Kammala jumla mai zuwa: Sandlak ya taka leda a manyan matasa tare da London Knights na Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Yana zuwa cikin
1985 NHL Entry Draft an dauke shi a matsayin daya daga cikin manyan 'yan wasan da aka zaba don zane. Vancouver Canucks ne suka zaba shi tare da na huɗu na gaba ɗaya; a 6'4" da 220 lbs an zaba shi don magance sha'awar Canucks don babban ci gaba. Ya tabbatar da wannan matsayin tare da babban wasan kwaikwayon a gasar zakarun duniya ta 1986, inda ya kasance kyaftin din tawagar Kanada kuma an nada shi babban dan wasan gaba. Tabbatar da cewa Sandlak ya kasance mafi kyawun fata fiye da Cam Neely mai saurin ci gaba (wanda ya taka rawa iri ɗaya da salo), gudanarwar Canuck ta yanke shawarar cewa Neely ya zama mai kashewa, kuma ya ba shi zuwa Boston Bruins don Barry Pederson a cikin abin da daga baya za a lakafta shi da yawa masu sharhi a matsayin ɗaya daga cikin mafi munin kasuwancin da aka taɓa yi.