Sanderson Apologizes to Merilainen After Heated Comments
Hockey’s intense. You’re racing, checking, thinking five moves ahead. But when things go wrong, emotions spill over. That’s what happened with Jake Sanderson after the Ottawa Senators’ recent 4-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. When frustration got the better of him, he fired some pointed words at his goalie, Leevi Merilainen.
It wasn’t some calculated critique. It was the heat of the moment, the raw frustration of a game that didn’t go your way. Every mistake feels bigger in the locker room than it does on the scoreboard. But here’s the thing—what happened next tells you a lot about Sanderson and the kind of teammate he is.
Sanderson Apologizes After the Game
After the game, Sanderson took a few deep breaths, reflected, and went to Merilainen directly. “Pretty embarrassed,” he said. “After a game, you take a few minutes, breathe, and I talked to Leevi. I apologized, and I still feel really bad. Life’s great, and he’s a great teammate.” That said, Merilainen was sent down to the Belleville Senators of the AHL later that day, unrelated to Sanderson’s apology.
It’s an important reminder: hockey players are human. Everyone feels the weight of the game personally. One mistake, one goal allowed, and one bad bounce hits hard. Words get said. Sometimes too quick, too sharp. But stepping back, owning it, and making amends? That’s what matters. That’s how trust gets built, even when tension runs high.
What This Shows About the Intensity of Any NHL Game
Merilainen probably felt enough guilt already. Sanderson’s apology doesn’t erase the frustration, but it does show how tightly players are wrapped up in the game and in each other. Hockey isn’t just goals, saves, and stats. It’s emotion, pride, and accountability.
The lesson for all of us watching from the stands or from home? Wins are great, losses sting—but it’s how players handle the heat that counts (and let’s be honest, we’ve all had that locker-room moment). Sanderson’s quick step to apologize, his honesty, and the fact that he’s still taking responsibility? That’s a lesson in teamwork you can’t measure on the scoresheet.
Sometimes a loss teaches more than a win ever could.