Blades’ Saunderson invited to Columbus Blue Jackets development camp
Columbus, OH – The Columbus Blue Jackets are letting “The Dawg” eat.
The NHL club announced their development camp roster on Monday, and Saskatoon Blades defender Ben Saunderson is headed to Ohio. It’s the 19-year-old’s first time ever attending an NHL camp.
Saunderson took massive steps in his development during the 2023-24 Western Hockey League (WHL) season. The Carberry, MB slotted into a top-6 defensive role the year prior on a deep Saskatoon club that went all the way to the Eastern Conference Final. With sturdy and veteran WHL defencemen Aidan De La Gorgendiere and Blake Gustafson aging out of the league, the 2023-24 campaign marked a year of opportunity for Saunderson. The 6-foot-1 defender was thrust into a top-2 role on the back end and didn’t look back. The left-shot defenceman scored a career-high five goals, 26 assists, and 31 points in 67 games, all more than double his previous career highs. Saunderson tied for fifth amongst WHL defenceman in +/- at +39, and his reliable play made him one of Saskatoon’s most effective penalty killers.
The man known as “The Dawg” continued his excellence in the postseason with two goals and seven assists in 16 games, helping the Blades return to their second straight Eastern Conference Final. The Blades fell one goal short of the final after a Game 7 overtime loss to the Moose Jaw Warriors, the sixth overtime of the series.
In 192 career WHL games, Saunderson boasts six goals, 45 assists, 51 points, and sits at a +42.
The Blue Jackets’ development camp runs between Wednesday, July 2nd – Saturday, July 5th. The Blades want to congratulate Ben on a well deserved invite to show Columbus what he’s made of!
