WHITEFISH — Another Montanan is headed to Beijing.
According to a report from NBC Sports, Whitefish native Jake Sanderson has accepted an invite on the Team USA men's hockey team for the 2022 Olympics. According to the report, because of the NHL's Olympic withdrawal on Dec. 22 due to COVID-19 impacting their season, USA Hockey has not confirmed Sanderson's spot on the team yet, or confirmed any players on their roster.
Sanderson confirmed with MTN Sports on Tuesday that he had accepted the invite to play for Team USA.
Once announced, Sanderson will join fellow Whitefish native Maggie Voisin as 2022 Winter Olympic attendees.
Sanderson, a defenseman who grew up in Whitefish and Canada, has started to make a name for himself on the ice. Not only was he the fifth pick in the 2020 NHL Draft taken by Ottawa, he will also be one of the first teenagers to compete on an Olympic stage for the USA men's hockey team in 30 years, according to NBC Sports.
Sanderson recently helped Team USA to a gold medal at the 2021 World Junior Championships in Canada last winter.
Sanderson is a key component for the University of North Dakota men's hockey team, but he will only be missing four games. In nine games this year for North Dakota, Sanderson has three goals and six assists.
