Sens' Sanderson headlines Button's top Canadian team prospects

A day after releasing his annual Top 50 NHL-affiliated prospects list, it’s time for TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button to dig deeper into the prospect pool of each Canadian team.

Despite another tough season in the nation’s capital, Button thinks fans of the Ottawa Senators have plenty to be excited about.

Sens defenceman Jake Sanderson (No. 2) is the highest-rated prospect from a Canadian club on Button’s Top 50 list, and the only other player in the top 20 from a Canadian team is Ottawa centre Ridly Greig (No. 18).

“Ottawa to me, (has a) terrific prospect pool,” said Button. “You talk about Tim Stutzle and Josh Norris as your top two centremen. Ridly Greig is an outstanding third-line centre.”

Sanderson, who signed his entry-level contract in March after his second season of college eligibility at the University of North Dakota, was the captain of Team USA at the 2021 World Juniors and played in one game at the Beijing Olympics.

Greig was Ottawa’s third first-round pick (28th overall) in 2020 after the Sens took Tim Stutzle third and Sanderson fifth. The captain of the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings has 26 goals and 63 points in 39 games this season.

Ottawa’s top 10 also includes a pair of goaltenders – Filip Gustavsson and Mads Sogaard – who’ve had a taste of NHL experience, and blueliner Jacob Bernard-Docker, a 2018 first-round pick (26th overall) who is honing his craft with AHL Belleville.

Toronto Maple Leafs are the Canadian team that had the most players in the top 50 – defenceman Topi Niemela (No. 21), forward Matthew Knies (No. 27) and forward Nicholas Robertson (No. 46).

“The Toronto Maple Leafs’ top five prospects were all drafted after the first round,” said Button. “Niemela has been terrific this year in the