ROBENHYMER: Jake Sanderson is Eager to Step out of his Father’s Shadow, and Into the NHL Spotlight

When your dad played over 1100 games in the NHL over the course of 17 seasons and notched 700 points along the way, it can be hard to create a name for yourself as you try to carve out your own career as a professional hockey player. Jake Sanderson is up for the challenge though.

“Growing up, I had no idea my dad was special,” the 17-year-old defenceman said. “I just thought he was a regular dad and he just chose to play hockey like other people choose to be teachers or whatever. People would see my last name and they’d ask if I was his son and I would be like… how do all these people know my dad? Now that I have a better understanding of just how special he was as a hockey player, I understand why so many people asked.”

Now that Sanderson is trying to chart his own course to the NHL as a