‘It Was Unbelievable’: Whitefish Native Jake Sanderson Reflects on Team USA Hockey’s Historic Gold Medal Run

While visuals of Team USA’s Jack Hughes slotting an overtime goal past Canada’s Jordan Binnington last month in Milan, Italy are permanently etched into the American sports psyche and history book, Whitefish native Jake Sanderson’s recounting of the seconds following the gold medal clinching moment is still a little hazy.

“I just blacked out and started freaking out and jumping around,” Sanderson, the Team USA defenseman, said. 

An image that remains clear in Sanderson’s mind, however, is one of his family celebrating in the stands amid the commotion of the United States contingent. 

From learning how to skate at Whitefish’s Stumptown Ice Den to standing on top of the podium in Milan, it’s his family who has been with Sanderson through each step of his journey. 

“The celebration after, just being able to be with our families, hug my mom and dad and my brothers and share my gold medal with them,” Sanderson said when recalling his favorite moments from the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

“It’s a team effort; team, as in your family, does so much for you, and your parents sacrifice so much to get you where you are. I’m forever grateful for that. When I win a gold medal, it’s not just me, it’s my family winning the gold medal as well.”

Sanderson — who was taken fifth overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2020 NHL draft out of the University of North Dakota — was born in Whitefish and raised there until his family moved to Calgary, Alberta around age 11, with his parents still owning a home in Whitefish. His father, Geoff Sanderson, is a retired Canadian hockey player whose NHL career spanned 17 seasons. 

Like his father would during the offseason, Sanderson makes his return to Whitefish each summer, training daily with his father at his old stomping grounds on the rink along Wisconsin Avenue. 

“Everybody at the rink there opens the door to allow me to skate and train,” Sanderson said. “I want to represent the town of Whitefish well and put my best foot forward because I’m not just doing this for myself. I’m doing this for my family and where I came from, so I take that very seriously, and I’m very proud of where I come from.”

Those summers in Whitefish — most recently spending all three months in his hometown — played a role in preparing Sanderson to help the United States secure its first gold medal in men’s hockey in 46 years. 

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Heading into the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympic Games — which was the first Games NHL players participated in since 2014 — Sanderson was one of only two players with Olympic experience on Team USA Hockey’s roster and, at age 23, was the second youngest of the 25 players.

The trip to Italy was Sanderson’s second-consecutive Winter Games following his 2022 Olympic debut in Beijing, where the United States suffered a heartbreaking quarterfinal loss to Slovakia following undefeated group play that included a win over Canada.

Despite occupying a role as one of the few players on the roster with Olympic experience, Sanderson’s first go-around was quite different to the 2026 Winter Games — and not just because of the golden finish.

“It was kind of a weird situation for me four years ago,” Sanderson said. “I tested positive with Covid at the training camp before we flew over, so I had to stay in the hotel for a week before I flew over. Then I flew over, I met the team for a day, and then our first game, it was like the second period, and I got hurt; broke my collarbone.”

While he still got to take part in the Olympic experience by cheering on his teammates and other Team USA athletes, Sanderson only appeared in the opening game.

“My real hunger to make the Milan Games kind of started in Beijing,” Sanderson said. “Just realizing how cool it is being on the world stage; seeing other athletes train and they’re the best in the world at what they do. 

“I had that in the back of my mind for four years trying to, obviously, first make the NHL and become a good player in the NHL, but also give myself a shot to make the Olympic team. So it was a long journey, for sure.”

Fast forward to 2026, Sanderson played in all six Olympic games in which Team USA outscored its opponents 26-9. The gold medal run culminated in a marquee meeting between the two North American rivals, with the United States in search of its first gold medal since 1980’s “Miracle on Ice.”

“I don’t think there’s any other way to draw it up better, having USA versus Canada,” Sanderson said. “It was a very stressful few hours for sure before the game. Knowing what’s at stake, and you never know if you’re going to get that opportunity again to try to win a gold medal at the Olympics. So, very stressful.”

That stress quickly melted away once defenseman Zach Werenski found Hughes cross-ice in Canada’s offensive zone, putting a bow on the overtime gold medal match that featured a 41-save performance from netminder Connor Hellebuyck to lift Team USA over a 42-28 shot deficit. The win marked the United States’ first triumph over Canada in a gold medal game.

“To see my family celebrate in the stands and seeing all of our support in the rink too, it was unbelievable,” Sanderson said.

Following the historic win, Sanderson has headed back to his NHL duty with the Senators, but when the season comes to a close in the coming months, he’ll make his way home to Whitefish.

“It’s such a great reset for me,” Sanderson said. “The season is so long and it’s such a grind, so it’s obviously just nice to go home and be in the mountain air and just be with family, so it’s tough to beat.

“I like to think of Whitefish as my home and my safe place after the season. I absolutely love it.”

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