points Per Game: 0.85
Fantasy Tier: High-end D1
Projection Range: 61-72 points
Fantasy Dynasty Trade Value: 94/100
NHL.com’s own preseason fantasy projection has Sanderson at 65 points and ranked No. 63 overall. It also notes that he has accumulated 52 power-play points over the past two seasons, tied for fourth among NHL defensemen during that span.
That makes my 67-point projection aggressive, but hardly unrealistic.
NHLTradeRumor.com Jake Sanderson Fantasy Projection Model
Why Ottawa’s Power Play Could Push Jake Sanderson Toward 70 Points
This is where Sanderson separates himself from many fantasy defensemen.
Over the past two seasons, he has 52 power-play points, placing him among the NHL’s best defensemen in that category. Ottawa also finished second in the NHL in offensive-zone time percentage last season at 43.4 percent. More sustained offensive-zone possession creates exactly the type of environment an elite puck-moving defenseman needs.
Sanderson’s skating metrics make the upside even more interesting. NHL EDGE tracked him at a maximum speed of 24.27 mph, fifth among all NHL players, while his 31 bursts above 22 mph ranked second among defensemen. He also tied for third among defensemen with five high-danger goals.
My personal observation is that fantasy managers can sometimes undervalue Sanderson because he doesn’t carry the established superstar label of a Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes or Zach Werenski. The underlying usage is already superstar-level.
A defenseman playing close to 25 minutes per night, quarterbacking a dangerous power play and scoring above 0.80 points per game isn’t merely a sleeper anymore. He’s a legitimate fantasy D1.
The Biggest Risk in the Jake Sanderson Projection
Health is the variable I’m watching.
Sanderson’s 67 games last season were partly the result of an upper-body injury that cost him significant time in March.
That’s why I’m projecting 79 games rather than automatically giving him 82.
If he plays 78-82 games and maintains his power-play role, 70 points is absolutely within his realistic ceiling. If injuries strike again or Ottawa’s power play takes a step backward without Tkachuk, something closer to 58-62 points becomes more reasonable.
For my fantasy draft board, however, I’m comfortable targeting 67 points as the midpoint.
Jake Sanderson Contract and Fantasy Value
Sanderson is also locked into Ottawa long term with an $8.05 million annual cap hit through 2031-32.
Using my projection of 67 points, that works out to approximately $120,149 of cap hit per projected point in 2026-27.
That calculation doesn’t directly affect redraft fantasy hockey, but it matters when evaluating organizational commitment and dynasty stability. Ottawa has every financial incentive to continue deploying Sanderson as a cornerstone defenseman.
My proprietary Fantasy Dynasty Trade Value Index gives Sanderson a 94/100, based on age, scoring trajectory, power-play security, workload, contract stability and positional scarcity. That’s a fantasy-hockey trade-value model, not an estimate of whether Ottawa would actually trade him.
Jake Sanderson Fantasy Hockey Verdict
I’m buying Jake Sanderson for 2026-27.
Final projection: 15 goals, 52 assists and 67 points in 79 games.
The floor is strong because the minutes aren’t going anywhere. The ceiling is attractive because Ottawa’s power-play personnel remains loaded with skill. And at 24 years old, there’s still a reasonable argument that Sanderson’s best offensive seasons haven’t arrived yet.
NHL.com projects him for 65 points. I’m going two higher at 67, with a realistic ceiling of roughly 72.
If you’re drafting defensemen after the obvious superstar tier disappears, Sanderson is exactly the type of player I’d target before the rest of your league recognizes that the breakout may have already started.
Jake Sanderson Career NHL Stats
| Type | GP | G | A | P | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | 303 | 39 | 142 | 181 | 4 |
| Playoffs | 9 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
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