Axel Sandin Pellikka

June 2025 – Sandin-Pellikka had one of the best years as a teenager in SHL history.  He just got better as the year progressed, and it culminated with him scoring eight points in 11 SHL playoff games, an incredible rate for a defenseman. He made the jump to North American hockey and played in five games for the Grand Rapids Griffins, where he looked solid despite a lack of production. Sandin-Pellikka has the upside to be one of the best offensive defensemen in the NHL and would be an invaluable pickup for any fantasy hockey team. While he may not break into the NHL next year, potentially taking a year to get used to North American ice in the AHL, it will not be too long before he is in the NHL. He has high-end skating, puck handling, and passing, coupled with a shot that can beat netminders clean. Sandin-Pellikka is precisely the type of defenseman that NHL teams covet. While the defense may not be the best, the rest of his game more than compensates for that and should lead to a lengthy NHL career at the top of a lineup. James Connelly

May 2025 – If he wasn’t already high on the radar of fantasy owners before, ASP’s hat trick early in the WJC certainly did. Elite skill from the blue line, Sandin-Pellikka ended the tourney with 10 points in seven games, leading Team Sweden in scoring and finishing tied for second in the tournament overall, winning the WJC Best Defenseman. Playing with men in the SHL while still a teenager, he tallied 29 points in 46 games, winning the SHL Best Junior Award. He’s exceptionally talented and is vying for a Detroit roster spot in the fall. It’s not a question of if Detroit’s talented young D can make room for ASP on the power play – it will soon be, can ASP make room for the likes of Seider and Edvinsson? – Dobber

August 2024 – Sandin Pellikka excels at recovering dump-ins with poise and disrupting plays at his blue line, then exiting the defensive zone with control and making a strong first pass. His ten goals represented a significant contribution from the back end, especially from a teenager, and his playmaking shone when he chose to use it. He is an extremely mobile and deceptive puck handler, evading opponents with ease and constantly threatening with the man advantage. Sandin Pellikka was recently named the top Swedish-born defenseman in the SHL after fueling his team to a championship (seven points in 14 games), accolades that confirm his arrival as a high-end fantasy asset. He will return to Sweden for one more year before presumably beginning his Red Wings audition with Grand Rapids in 2025-26. Ben Gehrels

April 2024 – Sandin Pellikka took his game to new heights this year, playing against men in Sweden’s top league at age 19. He was awarded the Salming Trophy (top Swedish-born defenceman) after scoring 18 points in 39 games with Skellefteå, including three in five playoff matches. His flashes of dynamism have become more consistent and impressive in his Draft+1 campaign, and his poise and confidence with the puck have grown noticeably as well. He is well on his way to realizing his potential as a future top-pairing power play quarterback for the Red Wings. Ben Gehrels

August 2023 – The smooth-skating blue liner had some ups and downs at the World Junior Summer Showcase but finished on a high note. He did at times display the poise and puck movement that made the Red Wings draft him at 17th overall in the 2023 draft. In his opener against Team USA, ASP was beaten pretty badly on a Lane Hutson goal that some called the top goal of the tournament. He rebounded against Finland, scoring the game-winning goal with a highlight-reel move of his own. Sandin-Pellikka will still need time to develop in the SHL with Skelleftea AIK this upcoming season, but make no mistake – he has the skills to develop into a top pairing defenseman soon. The 18-year-old has all the tools that NHL executives crave. His lateral movement and edge work are off the charts, and he is good at using his upper body to avoid defenders. The 5-11 Swede is a must-own in all dynasty leagues as he projects to be an important cog in the Detroit organization for years to come. Evan Sabourin

July 2023 – Another Swedish defenseman drafted by the Wings. Color me shocked. Yzerman is no stranger when it comes to drafting defensemen from the SHL, and that’s exactly what he did with pick number 17. Sandin Pellikka is a right-handed defenseman who is an extremely smooth skater with a high hockey IQ that might be the most gifted offensive rearguard in the entire draft. The 5-11 puck-moving defender played 22 games with Skelleftea AIK of the Swedish Hockey League this past season, recording two goals and five points. This followed a sensational season with the Skelleftea AIK Jr. club, where he registered 16 goals and 36 points over 31 games.

Sandin Pellikka is smart with the puck and has drawn comparisons to Kris Letang and Quinn Hughes, a reliable puck-moving defender who can create offense from the backend with a high compete level. His lateral movement with the puck is off the charts. He can quarterback your power play and also help kill off penalties. Sandin Pellikka breaks the norm of Yzerman drafting big, heavy defensemen. But he won’t rely on his physical play as much as he will hon is skating and vision. Sandin Pellikka projects as a top-four NHL defender and should fit in nicely with Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson for the next decade. He instantly becomes Detroit’s top right-handed defensive prospect. Evan Sabourin

June 2023 – Sandin-Pellikka has been selected 17th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2023 NHL Draft. Curtis Rines

April 2023 – Back from his stint in the SHL, Sandin-Pellikka has looked a bit lost at times, but the core aspects of his game are still noticeable and often successful. Through the neutral zone, Sandin-Pellikka remains highly intelligent, knowing when to utilize passing options and when to carry the puck himself. The issues have mainly been once he enters the offensive zone, as he occasionally runs out of space or carries the puck directly into traffic. The frequency of this is higher, but his ability to weave effortlessly through the opposition hasn’t gone away entirely. Once entered into the offensive zone, Sandin-Pellikka continues to make smart passes and can cover ground for a forward out of place. Overall, it’s easy to envision Sandin-Pellikka’s combination of mobility and stickhandling at any professional level, and he has a translatable ability as a power-play quarterback. His defensive game is not his strongest quality, but he knows how to position himself to create giveaway opportunities, often capitalizing on them. Alexa Potack

September 2022 – Sandin-Pellikka had a solid season for Skellefteå’s J18 and J20 teams in Sweden last year, but I didn’t have him very high on my list when the season started. However, he has started the season very strong, and I would argue that he was Team Sweden’s best player at August’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He has also started the J20 Nationell campaign with five points in four games and has performed well in the Champions League against men.

Sandin-Pellikka is an offensive-minded two-way defender. He moves the puck very well on the breakout and likes to jump into the rush if an opportunity presents itself. He possesses strong four-way mobility and quick feet and controls the puck with confidence, even under pressure. Sandin-Pellikka has an aggressive style of play, as he likes to pinch into the offensive zone and is eager to close the gap when defending against the rush. It will be interesting to see how his season goes, but if he can keep up his strong start, he will make his way into the first-round conversation. Eetu Siltanen